01 Feb 2012
Record sweep at Euro Open
United States indoor rowing team regular, Joan van Blom set a new record for the 55 – 59 year old lightweight women category when she clocked in at 7:34.50 for the 2000m race. Van Blom, 55, competed in her first indoor rowing race as a 50 year old. But van Blom is not new to rowing. The American owns an Olympic silver medal from the 1984 women’s quad and silver in the single at the 1976 Games. Van Blom was also chosen for the 1980 Olympic Team in the single.
Regular Team Germany member, Ralph Eckhart set a new record in the 40 – 49 age group for heavyweight men. Eckhart, who currently lives in Switzerland, finished his 2000m race in 5:58.30 in a race that included 1988 Olympic silver medallist Olaf Forster of Germany. Forster finished eighth.
The Eckhart win must have been surprise as he was allocated a non-“seeded” machine. This 40 – 49 year old event event attracted the largest number of entries, 23 in total.
The Netherlands came through with Mies Bernelot Moens setting a new record in the women’s 60 – 64 years old event. Moens set the standard at 7:31.0. Laurette Rindlaub of the United States then took it to the 70 – 74 lightweight women age group. Rindlaub is a regular singles rower especially enjoying winter head racing. The 73 year old has been using the indoor rowing machine for 21 years.
The final new record also went to the United States with 81 year old Dean Smith going 7:45.5 in the men’s heavyweight 80 – 84 year old event. Smith’s sports career switched from running to rowing when his knees gave out at the age of 75. Smith is a regular racer at masters regattas.
The new world records were boosted by the special Dresden atmosphere. Pumping music and coloured disco lights filled the Kettwig venue.
The Euro Open attracted a huge German turnout with Great Britain and the United States also sending large teams. Russia, the Czech Republic and Denmark had solid representation although there was a lack of elite rowers.
The biggest crowd response on the day went to the oldest competitor. Ninety year old Paul Randall (USA) had to race in the 70-plus category to get some competition. Randall waited until he was 70 years old to take up the sport of rowing. In is first race he ended up winning an indoor rowing machine and he’s been looking forward ever since. Randall estimates that he rows 4 – 5000 metres almost every day.