Taupe-Traer's power of persistence

The season began for Taupe-Traer at the European Rowing Championships in Seville (ESP) where the talented Greek sculler Aikaterini Nikolaidou not only won the event but set a new European Best Time during the heats. Taupe-Traer had to be satisfied with second.

The Austrian then went to the second Samsung World Rowing Cup staged in Eton Dorney (GBR) and took the top position over Leone Pless of Germany and 2011 World Champion in this event, Fabiana Beltram of Brazil. Taupe-Traer won with relative ease. Nikolaidou, however, was not one of the contestants at this regatta.

The final World Cup of the season in Lucerne, Switzerland did not play in Taupe-Traer's favour. With the support of a small but enthusiastic group of followers Beltram took the lead and Taupe-Traer was never able to catch up. Taupe-Traer finished second.

Coming to the 2013 World Rowing Championships in Chungju, Korea Nikolaidou was the only sculler that Taupe-Traer had not beaten in 2013. Furthermore Nikolaidou's warm-up for the World Champs consisted of winning the lightweight single at the World Rowing Under 23 Championships.

The World Championships started out with Nikolaidou recording a very quick time of 7:48 in the heats, and both Nikolaidou and Taupe-Traer won their respective heats to advance to the next round. The Austrian and the Greek met in the semifinals and Taupe-Traer must have received a huge confidence boost when she finished ahead of Nikolaidou for the first time this season. This put Taupe-Traer into the middle lane for the final.

In a very tense final the race opened with four boats attacking and counter-attacking each other. Beltrame, Nikolaidou, Taupe-Traer and Ruth Walczak of Great Britain all looked to be arguing for the lead. These four scullers were still tightly bunched going through the half way point. Then, Nikolaidou and Taupe-Traer managed to push away and together they fought neck-and-neck at the head of the field.

Taupe-Traer decided it was now or never and sprinted to the line ahead of Nikolaidou. The Austrian's persistence had paid off. Nikolaidou, at her second senior World Championship won silver and Walczak had capped off a very positive season with a bronze medal.

As the 2014 season comes into view the question will be is Taupe-Traer ready to go into her 23rd season? Will the two younger scullers, Nikolaidou and Walczak hold their spots in the lightweight field after formerly being open-weight rowers? Will Beltrame change events to ensure her chance of competing at her home nation Olympics in Rio?