Slovenia's Olympic Champions Return to Double Scull

The Rowing Federation of Slovenia has made a preliminary decision to bring 2000 Olympic gold medallists Iztok Cop and Luka Spik back into the double scull for Athens.

In 1999, young Luka Spik and three-time Olympian Iztok Cop formed a duo to compete in the Olympic Qualification Regatta. They not only qualified, but also set a world record on St. Catharines course in Canada.

Cop and Spik went on to win gold at the 2000 Olympics before Cop moved back into the single and Spik tried a variety of hairstyles and boats including the single, double and quad. Spik, at 24 years old, is already a veteran of two Olympic Games, having competed in Atlanta at the age of 17.

The announcement to bring the duo back together has caused a stir in Slovenia. “Our media are focusing a lot of attention on rowing,” says Stanko Slivnik, Secretary General of the Slovenian Rowing Federation. “The decision was necessary in order to plan for other qualifying crews.”

Slovenia has already qualified a men’s four, single and pair and the national federation is looking to add the men’s double as well as a men’s quad and lightweight boats to the list of Olympic eligible boats.

As an independent state since 1991, Slovenia has won six summer Olympic medals. Three in rowing, two in which Cop has been involved. The 31-year-old received a bronze medal in the pair in Barcelona and a gold in the 2000 double with Spik.

This has made Cop one of Slovenia’s most distinguished athletes. The five-time Slovenian athlete of the year is a household name and Cop’s rowing accomplishments are followed with great interest. “For Athens the expectations for medals are the highest in rowing,” says Slivnik.

The 20 members of Slovenia’s national team have been training at their own clubs since August’s World Championships, but have come together for the first long distance race in October on Lake Bled. The season will also include physiology testing at the Institute of Sport in Ljubljana and 2-week long training camps every month until May when it will be decided which boats will participate in the final Olympic qualifying regatta in Lucerne in June 2004.