Rowing Duo Hopes to Set World Record

Maddy Pollock just got her drivers license on Tuesday.

Just hours later, she and Sydney Jean Gottfried began their attempt to break a world record.

Rowers with the Steel City Rowing Club in Verona, the girls are be attempting to set the Concept2 World Record for the 24-hour tandem erg for women 19 and younger. An erg is an indoor rowing machine that simulates rowing on water.

Maddy, 16, and SJ, 16, decided to go for it a little over a week ago when they were training in South Carolina.

"We saw that there was no record for it, so we thought we could try it," said Maddy, a Squirrel Hill resident and junior at Shadyside Academy.

Maddy started rowing at 6:15 p.m. on Tuesday. To complete the task, the girls will switch off every 30 minutes or so until 6:15 p.m. Wednesday. At the 24-hour mark, the two will have rowed enough to complete three marathons each.

They have music, high-calorie foods, a bed and will take plenty of showers to help them stay awake and alert.

"This is exciting, but it's definitely going to be daunting," said SJ, a Fox Chapel resident and junior at Ellis School in Pittsburgh. "After this, I don't think any workout will seem too hard."

Though it was a spur-of-the-moment decision to try for the record, the girls have been training on an erg since December.

"It'll be a nice way to kick off the spring season," said SJ.

Maddy, who has been rowing with the Steel City Rowing Club for six years, said she has high hopes.

"It'll be great if we do this," she said. "Even if someone beats us in the future, we'd always be able to say we were the first."

Laci and Dori Tompa coach the girls. Their assistant coach Matt Grau will be with them during their entire attempt. He and others will be on hand to motivate and the support the duo.

"They're so modest," Grau said. "At a race in South Carolina, they both placed in the top 40 in the country. They're really good and they've worked so hard."

Updates will be posted on the Steel City Rowing Club's Facebook and Twitter pages.

Support Maddy and SJ, and wish them luck in the comments!

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