Reflections from day one at the 2022 European Rowing Championships

With the heats of the 2022 European Rowing Championships completed, some of this year’s competitors reflected on their experience so far of being part of the multi-sport event and racing on the course which was built for the 1972 Olympic Regatta.

Croatia’s Sinkovic brothers, Martin and Valent, have returned to the double sculls this season after five years in the men’s pair. They have won gold at all three World Rowing Cups this season and are now excited to be racing at the European Rowing Championships. Speaking about being part of the multisport event, Valent said:

“It’s a good thing definitely for the sport of rowing, because it’s a lot more media interest, better organisation, more people. You can see it’s something bigger than just the European in rowing, so we love it.”

Greece’s Evangelia Anastasiadou won gold in the lightweight women’s single sculls at the 2022 World Rowing U23 Championships just 10 days ago, and is here racing in the double scull with Dimitra Eleni Kontou, who finished fifth in the openweight single scull at the same event. Asked whether she had been able to celebrate her win, Evangelia said:

“The truth is that I didn’t have time to celebrate my gold medal at the under 23 championships. I started the preparation for Europeans right after the under 23 championships. I’m in good shape.”

Great Britain has had a strong season so far in the men’s four and clocked the fastest time in the heats today, despite not being the fastest off the start. Speaking after the race, Matthew Aldridge reflected:

“We were sitting a bit further down on the field than we maybe would have liked for that first 500 (metres) but we know we’re not the fastest starting boat, so we just relied on our rhythm, kept moving, kept tracking it through and started to clear through a couple of the other boats in the middle k (kilometre) which we rely on with our big rhythm.

“We started moving out, started dropping some of the field behind us which was good. Got a little bit frantic in the last 500. We were quite clear of the opposition in our near lanes, but the Poles and the Swiss were doing a really good job having quite a tough battle right on the far side. Quite a few of us were unsure where they were.

Racing on home waters, Oliver Zeidler is here to defend his title as European Champion in the men’s single scull. Although he had a very slow start in his heat, he came through to win.

“I’ve done more than 1000 starts here at the course, and this was definitely one of the worst. But we should concentrate on the result, it was a win and I could save one race tomorrow. Very important in these headwind conditions.”

“It was pretty fun, especially as I was on the hunt in the first 1000 (metres) before I really got into a more controlled position. If the start is better in the semis I can be comfortable and it will be a good race.”

It is particularly special for Zeidler to be racing on this course as it is where his grandfather Hans-Johann Färber won Olympic gold in 1972.

“It’s a special event. I’m very happy that finally there’s a big event coming up here – I think the last one was 2012 with the World Cup. Fifty years after the Olympics, it’s a circle that has closed and it’s very emotional for me of course as my grandfather won gold here, the biggest success of his career on the same course.

“It’s pretty unique that I have the chance to race here 50 years after.”

Racing will now progress to repechages and semifinals with the finals scheduled for Saturday and Sunday.

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