Andrieux Retires

French Olympic coxless pair champion Michel Andrieux has announced his retirement from international rowing.

The 34-year-old rowed in his last major race at the Zurich Rowing World Cup regatta in Munich on Sunday in the finals of the men’s coxless four. Afterwards he told the crew of his plans to retire.

Andrieux has made the move to spend time with his wife, Sandra, who is pregnant with their second child. He will continue to coach and row for his club EN Bordeaux.

Together with Jean-Christophe Rolland, Andrieux made up one of the most successful coxless pair combinations of the last five years.

They won Olympic bronze at Atlanta in 1996, World Championship gold in 1997, World Championship silver in 1999 and finally Olympic gold in 2000.

Rolland retired from international rowing after the Sydney Olympics last year.

This year Andrieux had been rowing a pair with young rower Bastien Ripoll. The two were joined by Anthony Perrot and Francois Merrillon to make up the French coxless four which finished fifth at Munich.