Hacker Inspires Young Rowers

Olympic medallist and 2002 World singles Champion, Marcel Hacker of Germany is mixing his preparation for the coming Olympics by sharing his passion for rowing with future rowing stars.

Marcel Hacker’s Kids Academy debuted with its first camp in December 2003 at Hacker’s training base in Munich, Germany. Behind the kids academy idea is Hacker himself who wished to work with kids and motivate them in the sport and following the first camp Hacker admitted that he was “in his element.” Eight youngsters, aged 12 to 14 years old, were taken through technical evaluations on the water as well as activities in the weights room and on the ice skating rink. “I had a really great time training with the young athletes,” said Hacker who admitted that he was slower than some of them on the ice.

Qualification for the kids academy is tough and last weekend’s Germany’s indoor rowing (ergometer) competition in Essen-Kettwig turned into an academy qualifying event. In the junior mixed kids four event, 18 crews competed for a chance to join Hacker. Two boys and two girls aged 12 to 14 years old each raced 1000 meters on the ergometer with their final time averaged to get the team’s result.

The winning crew from Schwedt in northeast Germany finished with an averaged time of 3.39 for 1000 metre distance. Second place finishers, Weilburg finished in 3.44. These eight athletes won the opportunity to go to Munich and train with Hacker. The camp, scheduled for March, is three days long and will give these young athletes a chance to be part of what a world-class athlete does. 

Team Hacker is already planning a second phase. The “Olympic Regatta Club Munich” plans to organise races in the single at the junior national regatta. The first female and male athlete in this event will be invited to join Team Hacker at the Munich World Cup in May 2004.

Hacker fits his own heavy training schedule into the academy’s programme as he continues to prepare for his second Olympic Games. Hacker has already qualified to compete in the men’s single at Athens after finishing with silver at last years World Championships. His training continues with a mixture of water and land cross training including a recent trip to St. Moritz in Switzerland for altitude training.

For further information on Marcel Hacker’s Kids Camp: http://www.marcelhacker-academy.com