Three-time national team member Julie Nichols won a silver medal in the lightweight women's double sculls at the 2005 FISA World Rowing Championships earlier in the month in Gifu, Japan. Click here for Julie's bio .

Now that you've had a couple of weeks for it to sink in, describe your feelings about winning the silver medal at the world championships in Gifu, Japan?

Well, it still doesn't seem real. It is a thrill every time I look at the medal or think back to the race.

What were your expectations coming into the championships?

From all of our pre-race analysis, we thought we would be right in the mix with the top boats, but there seemed to be a group of about seven to nine boats that were consistently trading places at the world cups. We tried to stay realistic and not underestimate our competitors. Our first goal was the A final and the next step was the medals.

Did you alter those expectations or your game plan during the week? If so, how?

Not really. We just tried to stay positive, believing in ourselves and each other. We thought we were capable of a medal finish and actually it was really neat to see a lot of other people start believing in us as well.

How did racing in the lightweight double differ from your previous national team experience in the lightweight single and quad?

In both the single and quad, trials were so close to worlds that I didn't quite have the time I would have liked to fine tune and maximize boat speed. The double has been a project. We have worked on it for two summers now, figuring out how to bring all of the small pieces together and how to maximize the strengths that each of us bring to the boat.

How did you and Renee end up as partners and why has the partnership worked so well?

Renee and I talked at worlds in 2003 and learned that we had a pretty similar approach to the sport. I was training at the Pocock Center in Seattle and Renee came out for her spring break from law school in 2004. We clicked right away. It wasn't perfect by any means, but we knew we had something extra that neither of us had felt in a double before. At that time, we decided to pursue the double together for the Olympics in Athens. We trained together all summer of 2004, improving each race. When we didn't win Olympic trials, we decided that international experience was a very valuable thing and, with an incredibly fast turn around, raced the quad at U.S. trials and then at 2004 Worlds. We planned on rowing together in the double in 2005, but we were training at our separate locations until mid-April. I'd say the partnership works because of our similar approach and our ability to cooperate. We are both very serious about our rowing and the focus in the boat is incredible; but at the same time, we can laugh, have fun and really enjoy what we are doing.

What was it that made you two stick together after last summer/what made you realize it was a good partnership?

As I said above, it was that instantaneous click factor. We have all of these subtle movements that just match up and our strengths really compliment each other. I feel like rowing with Renee brings out the best rowing in me. The best part is that we are still a fairly new combination and we have room to improve.

For those who don't know, how did you become involved with rowing?

I was a runner for four years at Livermore High School. I was dealing with some knee and hip problems that made me doubt my longevity in running. I decided to switch sports when I went to college. My love for the water and boats drew me to rowing. So before I even knew which school I was going to attend, I knew I wanted to row. I was a "walk-on" to the team, and I rowed all four years at UC Berkeley.

When did you realize you wanted to continue rowing at the elite level? What drew you to that challenge?

Well, I would say the challenge drew me to the challenge. I am always wanting to climb the ladder to the next step. Knowing that the next level up existed made me want to go there. But I did have to make a few transitions to pursue the next level. I had to switch to sculling, and I became a lightweight. I was a smaller member of the open weight team at Cal. I thought that in order to be competitive on the international scene, I should race as a lightweight.

What are your most memorable moments in rowing?

Stroking the 1999 NCAA bronze medal Cal varsity eight, making my first national team in 2003, winning the bronze medal at 2004 Worlds in the light women’s quad, and winning the silver medal at 2005 Worlds in the light women's double.

What are your goals both inside and outside of rowing?

Gold Medal Beijing 2008. Next on the list outside of rowing is an advanced degree in engineering. I have a B.S. in chemical engineering.

What do you like to do outside of rowing?

Biking, running, traveling, tinkering with things and spending quality time with my friends and family.

What advice would you give a younger college athlete or a high school rower with national team aspirations?

Persistence! Stick with it and make sure you are enjoying doing it. Not everyday is going to be a party, but you should be able to look back and be glad you are on the path you have chosen and if not consider a new path. The speed you can develop with consistency is amazing.