Place the Oar Carefully

Synopsis Place the Oars Carefully Rowing is not a sport for the faint hearted. It demands time and commitment, especially by those who are determined to achieve success at the highest level. This fictional book, Place the Oar Carefully, recounts the story of four young men from quite different backgrounds who come together to row in a coxless four for Great Britain. Their goal is to win gold medals at the Olympic Games. The book describes the demands made upon them by the sport, their coach and the training they have to undergo. It also relates the challenges they face in the important races leading up to the Olympics and eventually their performance at the Olympic Games in Indianapolis. Woven within the story is the relationship which develops between one of the four, Jed, and Anne, the coach’s daughter. The book describes how they meet, how their feelings for each other develop and how Jed sees the relationship and his involvement in rowing as essential elements in his desire to better himself. Dillon’s understanding of rowing, gained through his own experience, provides a fascinating insight into the pressures and joys of a sport which involves all ages and is associated with some of the most famous names in British sporting history.