Reactions from the medallists at the 2022 World Rowing Coastal Championships

On the final day of racing in Pembrokeshire, seven crews were awarded the title of World Rowing Coastal Champions. We spoke with all medalists to get their reactions after the races.

Coastal women’s solo (CW1x)

Jessica Berra (FRA01, Endaika Arraun Elkartea) – gold:

“The sea conditions were very difficult, but I really like that. I train a lot in waves – not waves like that, but I train a lot when the sea is strong and restless. I liked it a lot, I had fun, even if it was really difficult. The slightest error could lose you places. So you had to concentrate.

“Diana (Dymchenko) had difficulties with the direction of her boat and taking the buoys, and that’s something I’m good at. Every time I saw her having problems I said to myself be careful not to do the same thing, and especially when I was a little bit ahead – but not much – that was when I said to myself to row harder to put more distance on her.”

Diana Dymchenko (AZE01, Baku RC) – silver:

“I feel very good, and happy, because it’s all finished – very good, not bad, so I’m happy.”

Maria Berg (SWE01, Helsingsborg Roddklubb) – bronze:

“Finally. I think I got five fourth places now, so it was some time.

“We didn’t really know where the finish line was. Sionna (Healy, IRL03) she kept on going, so I thought I’d lost it. It was a few nervous minutes on the beach after the race.

“You just have to keep calm and do your thing, believe in yourself and keep on keeping up the will.”

 

Coastal men’s double sculls (CM2x)

Eskil Borgh (SWE01, Stockholms och Höganäs Roddförening) – gold:

“It was a tough race, but we got out to a better start than in the heat and got the lead quite early, and just held off. But the Italians were really strong in the tailwind.

“We are a bit sad that we didn’t get to row the full course, but I think we got enough in the waves.

“I got Covid after the world champs (in Racice), and it was a bit touch and go to even go here.”

Giacomo Costa (ITA01, Rowing Club Genovese 1890) – silver:

“Very hard race, but fun. We are very happy because we are against the best world coastal rowers for the last year. We are happy for our race.”

Edoardo Marchetti (ITA01, Rowing Club Genovese 1890) – silver:

“Today is the conditions for the real coastal rower. The conditions are very very strong, the waves are shocking, and we are happy because this silver medal is a great result for us.”

Brook Robertson (NZL01, Nelson Rowing Club) – bronze:

“We were just trying to race the person that was next to us, it was so up and everywhere. It was so much fun though. It was pretty cool though when we came in off the water and were like ‘what did we get’? Third is pretty sweet, we’ll take that one.

“I feel like even racing this, the flatter it is the more we would almost feel like we have an advantage just with coming from normal flat-water rowing. We hit that first buoy and we were already in sixth, seventh place and then luckily we saw a lot of the crews get stuck on the buoy and we were able to just sneak around. Then we were back in contention again.

“These Swedish boys, they were bloody good. Hats off to them, they won the heat and won the final.”

Ben Mason (NZL01, Nelson Rowing Club) – bronze:

“Out there in those conditions the race can change very quickly, something can go bad and you’re in shambles, so you’ve just got to stay focused and get that line wherever you are.”

 

Coastal women’s quadruple sculls (CW4x+)

Teresa Moreno (ESP01, RCMD Málaga) – gold:

“We are very excited. We were in the first place since the start. It was very fun.

“We have a good group, all the crew working with us, and the medals are for our trainers, friends, row-mates, family, everyone.”

Emma Dyke (NZL01, Hawkes Bay Rowing Club) – silver:

“It was so exciting, first coastal rowing event, second. It was far rougher, wavier, swellier than I thought it was going to be. Literally you’re up in the air and then you’re dumped down the next second. Definitely what I expected compared to yesterday and Friday, so I’m glad I had a rough day out there, but definitely far more wild than I thought it was going to be.

“We more knew that it was going to be a grind. Flat-water rowing you can do a little burst and then catch up, but me and Emma Twigg were like ‘we’re going to go long and strong’, just to grind. For a while we caught back up to the Spanish because they must have had difficulty around one turn, but they were so good out there, so there was just nothing we could do to come back on that unfortunately.

“I did officially retire from flat-water rowing, but I would consider coming back for this. It was so fun, something different. We’ll see, time will tell.”

Karen Hickey (IRL03, Castletownshend Rowing Club) – bronze:

“Exhilarating. We couldn’t let it up until the very end so we’re just over the moon, we’re really thrilled. I don’t think we’ll stop celebrating.”

 

Coastal women’s double sculls (CW2x)

Karien Robbers (NED01, Rv Willem 3) – gold:

“The start was really really nice, we were really fast, but then it was chaos the whole way – wind, waves, everything. But we survived. It was not thriving, but surviving.”

Monika Dukarska (IRL06, Killorglin RC) – silver:

“We were in the lead for a very long time, then unfortunately a wave caught us and brought us in the wrong direction and it took us a bit of time to recover. Other than that, it went according to plan. We planned to get off the start quite quickly and that went well, it was just a couple of waves that kind of threw of us. That’s the unpredictability of it.”

Nadia Felipe Garcia (ESP01, Club Deportivo de Mar Clot de L’Illot el Campello) – bronze:

“We are proud of our results. It was very hard, there was a lot of wind and a lot of waves so it was very difficult, but we do our best.”

 

Coastal men’s solo (CM1x)

Adrian Miramon Quiroga (IRL06, Wicklow Rowing Club) – gold:

“I feel very good. The condition is perfect for me. It’s an incredible place and incredible conditions for coastal rowing.

“Last year is a very complicated year, I capsized at the first buoy. I capsized and later go to the third position. In the moment I was very angry.

“This year is all perfect, all good, and I am very very happy.”

Ramón Gómez Cotilla (ESP02, RCMD Málaga) – silver:

“I am so happy because I have rowed for many years, and I think all the time of (reaching the) podium. Last year I was fourth only, so I am very happy.”

Matthew Dunham (NZL01, Star Boating Club) – bronze:

“That was awesome. It was so hectic out there and I had some really big blunders at the start. I actually didn’t know I had a medal, but I was just happy to be here. I didn’t come here expecting to try and medal, so I just kept racing the whole race and just practising how I can make any stroke a little bit better, any corner a little bit better and then by the end I got big hugs and cheers, so I was stoked to come away with a bronze medal.

“We just wanted to get as much experience as we could, so I did the mixed double with Jackie (Kiddle) and that was so much fun. The single was amazing. Probably a highlight was actually coxing the quad, because being a lightweight I happen to be the lightest person around, so I got to cox the women’s quad and they got silver so that was really exciting too.

“It took a little bit of learning getting the turning going, but I actually really enjoyed it because to me it felt quite similar to sailing, having to read the lines and feel the swell and you’re constantly turning to try and get the most out of each swell for the crew. So much fun.”

 

Coastal men’s quadruple sculls (CM4x+)

Jacob Dawson (GBR02, UL Tyrian Club) – gold:

“Incredible, like no other race I’ve ever experienced before. To be able to do it with some of your best mates as well, it’s just an indescribable feeling.

“We definitely saw their (ITA01’s) bowman was having an issue. When you’re in the race you just try and capitalise on something like that happening. Of course, you want your competitors to have their best possible race but it was just about getting the job done. We weren’t going to stop.

“I grew up on the coast in Plymouth, that’s where I started, before I learned how to put a blade in the water. Just a wonderful opportunity to be able to come back to my roots and have such a great time doing it.”

Filippo Wiesenfeld (ITA01, Circolo Canottieri Saturnia A.S.D.) – silver:

“The race was really quite dramatic. We started, a really fast start, but then after about 500 metres our bowman (Andrea Serafino), we took a wave that meant he lost his oars, and we had a lot of difficulties on getting back on it so we lost a lot of time. But then pushing back we started again, we pushed, we believed in what we were doing, and we gave it all.

“We were a bit confused, a bit surprised, but we gave it all and that’s it. Super congrats to the British (GBR02), they got bronze medals at the Olympics, so that’s it. We are happy, we are vice-world champions.”

Xavier Morelle (FRA01 Gravelines Aviron) – bronze:

“Crazy race. Chaos. We got a really bad start, two of the seats were off, so we started really last of the race. We know it was rough water and everything’s possible, you’ve got to fight, fight, fight. We caught up with most of the crews.

“Crazy race, really, everyone having problems. The big deal was make no mistake and try to go as much as you could.

“We’re from Gravelines, the other side of the Channel, and we’re pretty used to this rough water. We’ve been training a lot in these really rough conditions and we like it better. We can level up with people who are Olympic rowers.

“The (coastal rowing) community is growing. We feel like people are coming back. It’s not my first coastal world champs, and you get to see back some people. It’s nice. The level is rising up, but still it’s a community who likes to share and it’s very fair play.”

 

Coastal mixed double sculls (CMix2x)

Esther Briz Zamorano (ESP04, Remo Torrevieja) – gold:

“I did enjoy it a lot, we were expecting waves, and we were happy to get waves compared to yesterday’s race.

“When you win a championship and then you race the same championship again you know that holding the title from the previous year that doesn’t secure you the place, the same spot. People are gunning for you, people are coming for you. Of course we had a goal to win the championship again, but we knew that it was not something that we had because we had won last year.”

Teresa Diaz Moreno (ESP01, RCMD Málaga) – silver:

“Very very close at the finish. (I was thinking) row, row faster, you have to enter second, you can’t be late. We were together motivating us and then finally we were second. We were very excited.

“It was very very fun, and very satisfying.

“Our team wants to thank our club because all medals that we have won are from all the team.”

Patrick Boomer (IRL01, Loughros Point & Killorglin RC) – bronze:

“It was really good. Got off to a bit of a dodgy start but we got into a rhythm after that and just managed to get clear of the carnage at turn 1 and pushed on from there.

“You just can’t help but feel that you could have done something differently just to make a difference, but it was fantastic just to be in that fight (for silver) and be up in the medals. It’s a first world medal for me so I’m delighted.”