I traveled out with the team to Munich last Tuesday feeling both nervous and excited about the start of the season.

Rowing in the eight for the last few weeks has been both of the feeling i had described, I knew we were recording some some excellent training times for this early in the season. It was quite frustrating that after such along period of trialing and assessments that quite a few people were coming down with small injuries and illnesses. A crew to race was finally formed with less than a week to go before we were to start our season.

Munich is probably my favourite rowing course built for the 1972 Olympics at the the height of communist east Germany, it is just as impressive today. Crystal clear waters and 30 thousand grandstand area give the place an enormous presence.

The day of the heat was a nervous time. We were drawn in the first heat alongside Australia, Croatia, Poland and Switzerland. A good start and we seemed to dominate the first 500 meters this was a new experience for me as last season we were usually behind at this point. Moving through the thousand we pushed in front of Australia and the rest of the field and increased our lead. At the finish we were about a boat length in front well in control and were through to the final on the Sunday.

Sunday seemed to take forever to arrive, shorter training sessions and hanging around in the hotel all the time waiting to race makes time drag on like you wouldn't believe. Sunday arrives and I'm starting to suffer with a cold, this isn't great; I don't feel so bad but It really is not the time to not be feeling 100%. There is no real choice not to race as I'm confident I can pull off the last race. Warming up I feel ok and get on the start line. The final start doesn't feel quite as Aggressive as in the heat and the Australian and Chinese boat slip away. From 750 meters through the race we start picking up speed and come through the Chinese and I can feel the Australian boat getting closer and closer. I'm thinking they'll pay for their fast start but they just manage to hang on and take the Gold with us a close silver and china back in bronze.

This was a disappointing result as we clearly had control in the heat. Clearly we made a mistake and the Australian team had improved. It is now three weeks until the next world cup race in Switzerland it's going to be intense both mentally and physically but we can learn from Munich and Go Switzerland to show this.