The following is reprinted from Row As One's Newsletter, Reach.

Older, Wiser and Kicking Butt
Beth Mazur

When you think of elite rowing centers, a few cities spring to mind: Boston, Chattanooga, San Diego, and Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh?!?! Well, if two masters women from Three Rivers Rowing Association have any say, Pittsburgh may soon be a stop on the elite tour.

TRRA has established the International Competitor Training Program to support elite rowing in Pittsburgh, from the junior level through international competition. The inaugural athletes to the program, Liz Jones, 32, and Dori Martin, 27, are making final preparations for the Olympic trials in the lightweight women's double, coached by Lodislau Tompa, a seven-time Romanian national champion. While the field is incredibly competitive, Liz and Dori believe that may very well realize their Olympic dreams this summer.

A beautifully matched pair, both physically and emotionally, Liz and Dori, turned to the elite arena when it became apparent that their talent could make them competitive at rowing's highest level. Liz is a natural athlete who likes to compete with the best. In fact, she is a two-time national gymnastics champion (1977 and 1978). She developed her passion for rowing in 1989 after a close friend introduced her to the sport. She began competing at the national level in masters rowing in 1993 and began taking home gold, lots of it, at masters competitions in 1994.

Dori began rowing in 1990 to rehabilitate her leg. A hit and run accident had meant a month's long hospital stay and fears of not walking normally again. However, she fought back and began developing into a very competitive rower. In the spring of 1994, Dori participated in the lightweight women's pre-elite camp. In 1994, Liz and Dori took their first gold as a pair in the lightweight double at Masters Nationals in Augusta.

This partnership has produced impressive results. In last season's Masters Nationals in St. Paul, Liz and Dori combined for gold in the lightweight women's 2X and open women's 2X and silver in the open women's 4X. In addition, Dori took the gold in the lightweight women's 1X, while Liz took gold in the mixed 2X with the friend who got her involved in rowing. They also made a very strong showing in the US Nationals in Augusta in 1995, taking fourth place in the lightweight women's 2X - prompting Liz to speculate that they had a shot in this event, "After all, (our competition) is at their peak since they've been training much harder than us. We still have room to improve."

Until they began training seriously for the Olympics, both rowers maintained full-time jobs. Liz was health education specialist at Women's Health Services in Pittsburgh; she eventually left her job to devote more time to training. However, she continued her part-time position as coach for the largest high school crew in Pittsburgh. Dori is an architect whose firm has graciously given her all the support necessary to train for trials.

In 1994, when interviewed about possible Olympic aspirations, Liz responded, "It depends on the week you talk to me and how I did at the last regatta. I like to think -- and I usually get away with this -- I'll work really, really, really hard and see where it goes." As they make their final preparation for trials, it appears Liz and Dori's "really, really, really hard work" has paid off in a very impressive accomplishment.