Rowing in Poland

The origins of the first Poznan rowing club go back to the year 1904. Its initiator and founder was Maciej Wierzbinski who settled then in Poznan after a long-term stay in England. In 1912 the Tryton Poznan Association was established, and in 1919 the Students’ Sport Association began life. In the same year the Polish Federation of Rowing Associations (Polski Zwiazek Towarzystw Wioslarskich, PZTW) was established in Poznan. It was one of the first sports federations created in the reborn Poland, and was founded by 13 sports clubs. In 1924 Polish rowers took part in the 9th Olympic Games in Paris for the first time, entering two crews, a single and a four, into competition. They won their first Olympic medal (bronze) during their second Olympic appearance in 1928 in Amsterdam. From 1925, Polish rowing crews participated in the European Championships till their last appearance in 1938. The rowers returned to the European courses after the Second World War in 1947, in Lucerne.