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<< Previous   of   Next >> Photo courtesy of Erik Dresser  (click to enlarge) Ursula Grobler James, of Lake Stevens, is a native of South Africa. She placed first out of 25 rowers in the singles event at the 2009 Head of the Charles Regatta on the Charles River in Boston on Oct. 17.   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Report scores and results to 425-339-3470 or 1-866-6-SCORES (Call after 4:30 p.m.) E-mail information including items for Tuesday's Communities Sports Roundup and Thursday's Outdoor Calendar, to sports@heraldnet.com Kevin Brown, Sports Editor kbrown@heraldnet.com   Published: Tuesday, November 10, 2009 London is calling local rower The meteoric rise of Lake Stevens' Ursula Grobler James has her looking to take her rowing talents to the London Olympics By Rich Myhre Herald Writer LAKE STEVENS — Ursula Grobler James is unsure what the future holds for her rowing career. But her present just keeps getting better and better. James, who lives in Lake Stevens, is making great strides — or strokes, if you will — in her bid to row at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. Earlier this year she placed second in a World Cup double sculls event in Spain. More recently, she was first in a singles race at the Royal Canadian Henley Regatta in St. Catharines, Ont., and then she won again at last month's prestigious Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston. She is beating Olympians from this country and from around the world, and she is doing so with times that put her among the elite of international rowers. “I don't think this girl has limits,” said her coach Carlos Dinares, who lives in Seattle and assists with the University of Washington crew program. “She is winning and she is hungry for more. “If things go well (in the next few years), I think Ursula can reach the top of the top,” he said. The 29-year-old James was born in South Africa and lived there until 2004, when she came to the Seattle area to work as an au pair. She had been a swimmer and track athlete in her native country, but knew little about rowing until she took a beginners class on Seattle's Green Lake. It started as a recreational activity, but before long she was hooked. She now trains for several hours almost every day. Some days she is on Green Lake with Dinares, other days on Lake Stevens by herself. As a rowing latecomer, “I need to play catch-up,” she said. “That's why I train a lot more than most. Most rowers wouldn't need to train as much as I do.” Her goal is not just to row at the London Olympics, but to do so as an American. And the only real question has nothing to do with her ability, which is considerable. No, it has to do with her citizenship. James, who is still a citizen of South Africa, married D.J. James of Lake Stevens in April of 2007. She can live in this country, but must wait until 90 days before the three-year anniversary of her wedding to apply for citizenship. The process of receiving citizenship can then take up to a year, meaning it might not happen until early in 2011, or roughly 18 months before the London Games. Without citizenship, she cannot represent the U.S. in most major international regattas, including the Olympics and the world championships. “The U.S. national team knows about me, but they know I'm not a citizen,” she said. “So they are saying, ‘Well, don't talk to us until you're a citizen.' ... I'm hoping they can give me a letter or somehow expedite the process, because if it takes a year I'll miss out on almost a whole year of competing (at the highest international level). “But Carlos keeps assuring me, ‘The goal is London. And even if it takes a whole year it's not a problem because by 2012 you will be a citizen.' So he says, ‘Don't panic.'” James is already faster than many of the women on the U.S. national team, Dinares said, due in part to a successful training program and her own abundant talent. But on top of everything, he said, “she still works the hardest of anybody. She does whatever it takes. She is a person of no excuses. She always thinks she can do better. ... Talent without this mental gift doesn't go very far, so it's really her approach to be a champion.” And, he added, she is still getting better. “Ursula will go faster,” he said. Someday he expects to see her “at the top of the podium. And if not, I'd like to see who can beat her.” For all her rowing ambitions, James still has other very signficant reasons for wanting her American citizenship. “When I came to the U.S. as an au pair,” she said, “I always had the thought of going back (to South Africa). I was just visiting here and having a good time. But now more and more I realize that this is my home. “The way of life here is great, I'm enjoying it, and now I'm starting to see South Africa as a cool place to go visit.” So she waits for her citizenship and she continues to train diligently, and in her idle moments she dreams about racing for the United States at the London Olympics. “I want to cross the finish line knowing that I did everything I could,” she said. “This is the hardest thing I've ever worked for in my life, and I'm hoping I'll be able to say, ‘It paid off.' “Many people define excellence in different ways, but for me my ultimate excellence is a gold medal at the Olympics.” READER COMMENTS Be the first to comment. You must be a registered user and verify your e-mail address to post comments to blogs or articles on HeraldNet. To register, click here. To read other terms and conditions, click here. Log out

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