And they're off!!! Braving fierce winds, the olympic rowing competitors have begun. Harvard athletes are well-represented at these games, and so is fair Adams House. Pat Todd and Artour Samsonov, both 2002 grads and Adamsians, are rowing for the U.S. Pat is in the lightweight four which begins prelims tomorrow, and Artour, rowing in the men's pair, started today, advancing to the semis with the help of a very favorable draw -- they finished 9 seconds behind a boat that didn't advance because they were in a different heat. Here are the results.

Other Harvardians in the rowing events that I know of: Henry Nuzum (men's double), Wolf Moser (men's four), Caryn Davies (women's eight), Michelle Guerrette (women's four), Greg Ruckman (men's lightweight double, in a boat that I think is coached by Harvard's Charley Butt). I apologize for anyone I miss. Additionally, a high school classmate of mine, Josh West, is in the Great Britain eight.

As some of you know, I will soon be traveling to Athens myself to cheer these people on in person. I leave 8/20 and I hope to be able to make posts while I'm there.