Women’s Camp Kicks Off in Seville

The 2^nd annual FISA Women’s Camp started yesterday (Monday) at the international training centre in Seville, Spain  The two-week long camp registered 30 participants, with athletes present from Sweden, Norway, Ireland, Greece, Cyprus, Hong Kong, Singapore and South Africa.

The rowers will train twice a day under the direction of three coaches; Penny Chuter the former Head Coach of Great Britain, Frank Rogall of Germany, a former lightweight world champion and Christian Felkel, Head Coach of South Africa.  In addition to on the water training, the athletes will also have in-class lectures and discussions once a day.

“By putting together athletes of different nations and backgrounds, we hope to educate and foster a learning environment that will assist them as athletes and as people” says Thor Nilsen, FISA’s Development Director.  The camp also highlights FISA’s goals of increasing development of rowing by educating and training athletes and their coaches.

Many of the athletes in the camp are hoping to meet the qualification standards for the 2004 Athens Olympic Games.

The idea of hosting a women’s training camp was initiated by Tricia Smith, Chair of the FISA Women’s Commission, with an aim to bring together women of a variety of different levels in the sport of rowing and provide them with good coaching and education in rigging, nutrition, physiology and training. 

The camp runs to February 22 and culminates with the women participating in the FISA Team Cup that takes on February 23.