In Episode 5 of the Spidcast, Peter Swiek and Stephen Schaefer drop into the Vermont woods to chat with Paige Wheeler—USRowing national team pipeline sculler, former Kansas and Ohio State rower, biochemistry graduate, and Spid Werkz Zøn 6 athlete.
Life at Craftsbury Green Racing Project
Paige trains out of the Craftsbury Green Racing Project (GRP) in northern Vermont—a unique, high-performance ecosystem founded by Concept2 creators Dick and Judy Dreissigacker. Athletes at Craftsbury trade 10 hours of weekly labor for housing and dining support. Paige shares her work around the center, which ranges from scuba diving in Hosmer Pond to remove invasive plant species to packing hundreds of pounds of staple foods for local Vermont food pantries.
International Sculling & The Amsterdam Flip
Fresh off an international racing block in Europe, Paige gives an unvarnished look at the realities of elite sculling:
- The Weed Hazard: During the semi-finals at a major regatta in Amsterdam, thick weeds wrapped around Paige’s oar blade, causing an instantaneous flip.
- The Recovery: Refusing assistance from safety launches (which would trigger disqualification), Paige flipped her shell, saved her seat pad and Oakley sunglasses, hopped back into a flooded boat, and sprinted the remaining 1,500 meters.
- Domestic Speed Orders: Returning stateside for national selection speed orders, Paige discusses managing the razor-thin margins of elite sculling where photo-finishes dictate summer trajectories.
Socks, Gravel, and Balance
Staying grounded amidst a brutal 2-to-3 session daily training schedule requires balance. Paige shares her recent 50-mile round-trip gravel bike ride to a Vermont yarn shop to gather supplies for hand-knitting custom socks with mushroom patterns—proving that high performance and genuine human hobbies go hand-in-hand.
Where to Catch the Episode
- Listen & Watch: Tune in via Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.
- Connect with the Guest: Follow the Craftsbury Green Racing Project on Instagram (
@greenracingproject) and view Paige’s profile on the Spid Werkz Athletes page. - Support Spid Werkz: Visit spidwerkz.com to contribute to our athlete support funds.