Chain of events brings Rasmussen back to international rowing

Rasmussen had already indicated earlier this year that he would attempt to qualify for the Rio 2016 Olympics along with Quist. But his return to international action has come sooner than expected.  A tragic chain of events during the Danish training camp in Austria has altered Rasmussen’s time frame.

The Danish Rowing Team had been preparing for the World Championships when Mette Petersen from the women’s double sculls was rushed to hospital in Klagenfurt, Austria where doctors discovered a blood clot in her brain. Petersen is still under treatment in Austria and will not compete in Amsterdam. Petersen was due to compete with Lisbet Jakobsen in Amsterdam.

Petersen´s boyfriend, Jannik Nilton, was set to compete in Amsterdam in the lightweight men’s quadruple sculls with Christian Nielsen, Andrej Bendtsen and Emil Espensen. But Nilton has chosen to remain with Petersen in Austria along with Petersen’s family. The lightweight men’s quad won gold at the World Rowing Cup last month in July and go to Amsterdam as the favourites.

Rasmussen has agreed to fill out the open spot in the lightweight men’s quad. Rasmussen flew to Austria last week to join the rest of the Danish squad. Rasmussen’s international career has been dominated by the lightweight double, but he experienced the lightweight quad when he competed at the under-23 level 14 years ago.

While Ramussen will make his return to international rowing in the lightweight quad,  Anne Dsane Andersen, who was previously a part of the Danish women’s quadruple sculls will replace Petersen in the women’s double where she will row together with Jakobsen.

”In these difficult circumstances I am confident that we can perform well at the World Rowing Championships and I am happy that we have great reserves in Mads and Anne who are ready to take over. It’s never a good scenario to make changes so close to a big event, but I am convinced that we will still see great things from both boats at the upcoming World Championships in Amsterdam,” says Danish sports director Lars Christensen. 

Copy thanks to Svend Bertil Frandsen