The best of ... World Rowing athletes

Rowers are dedicated, driven and motivated. They draw inspiration from all aspects of their lives and they use it to propel themselves forward and to push beyond limits that most people never get close to. Here are a few of the best moments from some of World Rowing’s top athletes.

Cristian Rosso (ARG)
How do you describe rowing to people who don’t know the sport?
I describe it as a wonderful sport that is generally practiced in spectacular locations. And I describe it as a complex sport, not hard to learn but you can always improve a little more

Olympia Aldersey (AUS)
I am motivated by… my passion and determination to reach my full potential and to see how far I can push myself. I'm lucky I have found my niche in life so I plan to make the most of that.

Hamish Bond (NZL)
What do you like to do before a big race? Do you listen to music?
No, I’m not really a music listener. I just try to relax. At the Olympics I took to reading to take my mind off the race. I try not to get wound up or nervous. Then once I’m on the water, I’m on autopilot and instinct takes over. Eric (Murray) calls the warm up and I just listen and just do as I’m told.

Lauritz Schoof (GER)
I row because… rowing is a multi-faceted sport. You don´t only need power and endurance; it is much more than that. I try to test my boundaries every day.  Amongst other things I really like the feeling of the boat floating over the water.

Helen Glover (GBR)
Your pair has dominated this year’s racing season; do you feel any pressure from being the ones to beat?
I definitely feel a level of pressure and expectation. I don't think that’s a bad thing, I think we have shown some good speed and put ourselves in front as the 'ones to beat.' We take nothing for granted and respect our competitors, who keep us striving for more. Coming out of the London Olympics there are definitely more Brits watching me with expectation, which is a lot of pressure, but a huge amount of support comes with it.

Bernhard Sieber (AUT)
I row because… There is no better feeling than that of complete harmony between rowers in a boat.

David Banks (USA)
Was there a turning point or something that triggered you to want to row at the elite level?
I’d say it was more gradual than one thing. I liked the pure competitiveness that comes with it. I was out there (training) by myself but sometimes I had funny characters to train alongside (at the Stanford University gym). One guy (a professor at the university) had his two six-year-old daughters doing about 60 minutes on the erg one day. I felt if they could do it, so could I!

Emma Fredh (SWE)
I'm motivated by … The idea of constantly trying to improve myself.

Yana Dementieva (UKR)
You mentioned you studied sports psychology, how did doing this degree help you in your own competitive rowing?
I was surprised to learn that in order to become successful, a champion must always be critical of him/herself and dissatisfied with him/herself. This is the fee for victory, for the fact that victory remains in the memory of the champion forever. The most difficult part is waiting for the start. It turns out that a difficult start is not the one that is difficult to execute but the one that is hard to wait for! When I realised that there is no limit to perfection and learned to cope with waiting for the start, things got a lot easier.

Kaur Kuslap (EST)
I'm motivated by … believing that doing the right work will pay off.

Lawrence Ndlovu (RSA)
What do you tell people starting out in rowing who ask you what it's like to be a rower?  
I tell them it’s a tough sport, it’s not for sissies. It requires a lot of patience, perseverance, discipline, time management and a hunger for success.

Julia Edward (NZL)
Rowing is… a sport with so much satisfaction. When I began to see progress in my technique and times I became addicted and wanted to push myself even further

Fie Udby Erichsen (DEN)
What inspired you to start rowing?
The gold medal in the lightweight men’s four at the 1996 Olympic Games by Denmark (the first Games that included lightweight rowing). I heard it on the radio and I started (rowing) at school straight away. I was 11 years old. I started because I wanted to go to the Olympics.

Panagiotis Magdanis (GRE)
I am motivated by… the desire to make my dreams come true.
 

World Rowing's athlete profiles continue in 2014. The year will start with Australia's Para-rower, current World Champion Kathryn Ross.