In the days leading up to the NCAA National Championships, members of Cal Women's Crew are highlighted. Each member discusses some of their favorite things, why they chose Cal and what they do to prepare for a race. Today, senior co-captain Martha Helgeland is profiled.

Helgeland, along with junior Remy Hitomi, serves as the team captain for the No. 1 ranked Bears. She has helped lead the varsity eight to its second straight Jessop-Whittier Cup and its first Pac-10 title since 1979. The Bears are undefeated going into this weekend's NCAAs and are looking to cap off an incredible year with a national title.

Name: Martha Helgeland
Position: currently 7 seat in v8, co-captain
Favorite...
	Movie: As Good As It Gets and Shawshank Redemption
	TV show: Alias
         Athlete: Marion Jones
	Sport to watch (on TV or in person): Biathalon
	Food: Pasta and Sushi
	Band/Artist: I like most music except techno

Q: How did you get involved in crew?
A: I met this really cute guy the summer before high school,
and decided to join the rowing club because he was a member.

Q: Why did you choose to come to Cal?
A: I wanted to go to a school with both a good rowing team
and a good academic program. And I had a friend on the men's
team,and since I couldn't go on recruiting visits, it felt
safer to come to Cal. I also talked to Dave on the phone,
and he seemed like a very good coach, which ultimately was
the most important thing.

Q: At the beginning of the season, what is the one thing you
most look forward to? What is the thing you dread the most?
A: I like working out, I'm not just looking to racing. Racing makes
me nervous. But I like to win. What I dread the most is erging, although
this year it wasn't so bad.

Q: What is your pre-race routine/superstition?
A: Nothing really. I like eating seedless grapes, because
I'm scared of getting hungry on the water, and I can't really eat anything
substantial when I'm nervous. This year I've gooten in the habit of clutching
6 seat's (Laura Terheyden) foot right before the
start, and now I feel like I have to do it. I guess that's kind of stupid.

Q: What are the last 3 CD's you bought?
A: I don't really buy cds anymore; I like to burn my own.

Q: If you were stranded on a desert island, who would you
bring with you, and what 3 things would you want to take?
A: I would bring Ghandi or someone else amazing to tell stories, and then
I would bring a radio transmitter, a cell phone and one of those red things
you shoot up in the air when you're in trouble. That way I could make sure
to get back home when I was tired of tanning and swimming and stories about
saving the world.

Q: What is your greatest achievement in crew?
A: I think when we placed third at NCAA two years ago, I was really happy.
But I guess my biggest acheivement was when I won junior worlds in the double
scull in 99. but it's a long time ago, and I'm looking to do somthing this year
to be proud of.

Q: What do you do in your spare time?
A: Most of the time I eat and sleep, but I also like to play hearts over the
internet.

Q: If you could trade places with anyone (celebrity or not)
who would it be? Why?
A: I wouldn't mind to get rich , but I think I'd rather trade places with someone
who workes in the UN, perhaps Kofi Annan's secretary or something. That way I could
learn a lot and travel the world and hopefully do something good.

Q: Who/what inspires you?
A: A lot of things, but I have to say that disabled kids are amazing. I used
to travel with this girl who was in a wheelchair and couldn't do anything on
her own, but she was on the national team for boccia (a paralympics event) and
always laughed. That was inspiring.

Q: What is the one song/type of music that you think should be
banned from the erg room?
A: Monotonous techno