Steady State Podcast

When Megan Roark first learned to row at 12 years old, she couldn’t have known the sport would one day shape not only her athletic identity, but her approach to medicine. Years later, through her training and practice as a naturopathic doctor, Megan has come to appreciate rowing not just for its physical demands, but for its meditative qualities, too.

But rowers are famously stubborn: pushing through pain, skipping recovery work, s...

Rowing has a way of getting into your system and shaping everything that comes after. For Ruben Rapi, that started when he was seven years old in Greece, and led him all the way to the U23 Swedish National Team.

But it was stepping away from elite competition that gave Ruben a new perspective on rowing. Not just as a sport, but as a community that, in many places, is struggling to grow or adapt.

Today, Ruben and his brother Ahmet –...

Martin Helseth has always been drawn to the water. As a kid in Norway, he spent as much time beneath the surface as he did on it—free diving from a boat his father built, discovering a sense of calm and freedom below. Not long after, he found that same feeling in a rowing shell, first picking up the sport at age 10.

Through persistence and a deep connection to the water, he rose through the Norwegian system to become a two-time Oly...

Before RegattaCentral became the go-to platform for regatta registration, it was just an idea sparked by an Ohio State alum and rowing coach who saw a better way. We talk with founder and president Steve Lopez about his lightbulb moment in 1999 that brought rowing and early internet technology together, and how his idea quietly reshaped  regatta registration, data, and analytics. From fax machines, FedEx envelopes, and modems, to m...

In 2021, then high school junior Cillian Mullen was at a pivotal moment — navigating his identity, the college recruitment process, and transgender athlete policies. Five years later, his journey has taken him to the U19 and U23 national teams, twice each, and the University of Washington. We catch up with Cillian to explore what’s changed, what hasn’t, and how he’s continuing to carve out his place in rowing.

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Head to Michigan for our semi-regular club spotlight series to get to know Ann Arbor Rowing Club. We talk with masters rower Francine McBride about being a rower Mom, and the early days of the club in the 1980s; fundraising and marketing chair Andrea Danz about setting the groundwork for effective fundraising; and Coach Mary Giacobbe who tells us how AARC balances novices and experienced rowers along two tracks in one practice sess...

Mention Texas and you might picture the Wild West — flat, dusty highways, and tumbleweeds rolling by. But head to Austin, tucked into the Hill Country, and you’ll find something different.

Right in the heart of the city flows Lady Bird Lake, a stretch of the Colorado River that has become a daily gathering place for runners, paddlers, and rowers alike. On its banks sits a true Austin institution: Texas Rowing Center.

For owner Matt...

Katie Weber was at home on the soccer field and basketball court. But after a brain cancer diagnosis and multiple surgeries left her balance impaired, the athletic identity she’d always known felt suddenly out of reach.

For years, she searched for a way back.

That path led her to Seattle-based organization Seize the Oar, and to a sport that rewards patience, persistence, and the willingness to keep learning. Rowing didn’t just give...

Three-time Olympic gold medallist Marnie McBean is one of the most decorated Canadian rowers of all time, and a driving force in our sport’s history. She’s been a mentor and leader for generations of athletes and now she’s also serving her country as a Senator in the Canadian Parliament, bringing that same curiosity, leadership, and commitment to service to national issues. 

Get ready to hear about her early experiences testing on ...

Nicki Plucinski discovered rowing as a teenager in Victoria, Australia. Though “woefully uninformed” going into her first 2k race, Nicki’s effort caught her coach’s attention and that day left a lasting impression. Nearly 30 years later, Nicki has turned that early experience into a mission. She founded Ratio Theory Rowing to give athletes the attention, direction, and information they need to succeed. In this conversation, we expl...

Maurice Scott has been on a personal mission to be a face of positive change in the world of rowing. From beginning with zero Instagram followers, to the 2025 launch of Rowfluencers – what he calls the "#1 Rowing Talent & NIL marketing agency in the World" – Maurice has sought to  uplift the sport as a whole. He's dedicated to expanding the reach and impact of rowing through innovative marketing approaches.

 Rowing is the ultim...

We first met physical therapist Lisa Lowe in fall 2020 when she applied for and received one of our changemaker scholarships that allowed her to attend a US rowing conference. We checked in with her a year and a half later for a season three episode to talk about Lisa's experience with rehab following a car accident.

Today, Lisa is a sought after rowing specialist physical therapist near Boston, and guest author for Science of Rowi...

In 2025, the Head of the Charles regatta celebrates 60 years - so we thought it was a perfect opportunity to reflect and look ahead at this event that brings together thousands of rowers and fans to the shores of the Charles River in Boston. We’re incredibly honored to talk with D’Arcy MacMahon, one of three original founders of the regatta AND Fred Schoch, whose tenure as regatta executive director stretched 33 years. We’ve paired...

Sue Ryan came to rowing through her journey as a breast cancer survivor, and she’s embraced the sport as both a challenge and a source of community. We talk about how the sport helped her move past childhood trauma, how it has shaped her cancer recovery, and the ways she’s found strength on and off the water as a member of Whitmarsh Boat Club, WeCanRow Philadelphia, and the Survivor Rowing Network.

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Think of all the companies represented in your boathouse. Maybe it’s boats manufactured by Vespoli, Pocock, or Hudson, and ergs and oars by Concept2. Maybe your coach keeps communications going using iCrew, or you open up the ErgZone app for training workouts. All of these companies – and nearly 20 others – are members of the Rowing Industry Trade Association (RITA). 

On this episode we talk with two founding members of RITA  – Mic...

Indianapolis Rowing Center was like lots of other clubs, running several small Learn to Row sessions each year but struggling with retention.

Then IRC rower, coach, and brand new Board member Lisa Stickley proposed something big. Really big. She wanted to develop a new type of introduction to rowing program that would get 120 registrants in the boathouse door and on the water all within the month of July.

With the support of the Bo...

Like plenty of other college rowers, Jordan Hanssen felt he had more to prove on the water. So after graduation he committed to training with a goal of making the National Team. But when he spotted a flier in the boathouse challenging rowers to take on an ocean, the trajectory of his rowing career – and life – changed completely.

We sat down with Jordan to talk about his 2006 World Record-setting Atlantic row, and a second Atlantic...

Lea Park-Kim wanted to row in college, but realized she couldn’t give it the time and dedication she wanted. For her it was all or nothing so she stepped away to focus on academics. Several years later, with her professional life on track, she found her way back to the water. Today Lea is a disciplined, motivated, and insightful rower, coxswain, and coach at River City Rowing Club in West Sacramento, CA.

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Carolyn Webster-Stratton had been an active masters rower when she flipped over her handlebars while out for a bike ride in 2013. She can’t remember the first two weeks after the accident, but clearly remembers doctors painting a grim prognosis of her future with a traumatic brain injury. With a personal mantra of “keep going” and a dedication to recovery that includes daily long sessions on the erg, Carolyn returned to rowing in J...