South African Rowers Head North for Racing Season Debut

By Zak Wood

Ramon DiClemente (right) and Donovan Cech at the Rowing World Cup final in Munich last year

Well, while the world north of the equator has only just begun their racing seasons, here in South Africa ours finished about a month ago. All has not been quiet though, as our national team prepares for the arduous international season ahead.

For the men’s and women’s heavyweight pairs, their season begins next week when they leave for Hazewinkel.

The men’s pair of Donavan Cech and Ramon DiClemente performed brilliantly last year, with a gold and a bronze during the world cup, finishing second overall, behind the British pair of Matthew Pinsent and James Cracknell. This year they’ll be looking to maintain that good form, and perhaps even improve on it. Gone are the days of them being a dark horse South African pair that could produce a reasonable turn of speed, they now have to adjust to being one of the most highly rated pairs going in to this world cup season.

The women’s pair of Colleen Orsmond and Rika Geyser also go in to this world cup as a crew to watch, after they beat the Romanian pair of Maria Rodica and Susanu Viorica earlier this year in Seville. Colleen of course was part of the pair that placed fifth in Sydney, and it will be interesting to see how she performs with her new partner. So far, they’re looking good.

On the younger side, we have an U/23 lightweight four that has been training together. They are currently going through the final stages of selection, but will then race in Lucerne, most likely joined by the two heavyweight pairs.

There are a number of exciting young crews being created, and it will be fascinating to see who follows through to the Olympics in Athens, 2004. The squad will almost certainly be spearheaded by the two heavy pairs, with a lightweight men’s four and a possible lightweight women’s double completing the team. They’ll have big shoes to fill though, after all the South African shoes in Sydney made finals.

This is always an interesting time in the Olympic cycle, and I certainly look forward to seeing what happens.