Denmark's Grand Prix goes international

The Sore Roklub compete at the international Danish indoor rowing event

What began as a push to get Danish rowing clubs more actively involved in rowing through the cold winter months has turned into a worldwide indoor rowing event.

Five years ago Denmark’s rowing federation brought to life a five round tournament to take place over the five winter months from October to February.

For the first time this season the event has gone international with Denmark’s 231 teams finding themselves competing against “the Camels” from United Arab Emirates, “cool runnings” from the Channel Islands, “kicking and screaming” from Hong Kong’s Kellett Island, “crazy women” from the Czech Republic as well as teams from Kuwait and Qatar. Overall, 409 teams from 16 countries participated.

With results submitted electronically all it takes to compete is an indoor rowing machine and a little competitive spirit. Location is inconsequential.

The “Evil Team”, winners of the open men’s class

Each of the five rounds has a different race format made up of teams of either four or eight rowers. The relay system means that races can be done on a single Concept2 indoor rowing machine. The changeover time between team members is included in the overall time and this has brought a new breed of changeover strategy into play. A team doesn’t need to consist of exactly the same eight or four rowers in all rounds.

“It has created at lot of activity in the clubs during the winter season,” says Lis Nielsen of the Danish Rowing Federation who has been part of the event since it began. “The typical team is a mix of top rowers and more leisure rowers. Some teams take it very seriously with a lot of training between the races ? others have only been meeting the evening they race.”

Nielsen says the success at the club level has been remarkable. She describes the Fredensborg Roklub as an example. The club has 180 members and this year they had 10 different teams involved. “They would meet every day for five months,” says Nielsen. It paid off for the “Fredensborg damer” who ended up winning the 35+ women’s category.

This season the five rounds consisted of:

– If any country wishes to start a similarly tournament, they are welcome to contact Lis Nielsen, Secretary General of the Danish Rowing Federation.

– Grand Prix results can be viewed at www.concept2.co.uk/8gp (translation available in 9 different languages)

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