Greeks take to the indoors

Polymeros, Biskutzi & Skiathitis at the 2005 Greek Indoor Rowing Champs
© Kyriakos Zarouleas

The Olympic dust has cleared and all is quiet at the Olympic rowing centre just outside of Athens, Greece at Schinias. But on the other side of Athens the busy port city of Piraeus has just hosted the second annual Greek indoor rowing championships.

Leading the list of top athletes, teammates Vassilis Polymeros and Nikos Skiathitis this time raced against each other. Polymeros and Skiathitis became Greek rowing heroes after winning bronze in the men’s lightweight double at Athens. This time three-time Olympian Polymeros raced against Skiathitis finishing first. In one of the most exciting races of the day Skiathitis had to contend with placing third when Geroge Fokas overtook him to finish second. 

Polymeros and Skiathitis will now travel to the United States to compete in the CRASH B indoor rowing championships.

Winner of the women’s category Chrysi Bisketzi easily held off her competition. Veteran of three Olympics, Bisketzi will also be competing in the United States at the indoor rowing championships later this month.

Chief organiser Kyriakos Zarouleas said that attendance was not as high as expected as some rowers chose to focus on trials scheduled for a week after the indoor rowing competition. But he added, “Despite the absence of some of the best rowers, competition was very hard. In some categories the first place came out the last second and the crowd’s support was really enthusiastic.”

The 2,000 strong audience included the minister of education, Mr. Kalos, and other politicians. Terry O’Neil from indoor rowing machine makers Concept2 came for the second time helping to organise the 30 ergometers and video screen that projected visual images of the races.

Kyriakos also noted the strong participation of children with special needs who raced for 500 metres, the winner finishing in 1:37 despite only having rowed for a couple of weeks.

The races were covered by five of Greece’s most popular television channels and a number of newspapers ran stories on the competition. 

For a full list of results (in Greek) please go to: http://www.abgym.gr/apotelesmata_2.htm

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