Movie looks inside the sculler's mind

Rentmeester prepares to film

Co Rentmeester took a break from filming recently to do a bit of rowing. After winning the double at the World Rowing Masters Regatta last month in Scotland, Rentmeester went back behind the camera.

Former Olympic rower and award winning photographer Rentmeester has put his talents behind the big lens to reveal the mind of a single sculler within the context of the 119 year old Dutch single sculling race, the Holland Beker Trophy.

This is a self-funded labour of love for Rentmeester, who is better known for his photography of the Vietnam War and Michael Jordan’s signature leap, poised in the air, which is now used as a Nike symbol. 

Titled “The Perfect Stroke”, Rentmeester’s movie delves into the thoughts of four top single scullers and portrays, through the lens and their own words, their unique perspective on the sport of rowing. All four rowers are Dutch and move from Jan Wienses, who won Olympic gold in 1968, to present day rising star, Sjoerd Hamburger.

Also featured is two-time Olympic gold medallist Nico Rienks. Rienks finished his rowing career in 2000 having raced at five Olympic Games and he attributes his success to the time he spent in the single.

?Nico reflects back on what rowing meant to him,? says Rentmeester, ?and how it has influenced his present life as a businessman.? Rienks currently runs an occupational health company with 1,000 employees.

Rentmeester films Sjoerd Hamburger

Two-time winner of the Holland Beker Trophy, Jan Wienese, talks to Rentmeester while he is rowing on Amsterdam’s famous rowing course, the Bosbaan. This is mixed in with flashbacks to Wienese winning gold in the single at the 1968 Olympics. ?He talks about what motivated him and what it was like to be alone in the single,? says Rentmeester.

Top sculler Frans Göbel became a Dutch superstar after winning the lightweight single twice at the World Rowing Championships in the early 1990’s. He also gives insight into his mind as a lone sculler.

Rentmeester then takes in Dutch single sculling rising star Sjoerd Hamburger. Hamburger, 22, already has two Under-23 medals under his belt and Rentmeester predicts Hamburger will be in the top three single scullers in the world within two years.

The movie will be released in May 2006 to coincide with the 120th anniversary of the Holland Beker Regatta in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. It is to be filmed in high definition for television use and will be available for rowing clubs and meetings.

For more information on Rentmeester please go to: www.co-rentmeester.com

The World Rowing team values feedback.