channelled from Elizabeth Zimmerman: do not worry about row gauge (unless you're knitting something where the numbers actually matter, like you're picking up stitches along an edge). Get the stitch gauge right, and then knit until it's as long as it's supposed to be.

And... the knitting olympics? Is that the Ravolypics I've been seeing references to on Rav? 'Coz I can't find any base information, just various groups' comments on it. Halp?