Maritime Rows with Shimano’s Industry-Leading Footwear System: A Simple Gear Upgrade for Maximizing Power Transfer in Every Stroke
Home to 20 National Championships and counting, Maritime Rowing Club in Norwalk, Connecticut knows what it takes to win at the highest level. The club qualified an impressive 15 boats for this year's USRowing Youth National Championships. It was the second most of any club in the United States.
Maritime continued its legacy of success this past weekend at Nationals. Six Maritime crews advanced to the A Finals, showcasing their speed and determination against the nation’s best. Five additional crews competed in the B Finals, demonstrating the club’s depth and commitment to excellence.
A key part of their recipe for success?
They equipped their top boats with the Shimano Rowing Dynamic’s (SRD) Footwear System. This innovative design facilitates effective energy transfer from rower to boat and is based on Shimano’s decades of leadership in the cycling industry.
The Competitive Advantage of Shimano
Maritime first adopted Shimano rowing shoes years ago, drawn to their promise of better connection between rower and boat. "Originally, the idea was you can have a better catch through the front end - better connection to the boat. Like in cycling where you're part of the bike. With Shimano, you're truly part of the boat,” says Roman Vengerovskiy, Director of Operations and Boys High Performance coach.
The SRD system consists of either the SRD Virtual Pivot foot stretcher or SRD lever release flex system paired with Shimano’s sport specific shoe. Both designs maximize power transfer. This is especially true during the critical first 10% of the leg drive by allowing rowers to achieve full compression at the catch with no wasted energy from foot dorsiflexion.
Shimano has continued to evolve the SRD system over the years and Maritime has remained a loyal user because of the clear competitive advantage it provides. As Roman bluntly puts it, "We're always looking for an edge. Shimano gives our athletes a better feel in the boat and a better opportunity to perform technically."
The proof is in the results.
Maritime’s Youth 4x holds the record in the U.S. for how many times that event has been won by a single club, with the majority of those wins coming after adopting the Shimano system. "It's an integral part of our training and all our championships year after year."
Creating Confidence Through Top Equipment
Maritime doesn't stop at just putting Shimano shoes in their top boats though. The coaching philosophy is to give all athletes the absolute best equipment possible as they move up through the ranks.
"You can have a really good athlete, but if you give them a bottom-of-the-barrel boat, that doesn't make sense," he explains. "When those athletes make it to the top level, they get the best boat, best oars, best footboards - everything we can give them so they don't have to worry about equipment. They can just focus on training."
To illustrate, consider Maritime’s U15 4x+ that won nationals last year. "Those kids are young, but they had the best equipment - including Shimano. The kids really appreciate when we invest in new gear because they know we're doing everything possible to give them the best chance to succeed."
Durable Quality That Lasts
Of course, providing top equipment is an investment. That's why durability is key for Roman Vengerovskiy when evaluating any product. Here again, Shimano delivers.
"We row in a highly corrosive saltwater environment that's extremely tough on equipment," he says. "With just general maintenance it’s held up well for our tough environment."
The SRD system is constructed with carbon fiber stretcher boards and aluminum and stainless bindings and cleats. It has a specialized coating to help withstand saltwater environments.
Easy Maintenance and No Heel Ties
Vengerovskiy highlights another major advantage of Shimano shoes:
"There's really nothing special we do to maintain them beyond keeping them dry and storing them properly after rows. And a huge plus is there are no heel tie downs required, which is a huge pain for any program. I really like the fact that we could just pull up to the referee and be like ‘Shimano’ and they just wave us through.”
FISA, USRowing, and Rowing Canada Aviron have reviewed and approved the system.
It is very easy and fast to unclip by raising the feet vertically or pulling on the release lever of the flex system. Not only is SRD safer than conventional systems, but it is also far more hygienic. Each rower can have their own individually fitted shoes which easily clip in and out of each of the SRD foot stretchers.
Other than rowing, in what sport must an athlete share his/her shoes with another athlete?
As one of the clubs bringing the most boats to nationals each year, not having to fiddle with dozens of heel ties is a major timesaver.
The Future Is Shimano
Shimano shoes provide a performance advantage, durability, and easy maintenance. It's no surprise Maritime plans to keep upgrading more of the club's boats with the system.
"I upgrade as many boats as I can afford each year because Shimano is a competitive difference-maker. It’s a good strong carbon plate. It’s an easy solution."
For teams that want to boost their rowing, Vengerovskiy is a big fan of Shimano. "If it’s within your budget, I'd definitely take a look at the Shimano system. Not just because of performance levels, but for the technical aspects on how it can help a program.”
Customer Service That Delivers
Roman Vengerovskiy also praises Shimano's exceptional customer service. This is a key reason they use the system every year.
"John's been amazing - he gets me whatever parts I need rapidly. Having a supplier that delivers all your needs so quickly is huge. He's been amazing customer service."
Avoid technology that doesn't "fit" quite right with an individual ownership solution. Get gear that lets every rower enhance their experience and optimize power transfer.
