Katrin Rutschow-Stomporowski: 2004 FISA female crew of the year

Katrin Rutschow-Stomporowski with Denis Oswald
© FISA

There is only one race that Katrin Rutschow-Stomporowski has not been able to remember in full: the first international event in which the young German single sculler competed as a 16-year-old, the World Rowing Junior Championships in 1991.

"Five hundred metres to go I lost my memory. That is the only time it's happened." Rutschow-Stomporowski rowed away with a silver medal and the medals and memories have continued every year since.

This year the medal was an Olympic gold at Athens in the women's single and FISA's 2004 recipient of the female crew of the year award. Rutschow-Stomporowski recently took time out to receive her award in person at FISA's coaches' conference in Gifu, Japan, early November.

Looking relaxed and every bit the fashion designer that makes up her life outside of rowing Rutschow-Stomporowski talked about her background in rowing and the Athens race.

Rutschow-Stomporowski began rowing at the age of 14 when she was chosen for the sport through a talent ID programme under the former East German sport system. Taken from her hometown of Waren – population 22,000 – the new rower was placed in a sports school. Despite missing her family Rutschow-Stomporowski took quickly to her new life. "It was like a holiday camp. You would go to school like normal and then train after school."

Two years later Rutschow-Stomporowski rowed to silver in the single at the Junior World Rowing Championships. She proved her talent to be no accident by following this up with back-to-back golds at the Junior Worlds over the next two years. This propelled Rutschow-Stomporowski directly into Germany's elite squad and into the top sculling boat – the quad. Under coach, Jutta Lau, Rutschow-Stomporowski continued her winning streak. By the age of 21 she had two senior World Championship titles and an Olympic gold.

Rutschow-Stomporowski then went back into the single and became part of the group of three who have dominated women's single sculling since the 1996 Olympics – Belarusian Ekaterina Karsten and Bulgaria's Rumyana Neykova.

"All three of us like to win gold," says Rutschow-Stomporowski who uses the knowledge of Neykova and Karsten's talent to keep her motivated.

Despite frequent racing contact over the years Rutschow-Stomporowski says the three scullers are not close friends. "There is a language difficulty. We do say 'hello' at regattas but there is not so much talking."

Rutschow-Stomporowski admits that she does not know the training programmes of her rivals although a few years ago Karsten trained at the same place. "I could see what she (Karsten) was doing. It was interesting for me but not important," says Rutschow-Stomporowski. "It is interesting to hear what others do, but you have to find your own way and believe what you do is right."

However Rutschow-Stomporowski uses the knowledge of her competitors' racing nuances when she competes against them. "I know what Ekaterina can do well and I know what Rumyana can do well, but I also know what I do well," says Rutschow-Stomporowski. "I do well at high speed and am consistent over a long time, so I have to work to do this better. It's not just about what others are doing. My body is not the same as theirs."

Rutschow-Stomporowski, remembers her Athens race with the clarity of every stroke.

"I didn't have a good start but it was okay," says Rutschow-Stomporowski who was in fifth position after 500 metres but not too concerned. "The distance between me and Ekaterina was normal and Mirka (Knapkova of the Czech Republic) and Sonia (Waddell of New Zealand) had gone a bit too fast. Then I found my speed and at the 1,000 metre mark I was in first."

Then Rutschow-Stomporowski deviated from her race plan. "I was thinking 'Now I have to begin my finish sprint,' at the 1,000 metre mark. I was thinking it could be close." Rutschow-Stomporowski did a piece that accelerated her further into the lead.

Katrin Rutschow-Stomporowski rowing for gold at Athens 2004
© Dominik Keller

Coming into the last 500 metres of the race the German had over a boat length lead. "I thought this can't be true," says Rutschow-Stomporowski. "It was too good to believe. I thought I'd have to do more."

With 250 metres left Rutschow-Stomporowski felt the pain in her quad muscles. "But," she says, "when you are in first you don't feel the pain. I knew Ekaterina and Rumyana would be feeling more pain."

Rutschow-Stomporowski describes this year's Olympic success as a combination of a number of elements. The lead up to Athens was part of a two year training plan so that at the World Rowing Championships last year Rutschow-Stomporowski was not at her peak. "In 2003 I trained a lot and I was a bit tired at Milan. The race was okay but I was training for Athens."

By the time Rutschow-Stomporowski reached Athens she was relaxed and fit. "In the years before I was studying and so I fitted training around study time. For the last two years I have had more training and relaxing time."

It took Rutschow-Stomporowski a week to realise that she had won the Olympic gold. "It's what I've always wanted. It was the moment: I'm at the finish and I know I've won but I can't believe it," says Rutschow-Stomporowski whose emotions consumed her at the end of the race. "I needed time to relax and believe it."

Rutschow-Stomporowski has not taken a break from rowing since she began and is currently taking time out to consider her future. However, this does not mean she is doing nothing. "It's just a break from full time training. I row but not every day." The motivation seems to still be there. "I want to know what I can do with my body. How fast can I be?"

Rutschow-Stomporowski's Results