Issue 19 December 2011

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EDITORIAL The Athlete Biological Passport OLYMPIC GAMES Africa rows to the Olympics p. 4 COASTAL ROWING A sport anyone can do p. 7 TOP ROWERS Success in challenging times Going fast on and off the water A feel for the rhythm Nils Jakob Hoff PARALYMPIC GAMES Paralympic qualification writes new chapter in Irish rowing history p. 15 RISING STARS An Italian Story DEVELPOMENT Growing Olympic talent in Lithuania p. 20 p. 17 p. 9 p. 11 p. 13 p. 3

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UNIVERSITY ROWING The future looks bright for world university rowing p. 23 ENVIRONMENT 10 tips towards a greener boathouse and cleaner water in your rowing environment p. 25

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Sigrid Harket

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Issue 19 December 2011

editorial

The Athlete Biological Passport

this year the international rowing Federation, Fisa, is again at the forefront in the fight against doping in sport. Fisa initiated the no needles Policy which gained world-wide headlines, and highlighted the desire to protect the health of athletes and discourage a needle culture. FISAs sports medicine commission chair Dr Alain Lacoste was one of the main proponents behind the No Needles Policy. Lacoste stated that the use of needles and syringes to inject substances other than medicines has been growing, and, in the desire to protect the health of athletes, Lacoste wanted to see a policy that made injections only allowed for medically-justified reasons. FISA teamed up with the UCI, the International Cycling Union, which helped create the policy. The UCI has brought the policy into practice in international cycling starting in time for the June Tour of Italy, the Giro dItalia. The annual update of WADAs prohibited list sees some changes for 2012. A main change is the removal of formoterol from the Section 3 Beta-2 Agonists list. Formoterol is used by asthma sufferers. For 2012, WADA will start to monitor the use of nicotine and the effect of its use on performance, focusing on oral tobacco products. Two narcotics - hydrocodone and tramadol - have also been added to the monitoring programme. Another innovation by FISA is the implementation of the Athlete Biological Passport. The biological passport is a longitudinal profile of an athlete based on blood samples. This means that if variations (possibly due to doping) occur in the blood profile of an athlete, then the biological passport can detect these changes. FISA has been sampling blood from athletes since 2001 and has been collecting blood for use with the passport system since 2010. WADA says: Biological monitoring throughout an athletes sporting career should make any prohibited preparation far harder to implement. The hope is that the biological passport will be part of a more intelligent way to conduct an effective anti-doping programme. The guidelines for the passport were approved by WADA in 2009, and some sports federations and national antidoping organisations will have implemented the biological passport for the London Olympics. FISA is proud to again be a leader in the battle against doping in sport but also in the battle to protect the health of athletes from over-zealous coaches and doctors. The No Needles Policy and the biological passport are the latest tools in this battle and FISA will apply them to keep the sport of rowing clean.
Matt Smith FISA Executive Director

FISA

Matt Smith

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olymPic games

Africa rows to the Olympics

there is no doubt that egypt was the stand-out nation at this years african olympic Qualification regatta. not only did it host the event in alexandria, it also won three of the four qualification events the mens single, the lightweight womens double and the lightweight mens double sculls. Egypt, in the absence of South Africa who chose to qualify through the open qualification system, is the stand-out African country for rowing. Its athlete, Nour El Din Hassanein, produced one of the top performances of the qualification regatta. Hassanein, 23, came first in the mens single sculls in a time of 7:09. He has been rowing since the age of 15 and has been on the national team as a junior, under-23 and senior representative. Second finisher in the single, James FraserMackenzie of Zimbabwe, secured one of two spots for his country, raising the ranks of Zimbabwe as a rowing nation. FraserMackenzie is just 18 years old and raced earlier this year as part of his countrys junior team. Zimbabwes other qualifier is Micheen Thornycroft (in the womens single) who has represented Zimbabwe at the under-23 level. Tunisia also picked up two qualifying positions. Aymen Mejri finished fourth in the mens single, making him the final qualifier of that event. Mejri is a regular on the Tunisian national team and has competed internationally in the lightweight single. Tunisias second qualifier, Racha Soula, was third in the womens single. The 17-yearold Soula competed at this years World Rowing Junior Championships in the single. Cameroon and Algeria earned one qualifying spot each. Paul Etia Ndoumbe, 27, of Cameroon, qualified in the mens single. He is already a veteran of one Olympic Games and recently gained an Olympic scholarship which has enabled him to train in France. For Algeria, Amina Rouba became the sole qualifier for her country after finishing second in the womens single. Rouba, 25, gained international experience this year at the World Rowing Championships where she rowed in the lightweight division. High expectations on Kenyas Kelvin Bwibo fell short when he missed out on >

Amina Rouba of Algeria qualifies for the London 2012 Olympic Games in the womens single.

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olymPic games
> qualifying in the mens single by just 0.78seconds. FISA hopes that the athlete may be able to continue for Rio 2016. The qualification regatta gave the opportunity for two team boats to earn an Olympic berth. Both of these spots went to Egypt. Omar Emira and Mohamed Nofel won the lightweight mens double sculls. The crew is a mixture of youth and experience. Emira first made the national team seven years ago, while Nofel is newer to the sport, and just took up rowing seven years ago.

> africa rows to the olympics

Igor Meijer/FISA

Olympic qualifier in the womens single, Racha Soula of Tunisia.

The lightweight womens double sculls spot went to Ingy Hossam El Din and Sara Ashraf of Egypt. Ashraf, 22, has competed at the African and Arab level, but never at the World Rowing Championship level, while Hossam El Din, 19, raced this year at the World Rowing Under 23 Championships. The pool of countries participating increased this year with seven nations that did not participate in 2007 taking part Morocco, Madagascar, Niger, Sudan, Namibia, Zambia and Libya. FISA competitive commission member Faycal Soula says the focus for rowing in Africa is now to prepare for the 2016 Olympic Games. This

means looking to the 2014 Youth African Games in Botswana and encouraging more junior rowers. There is also a focus on the 2015 African Games in Congo as a priority event for the continent. The African Championships are another important event. They take place every year except in the year of the African Games, two weeks after the World Rowing Championships. Next year they will be held in Morocco. Africa is a good region to develop rowing because of the many lakes and rivers, says Soula. We are planning a programme of events through the next four years and will focus on the development of future African Games.
Melissa S. Bray

Omar Emira (b) Mohamed Nofel (s) from Egypt, who qualified for London 2012 at the African Olympic Qualification Regatta.

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olymPic games

> africa rows to the olympics

Olympic Qualification by federation after the 2011 World Rowing Championships & the 2011 African Olympic Qualification Regatta Nations Qualified Men (2011) Lightweight Women (2011) Lightweight Total Boats Total Boats 2011/2007 in 2007/2011 Men (2011) Women (2011) (2011) (2007) Difference ALG 1 2 -1 W1x ARG 1 1 0 M2x AUS 10 11 -1 M1x, M2-, M2x, M4x, M4-, M8+ LM4W2-, W2x, W4x LW2x AUT 0 1 -1 AZE 2 0 2 M1x W1x BEL 0 2 -2 BLR 2 4 -2 M4W1x BUL 0 1 -1 CAN 7 5 2 M2-, M2x, M4-, M8+ LM2x W8+ LW2x CHN 8 8 0 M1x LM2x, LM4- W1x, W2-, W2x, W4x LW2x CMR 1 0 1 M1x CRO 1 2 -1 M4x CUB 1 1 0 M1x CZE 4 5 -1 M1x LM4W1x, W2x DEN 3 4 -1 LM2x, LM4LW2x EGY 0 1 -1 EGY 3 2 1 M1x LM2x LW2x EST 1 2 -1 M2x FIN 0 1 -1 FRA 3 7 -4 M2x LM2x, LM4GBR 13 11 2 M1x, M2-, M2x, M4-, M4x, M8+ LM2x, LM4- W2-, W8+, W4x, W2x LW2x GER 11 12 -1 M1x, M2-, M2x, M4-, M4x, M8+ LM2x, LM4- W1x, W2x, W4x GRE 4 2 2 M2-, M4LM2x LW2x HUN 1 1 0 M2IRL 0 1 -1 ITA 6 5 1 M2-, M4-, M4x LM2x, LM4- W2JPN 0 1 -1 KEN 0 1 -1 M1x LTU 3 0 3 M1x, M2x W1x NED 4 3 1 M2-, M4-, M8+ W8+ NOR 3 1 2 M1x, M2x LM2x NZL 11 7 4 M1x, M2-, M2x, M4-, M4x LM2x W1x, W2-, W2x, W4x LW2x POL 4 5 -1 M4x, M8+ LM4W2x POR 1 0 1 LM2x ROU 2 3 -1 W2-, W8+ RSA 2 1 1 LM4W2RSA 0 2 -2 W1x LW2x RUS 2 1 1 M4x W1x SLO 1 2 -1 M2x SRB 2 1 M2-, M41 SUI 2 1 M4x LM41 SWE 2 2 M1x W1x 0 TUN 2 2 M1x W1x 0 UKR 4 2 M4x, M8+ W2x, W4x 2 USA 8 11 M1x, M2-, M4-, M4x W2-, W4x, W8+ LW2x -3 ZIM 2 0 M1x W1x 2 138 138 0

Upcoming Olympic Qualification Regattas 22-25 March 2012 Latin American Olympic Qualification Regatta 26-29 April 2012 Asian Olympic Qualification Regatta 20-23 May 2012 Final Olympic Qualification Regatta

Countries Qualified at the 2011 African Olympic Qualification Regatta W1x LW2x M1x Algeria x Cameroon x Egypt x x Tunisia x x Zimbabwe x x

LM2x

Note: Boats highlighted in brown qualified at the 2011 African Olympic Qualification Regatta

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coastal roWing

A sport anyone can do

italian crews were no strangers to success at the World rowing coastal championships for clubs in years past, and at the 2011 edition, held in Bari, italy, they held their own. in the mens coxed quadruple sculls, the italians secured a clean sweep taking gold, silver and bronze. Vincenzo Di Palma (cox), Andrea Tranqulli (stroke), Sergio Canciani, Domenico Montrone, and Salvatore Di Somma (bow) rowed for Gruppo Nautico Fiamme Gialle, a military-based rowing club, and came out on top, winning by over a minute on home waters. The victory was all the more impressive, as it was only the crews second coastal race together, the first being the heat, in which they qualified fastest for the final. Cox Di Palma stated: We trained a few times on the Mediterranean Sea before the championships, which prepared us for tough conditions, but this was our first coastal regatta. We had high expectations and we knew our boat was fast, said stroke Tranquilli, but for the first time, we didnt really know our competition. It was a new experience for us and very different to flat water rowing, said Di Palma. There was a lot more to think about in the race, such as buoy direction, the wind and the waves. The crew is no stranger to racing hard. Canciani raced in the mens eight at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games while Di Palma coxed the eight We were ready for worse, more dramatic at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. Tranquilli, conditions, Canciani added. In the heat we Montrone and Di Somma also all have a wealth had some difficulty with wind and waves which of experience from racing at World Rowing Cups reduced our boat speed. It was like a sailing and World Rowing Championships. race - the conditions were always changing. You really needed to concentrate on the team But what of racing on the sea? How different is and what the cox was saying. The feeling within it to flat water rowing? the crew was very important. Teamwork played a big role. >

The Italian mens coxed quadruple sculls racing at the 2011 World Rowing Coastal Championships in Bari, Italy.

Detlev Seyb/MyRowingPhoto.com

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> a sport anyone can do

Indeed it is an exceptionally popular sport in Italy, the host nation, boasting the highest number of crews participating and winning gold in all three mens events. It is a sport anyone can do, says Di Somma. You just need the sea. It is certainly a sport that can be taken anywhere in the world and it can help develop tourism too. Laughing, he continues: Coastal rowing is waters Formula 1. You need good technique, but you have to be perfect to win. It is pure fun, anything can happen. So, will these men leave flat water rowing behind in search of bigger waves, or is London 2012 in their sights?

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> The victory was perhaps most poignant to Coastal rowing is great fun, especially jumping on Bari local Domenico Montrone, in two seat. What the waves, but flat-water rowing is fascinating, did it mean to him to become a World Champion says Tranquilli. The constant speed you can in his home city? I was not expecting such huge develop its more progressive. London 2012 joy and emotion a very nice sensation of course. is definitely an objective for some members of We were not expecting to win by that much, but it the crew. was fantastic, he said, amidst eager nods from the rest of the crew. These men do not bask in the limelight of this victory alone. Fiamme Gialle, the military-based We were perhaps expecting more spectators rowing club they train at, and which funds them, and support, but coastal rowing is still growing, played a signficant role in their success. observed Montrone. We can do something we like and we enjoy, but Di Palma believes that the evolution of the with Fiamme Gialle, we have the opportunity to sport can definitely attract more spectators. The row funded and receive the best support, says Di number of coastal athletes has tripled within just five years. This is a sign that it involves and attracts more and more people.

Palma. We are so thankful for that. Our trainers, Rocco Pecoraro and Franco Cattaneo are brilliant. Physiotherapist, Mauro Tronchin, also plays a central role in the team. The best thing for me is to treat these guys, and be rewarded with gold, he says. Flat water rowing aside, such a victorious debut in coastal rowing has clearly made its mark on the crew. When asked if they would be back to defend their title next year, all members nodded.
Laura Fell

Vincenzo Di Palma (cox), Andrea Tranqulli (stroke), Sergio Canciani, Domenico Montrone, and Salvatore Di Somma (bow) of Italy celebrate gold in the mens coxed quadruple sculls at the 2011 World Rowing Coastal Championships in Bari, Italy.

toP roWers

Success in challenging times

mere months from the 2012 olympic games regatta, alexandra tsiavou and christina giazitzidou from greece are one of the favourites for winning olympic gold in the lightweight womens double sculls. the world-class duo were recently honoured when they received the coveted 2011 World rowing Womens crew of the year award. Rowing on and off together for several years (with Tsiavou also focusing on the lightweight single and Giazitzidou racing at the under-23 level), the women have been re-uniting in the boat for the climax regattas of the season: the World Rowing Championships and the European Rowing Championships. Though supreme together, winning the World Rowing Championships twice (2009, 2011) and the European Rowing Championships three times consecutively (2009, 2010, 2011), they are also unstoppable apart. Tsiavou won the lightweight single at each stage of the 2011 Samsung World Rowing Cup she contested, whilst Giazitzidou completed a hattrick, winning the under-23 lightweight womens double for the third time in a row this year. Giazitzidou admits: It is not easy at all to change crews, particularly before the big events. I fear that we may not have enough time to get the double together. But each one of us gives all the

positive elements in the boat. The combination of these elements gives us the desirable speed. As an athlete, Alexandra thinks a lot, and she has really passed this on to me. For Tsaivou, she believes training and racing in the single sculls is an advantage. This is the system we follow, as Christina has still been competing as an under-23 athlete, she explains. This season we trained very individually so that we could be completely ready for the double. The disadvantage, though, is that we might be more nervous during the last month of training as we try to get used to each other again!

Tsiavou welcomed her partner to the boat in 2009, after former 2008 Olympic partner Chrysi Biskitzi retired, and she now finds she plays a much different role in boat. Christina and Chrysi are two completely different athletes. With Chrysi, I was the youngest and now Christina takes that position. As an athlete, I am now more trained and experienced, but Chrysi helped me learn how important the details are and I would like to thank her for that. Tisavou and Giazitzidou both insist there is no leader in their boat. Each one takes initiative whenever its necessary or when the other >

Christina Giazitzidou (b) and Alexandra Tsiavou (s) of Greece win gold at the 2011 World Rowing Championships in Bled, Slovenia.

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> success in challenging times Athens Olympics. People are starting to recognise us and I do hope this will continue to improve in the future. Our two World Championship gold medals are real highlights, exclaims Tsiavou, and winning the World Rowing Female Crew of the Year Award was just exceptional. Now, for sure, the Olympic Games are the ultimate goal for us! We have been training for this event for the past four years and want to get the best result possible in the final. Out of the boat, the women make the most of home comforts, whilst Tsiavou, previously a teacher, also works as a fire fighter. I really miss teaching, but I think working in a fire department is a good position for elite athletes, she says. Giazitzidou has put her training as a teacher on hold, as the London Olympics are her main goal now. In her free time she enjoys watching movies and reading books by the fireplace at home, whilst Tsiavou relaxes mostly by reading, cooking, housecleaning, watching movies, dancing traditional dances, knitting or walking with her boyfriend. When Im not rowing, I love to run or cycle, says Tsiavou. Each year, in cross-training I try to test myself in something new until I find the ideal training for myself! As for Giazitzidou, jogging is her favourite cross-training, and she also loves alpine skiing during the winter. Family clearly means a lot to these women. When asked where they see themselves in 10 years time they both hope it will include having a family. And one has the feeling they will never stray very far from rowing.
Dbora Meier-Feutren / Laura Fell

> one isnt in the right mood! says Tsiavou. I do not think we have a chief in the boat, says Giazitzidou. Together we discuss all our possible problems and deal equally with them. The women train together at the Olympic Rowing Centre in Schinias, near Athens, once a month for two weeks. The rest of the time, Giazitzidou trains in her home city Kastoria and Tsiavou in Igoumenitsa. Greece performed remarkably well at this years World Rowing Championships in Bled, Slovenia, under the leadership of fellow 2011 World Rowing Award winner, Head Coach Gianni Postiglione. The small nation of 11 million inhabitants won a gold and a silver and qualified four boats for the 2012 Olympic Regatta, twice as many boats as the number they qualified in 2007 for the 2008 Beijing Games. So what lies in store for Greek rowing? Unfortunately things in Greece look so unstable. High performance becomes a tough challenge under these difficult circumstances, says Giazitzidou. Tsiavou agrees, I hope things wont be as difficult as we are afraid they probably will be in the future. Despite the general difficulties in our country, Ibelieve rowing will hold on. Winning on Lake Bled was the highlight of my rowing career, adds Giazitzidou. In the last few years, recognition for the sport has improved massively in Greece, due to the success of our team and the medal Greece won at the 2004

Chistina Giazitzidou (l) and Alexandra Tsiavou(r), Greeces lightweight womens double sculls.

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Going fast on and off the water

danish lightweight Henrik stephansen is normally associated with the indoor rowing machine, but this year at the 2011 World rowing championships in Bled, slovenia, it was his speed on the water that stood out. Winning the lightweight mens single by nine seconds ahead of three-time World Champion Duncan Grant (NZL), Stephansen finished off the season in style. Stephansen already enjoyed success on the water, being a World Champion at both the junior and under-23 levels, but until the 2011 season, he had yet to make his mark on the senior stage. At the Samsung World Rowing Cup in Munich this year, his lightweight mens double finished a disappointing eighteenth in a tough field. In Hamburg, Stephansen was on his own in the lightweight mens single event, and won gold at both the Hamburg and Lucerne World Cups before descending on Lake Bled for the climax of the season. I had a very good feeling in my scull all year, Stephansen recalls. I knew I had it in me and training had gone well. Becoming World Champion felt really great. My family and friends were happy for me. They know how hard Id worked for it and were happy Id finally succeeded. Iliked Bled too a nice place with great landscape and a beautiful lake. Stephansen looks back to 2000, when he was just 12, and says: I wanted to begin a sport and first started rowing socially. I had a good group of friends at the club I was at. Soon I realised Iwas good and could be fast. I changed clubs to row more competitively and seriously and slowly got better and better. Five years later, Stephansen broke the indoor rowing world record for 17-year-olds, recording a score of 6:15 over 2,000m. Stephansen then broke the 18-year-old record, as he lowered his time by an astonishing 10seconds to 6:05.5. At the 2008 C.R.A.S.H.B Sprints in Boston, USA, he broke the lightweight mens record for the first time and the following year smashed >
Henrik Stephansen of Denmark racing in the lightweight mens single sculls at the 2011 Samsung World Rowing Cup in Hamburg, Germany.

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> going fast on and off the water For a 72.5kg man, a step in weight categories could be a challenge, but Stephansen wont be looking to put on much weight. Ill only put on a couple of kilos. I wont have any advantage putting 10 kilos on, even if it was muscle, because I wont have the time to maximize my oxygen uptake to fuel the extra weight. If I havent got the fuel, Ill just have to drag the extra weight down the lane. Denmark has a very strong tradition in lightweight rowing and years of success behind them, with legendary triple Olympic Champion Eskild Ebbsen still competing successfully at age39. I think, here in Denmark, we do the right kind of training for lightweights, says Stephansen. Also there are more people aiming to be lightweights and more people therefore naturally able to drop weight when they need to, and yet still maintain their speed. Despite the wealth of lightweight talent around the world competing against him, Stephansen is not fazed. I dont focus on what everybody else is doing and how fast they are. I cant control that. Everything depends on how fast I can go. If the results of 2011 are anything to go by, Stephansen will not be slowing down.
Laura Fell

> his personal best, dipping under the magic six-minute marker at the Danish Indoor Rowing Championships. His current best time stands at 5:58.50. Stephansen remembers well what if felt like to break the world record aged just 17: Ifelt really good. I knew what I was doing; I knew the target I was aiming for. Around 1,000m to go, it was a really easy, ongoing rhythm I knew I could hold to the end. This happens in a good 2,000m test to me. With around 700m gone, it feels great and normally, Im sure I can finish at that pace. I wasnt fast straight away, Stephansen admits. I worked a lot at it and did a lot of training on the indoor rowing machine. Getting better takes time. Each season, I managed to go a little bit faster, but I havent bettered 5:58 yet. Ill be competing at the Danish National Indoor Rowing Championships again in January and my aim is to go under six minutes. But what of the 2012 London Olympic Rowing Regatta? Denmark has qualified three boats, in each of the Olympic lightweight events - the mens and womens double and the mens four - yet Stephansen could be left out, as the lightweight mens single is not an Olympic class boat. Will he fight for a place in the double? More likely, I will do the heavyweight single. For now though, I am focusing on being as good as I can be during the winter and then well see. If the Danish lightweight mens double isnt going fast enough, maybe I can make it a bit faster.

Henrik Stephansen from Denmark celebrates winning the lightweight mens single sculls at the 2011 Samsung World Rowing Cup II in Hamburg, Germany.

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A feel for the rhythm Nils Jakob Hoff

Nils Jakob Hoff (NOR)

some rowers can point to a family member who got them interested in the sport. nils Jakob Hoff of norway can point to his family for musical inspiration. rowing, for Hoff, was a way to get his 14-year-old, 110kg `kind of fat body into shape while he continued to pursue his musical aspirations. Hoff started playing piano when he was five. His piano teacher was also a harpist. She had a big harp standing around that I always had an interest in, says Hoff. He then began playing the harp at age nine and has been playing it ever since. Music has always been a big part of my life. As a kid I went to musical kindergarten. Music is what my family does as a hobby, says Hoff, so being from my family I just thought that was also my thing. Hoffs musical talent was so good that he has performed publically on both of his chosen instruments. He believes that the largest audience that he has played for (although he is unable to guess how many) was for a competition live on national television. Hoff also played at Olaf Tuftes wedding as Tufte walked down the aisle. For Hoff, the focus has now completely changed, as taking part in the 2012 Olympic Games is a realistic prospect. This year at the World Rowing Championships in Bled, Hoff and his partner Kjetil Borch finished eighth in the mens double sculls. Eighth position was enough to secure an Olympic spot for their country. But Hoff is quick to point out: Its not me, but the boat that has qualified, we still have to fight for our spot in the boat next year. However, I have taken a year off from my studies and have moved to Oslo to be a full-time rower. One of the consequences of training to be an Olympian is the regular travel. Travelling with a piano or harp is problematic so Hoff does not get to play much at present. I play a lot of guitar with Kjetil and Olaf tries to incorporate musical references sometimes when he talks about technique to me, says Hoff. On the team Im just the music guy. Hoff says he harnesses his musical talents to help him row by using his knowledge of rhythm in the way he develops his stroke. The thing that music has taught me most I think is to work around >

Sigrid Harket

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> a feel for the rhythm nils Jakob Hoff

> your errors, practice and prepare, so that even if you are nervous you will still perform your best, explains Hoff. Also feeling the rhythm and flow and getting emotionally involved in what you do. Playing classical harp and piano may be Hoffs forte but when it comes to listening to music while training on the ergometer or preparing for a race, Hoff chooses a very different genre. Mostly Metallica, Linkin Park, Rage Against the Machine and Span - music that makes you love the pain, says Hoff. But before a race I try not to get too worked up as it has backfired. I dont row very well when I want to kill everyone around me and forget all about technique.

So what has made Hoff move from music to focus more on taking rowing to another level? Reflecting on a turning point, he says: We were at a high altitude camp in Seiser Alm, Italy, in January 2007. I was doing an erg session against Olaf when I realised that I wanted to beat this bastard, says Hoff. At this same camp I got kicked off the team. I moved to Tromsoe (in northern Norway) for a year with my girlfriend, where we studied, worked, and I trained like never before. Olaf wrote my programme and checked on my progress. The next year I fought my way back on the team and never doubted my ability again.

Practically speaking the harp has turned out to complement rowing. The harp messes up my fingertips and rowing destroys the rest of the hand, so they complete each other, says Hoff. Playing the piano, however, is unaffected by the state of his hands. Rowing changed Hoffs life. He has gone from a teenager who was bullied and forced to change schools, to a confident adult; a lean, 198cm tall picture of Scandinavian good looks sporting the physique of a top athlete.
Melissa S. Bray

Nils Jakob Hoff (b) and Kjetil Borch (s) from Norway after having qualified for the A-final in the mens double sculls at the 2011 Samsung World Rowing Cup II in Hamburg, Germany.
Detlev Seyb/MyRowingPhoto.com

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Paralympic qualification writes new chapter in Irish rowing history

irish rowing has had many landmark moments in the past 20 years. the latest milestone was reached at the 2011 World rowing championships in Bled, slovenia when its lta mixed coxed Four (ltamix4+) became the first ever irish adaptive boat to qualify for the Paralympic games by finishing 5th overall.
This result is the culmination of years of hard work and dogged determination from the athletes and the pioneers of adaptive rowing in Ireland. It also represents the beginning of a new era for adaptive rowers whose dream of representing their country on the global stage is now real and firmly in their hands. National adaptive rowing chairman, Joe Cunningham from Castleconnell Boat Club in Co. Limerick, instigated the development of adaptive rowing in Ireland from small beginnings at club level, and generated the movement towards increased adaptive participation. This seed became vitally important when, after the Beijing Olympics, the Irish Sports Council increased their support of Paralympic sports in the lead up to London 2012. These developments coincided with the arrival of Martin McElroy as director of Rowing Ireland who took up the brief and began working closely with Cunningham. They developed an international programme for adaptive rowers, with a view to Paralympic qualification as well as continuing
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Anne-Marie McDaid (b), Sarah Caffrey, Shane Ryan, Kevin du Toit (s) and Helen Arbuthnot (cox) of Ireland racing in the heats of the LTA Mixed Coxed Four at the 2011 World Rowing Championships in Bled, Slovenia.

to raise awareness and grow participant numbers at club level. The increased government support led to the appointment of 1997 World Championship bronze medallist John Armstrong as adaptive rowing national coach. Full-time dedicated coaching, plus specific rowing and multi-sport camps organised by Paralympics Ireland, have allowed outstanding talent to emerge and develop. The history-making crew, although geographically dispersed, are a tight-knit unit. Three members, Kevin du Toit, Sarah Caffrey and cox Helen Arbuthnot, are based in London , England, with Anne-Marie McDaid and Shane Ryan based in Ireland. Their boat - named after Karen Cromie, a former teammate who sadly died this year - is located at the National Rowing Centre in Cork and they train together there at least once per month. The frequency of unified training will increase considerably in the lead up to the >

meet tHe creW name: ne-M ar An ieMcD aid(bow) age: 47 blin,Ireland Du Favourite race: 2011WorldRowin g ampionships,s Ch emi-final(Paraly mpic qualification) Place of residence:

m e et tH e

creW eat) frey(2s Sara hCaf n a m e: 3 a g e : 6 ,U K L e : o n do n of residenc Place dRowi n g 2 009Worl heB -fi nal ce: Favourite ra ps,wi n ni n gt io n s h i ighted C h a mp ithfull-s competew ableto ingwell. B g? eing boatmov Why rowin essofthe n ish Peaceful pairedIr a thletes. suallyi m llock,vi M : arkPo inspiration rer dadventu r owera n

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ParalymPic games

> Paralympic qualification writes new chapter in irish rowing history

preparing to take these sacrifices to another level in their pursuit of improving their current ranking. The success to date of this crew and the likelihood of even more improvements may see a huge increase in the numbers of adaptive rowers in Ireland. Rowing Ireland Director McElroy feels that Irish clubs may have to make decisions and be ready for a possible influx of adaptive rowers. He says: Each club has to have a clear vision of what it wants to be and if adaptive rowing is part of that then we have a chance to grow adaptive rowing as a sport rather than us just running an international programme in isolation. It is a difficult time for Irish rowing clubs in the current economic climate. Perhaps the advent of rowings first Paralympic representation combined with the resulting growth in popularity of adaptive rowing throughout the country, could just be the injection of life and purpose that many clubs are looking for.
Gearoid Towey

> Games along with planned camps in Portugal with other Irish Paralympic sports teams.
The crew has a balanced blend of youth and experience. Du Toit has already competed at the Paralympics in Beijing for South Africa, finishing 8th. Both he and Caffrey started rowing 20 years ago. Arbuthnot has been coxing since 2004 as a student at Southhampton University and both McDaid and Ryan, although less experienced, have achieved remarkable results from their World Championship campaigns. The crew juggle work commitments and training, apart from Ryan who has taken a year out from university to focus on the Paralympics. He has had a meteoric rise through the sport and is a prime example to other adaptive rowers of what can be achieved in a relatively short period of time. Coach Armstrong believes the current crew has what it takes to better their world championship result at the Paralympics next August. He says: As a coach, Ido feel I am lucky to be working with such a committed group. They have all made considerable personal, career and financial sacrifices to get to this point and are currently

meet tHe creW Toit(stroke) Ke name: vi ndu 33 age: Lo e: ndon,UK Place of residenc 2008 B-finalatthe Favourite race: l. es,8thoveral Pa raly mpicGam youget. ive,themore Th emoreyoug Why rowing? urroundi ngs. ndbeautifuls Pe aceful nessa , arethdeCosta Hawki nsa ndG Ro -m ates. inspiration: ss piansandclub hAfrica nOlym So ut m e et tH e creW

Rowing Ireland

n a m e: h S a neRya n(3seat) age: 3 2 Place of res idence: i L merick, Favourite ra Irela nd ce: 011W 2 orldRowin ha mpions C g hips,sem i-fi nal(P quali ficat aralympic ion) Why rowing ? onsta n C tlyp ush i i m itsi n l n gyou rse trai ni n g lftonew a ndraci inspiration n g : arents P a ndfa m i suppor t lya ndth eirconst a nt

Irelands adaptive crew at a training camp.

meet tHe creW Hel name: enArbuth not(cox) 27 age: Bur e of residence: ton,U K Plac ng 201 Favourite race: 1WorldRowi i-fi nal(Paralympic Cha mpionships,sem qua lifi cation) tle.Paddlin gona The Why rowing? bu zzofbat ditions. war msunn yd ayingreatcon ercrewmate,thelate Fam inspiration: ilyandform Kar enCromie.

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rising stars

An Italian Story
Which sport is usually associated with italy? most likely soccer. Perhaps cycling. But rowing? usually not. However, every italian man or woman even remotely interested in sports recognises the name abbagnale. abbagnale is an italian household name. For more than a decade (1981-1993) the Abbagnale brothers Giuseppe and Carmine dominated the coxed pair internationally, winning seven World Championship golds and two Olympic Champion titles (Los Angeles 1984 and Seoul 1988), as well as Olympic silver (Barcelona 1992). Younger brother Agostino perpetuated the family legacy by winning Olympic gold at the 1988 and 1996 Games, then going on to a third gold in 2000. The success and popularity of the Abbagnale clan helped promote rowing a nearly forgotten sport especially in southern Italy generating enormous interest and the sports comeback. Because of their remarkable achievements and impact on the world of rowing, all three Abbagnale brothers have been awarded the Thomas Keller Medal (Giuseppe and Carmine in 1997, Agostino in 2006). The Italian brothers rowing career made such an impression on the Italian public that a movie narrating their story was produced in 1992: Una storia italiana (An Italian story). And yet, the story goes on as the second Abbagnale generation has made its appearance on the World Rowing stage. Vincenzo, Giuseppes 18-year-old son, has raced three times at the World Rowing Junior Championships, claiming bronze each time (two in the eight and one this year in the coxed four). Giuseppe, the father, and Vincenzo, the son, interviewed each other for World Rowing. >

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rising stars

> an italian story

> VincenZo interVieWs His FatHer Why did you start rowing? My uncles were both involved in rowing. One of them (editors note: Giuseppe la Mura) started to coach at our rowing club at Castellammare di Stabia. He became our coach in the 1980s so the connection was quite natural. What was your first contact with rowing? My first contact with rowing was actually the challenge I had to face to overcome my fear of water: I first had to learn how to swim before beginning to row. How has the reputation of rowing in italy changed after your successes? Italy had gone through a long period during which rowing was nearly forgotten. Thanks to our success, rowing made a comeback. Not only that, it was then followed by a wider public. Even the number of fans increased. How have training conditions changed since the time you were a competitive rower? I dont really see a big difference, neither concerning the technique nor concerning the training methods.

What was your magical moment in rowing? The best moment was at the Olympic Games in Seoul in 1988, where all three of us Abbagnale brothers won a gold medal. Which is your favourite regatta course?

How was it to row together with your brother? did you have many arguments? It did not happen often but of course it happened. Anyway we had a major goal which made us reconcile after every single disagreement. How do you like the movie una storia italiana?

Without a doubt, Lucerne. What was your hardest race? All of them were hard, especially because if you want to be in first place you need to give all you can. It didnt really appeal to me but many people seemed to enjoy it. I think it aroused the interest of people who were not involved in this sport. >

Issue 19 December 2011

Detlev Seyb/MyRowingPhoto.com

Nicholas Brezzi, Mario Cuomo, Federico Duchich and Vincenzo Abbagnale (second from right) pose with their cox Dario Favilli after racing in the junior mens coxed fours at the 2011 Junior World Rowing Championships in Eton, Great Britain.

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rising stars
> giusePPe interVieWs His son

> an italian story Do you think that my background has influenced your attitude towards training? do you see any difference between you and other rowers? As I said I dont see any difference, my family name is part of the story but it was not made by me. Thats why I dont think there should be any difference between me and the others. does it bother you sometimes that you are often associated with me or your uncles? I need to admit that sometimes it does annoy me because I dont have the impression Im at the same level they were at. I learn though not to take this too seriously. You just need to know how to deal with it. What is your goal in rowing? What will you be doing in 10 years time? So far I have absolutely no clue at all. I dont even want to think about that, its enough to live from day to day. What was your toughest race? Definitely the finals in the coxed four at the 2011 World Rowing Junior Championships. We were favourites and could have won but instead the luck was not with us and we lost the opportunity to win gold. Have you seen the movie una storia italiana? did you like it? Yes, I saw it and I like it. do you think you will have more medals than i do one day? That might be difficult, but its the dream of everyone somehow. Would you like to compete in the coxed pair? I have never tried it but well, why not
Tine Jacobsen Peter Spurrier/Intersport-Images

Do you remember the first time you came with me to training or to a regatta? I have been at many regattas but I cant remember the first one I was at. Maybe I was too small to remember it. When did you realise for the first time that Iwas a famous athlete? Practically when I still was a little kid. Also because it is difficult not to notice all the trophies and medals that are everywhere at home. do you think you would have started rowing if i had not been a rower? I dont know. I would do sport anyway but I dont know which choice I would have made without anyone directing me. How do the other boys in your team treat you since you are part of a famous rowing family? Just in a normal way because unfortunately I am just a normal guy and it was not me who won all those competitions. I dont want to feel different from the others because its just not who I am.

I dont want to talk about my goals. I just want to give as much as I can and by this achieve as much as possible. That is my goal. apart from rowing which sport would you like to do? I like all kinds of sports but if I had to make a choice I would probably pick soccer. That would be probably much easier than rowing.

Cox Giuseppe Di Capua shouting orders to brothers Giuseppe and Carmine Abbagnale, in the mens coxed pair, at the 1989 World Rowing Championships in Bled, Slovenia.

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deVeloPment

Growing Olympic talent in Lithuania

When lithuania qualified three boats for next years olympic games at the 2011 World rowing championships in Bled, slovenia, the national media were taken off guard. the feat was unexpected. the accomplishment seemed too big to be true. at the last three olympic games, only one boat represented lithuania, and the same had been expected for 2012. But slowly the media came to recognise the success for what it was the result of hard work. Lithuanian rowing has been active for more than a century, but as Secretary General of the National Federation, Inga Okuleviciene, says: Despite celebrating the 126th Anniversary of Rowing Sport in Lithuania, we are quite young. Because we competed for so long under the Soviet Union flag, we hadnt been very visible as Lithuanians. To date, Lithuania counts one Olympic medal in rowing: bronze in the womens double sculls won by Birute Sakickiene and Kristina Poplavskaja at the 2000 Sydney Games. In 2012, Lithuania will have its highest Olympic participation in rowing since 1992 and there is still an opportunity for more to qualify at the Final Olympic Qualification Regatta in Lucerne, Switzerland next year. Inour federation we are joking that we still have two more rowers left, says Okuleviciene, so we would like to cause a surprise one more time. Okuleviciene believes that factors such as patience to find sponsors, ambitious plans for the future and adequate human resources have created the right environment to enable the gradual improvement of results. As for future Olympic medals, that is something that obviously all countries and all rowers are dreaming about, says Okuleviciene. Whether a medal will be won next year in London or further down the line in Rio de Janeiro is unknown. The four athletes who qualified their boat for London are still young and gaining experience. Mindaugas Griskonis, the single sculler, has been seen and noticed on the World Rowing stage for a long period of time. Both his parents were professional rowers, and his mother still competed when she was expecting him. My dad was the strongest rower in Lithuania in the single. I think rowing is in my blood from birth! says Griskonis. >

Donata Vistartaite (LTU)

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deVeloPment

> growing olympic talent in lithuania Donata Vistartaite, aged 21, is the only woman Previously a runner, Vistartaite abandoned the among the four athletes. A two-time under-23 sport when her coach left his job. She tried to World Champion in the single, she also raced at find another sport, but unsuccessfully, until a the senior World Rowing Championships for the Lithuanian rowing coach, Vytautas Butkus, came first time in Bled, where she finished 9th overall. to identify new rowing talents at her school. Vistartaite later won bronze at the 2011 European He was looking for tall girls who ran well, says Rowing Championships behind Mirka Knapkova Vistartaite. At 171cm, she is not that tall, but (CZE) and Julia Levina (RUS). when we did some tests and had 1,000m running races, during which I managed to beat even most of the guys, Iproved that I could do more, says Vistartaite. The following season I became a national junior rowing champion and now I just cant stop. Mentioning her boats Olympic qualification, she says: I was very happy I didnt disappoint the people who were next to me, supported me >

> Now 25 years old, Griskonis is already an Olympian. Qualifying for the 2008 Olympic Games through the Final Olympic Qualification Regatta, he finished 8th overall in Beijing in the single. Although also a two-time European Champion, his 8th place at his first Olympics is his favourite rowing memory. It was my first Olympic Regatta. I was very happy taking 8th place as a 22-year-old. It was a very good experience. His hope for London 2012 is to do his best, but in the long term, his wish is evidently to win an Olympic medal. Rolandas Mascinskas, 21, competed for the first time internationally as a junior in 2009 and went on to become a Youth Olympic Champion in 2010 in the single. Later that same year, he took his first under-23 bronze. When he and doubles partner Saulius Ritter, 23, raced in Bled, it was their first appearance at the senior World Rowing Championships. They finished 10th overall. A few weeks later, they became European Champions. Griskonis, Mascinskas and Ritter all study at Mykolas Romeris University in Vilnius, where distance learning and evening courses are organised, which makes it possible for them to focus on training all day long.

Saulius Ritter (b) and Rolandas Mascinskas (s) (LTU)

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Igor Meijer/FISA

deVeloPment

> growing olympic talent in lithuania

> and believed in me. After qualifying, I felt the main goal of the season had been achieved at last, and that all the work had been worth it. The London Olympics ar my dream, and now I know everything is possible. Now Im dreaming of an 8th place in London. Training as a physiotherapist, Vistartaite has taken a break from studying and is still reflecting on whether to resume before or after the Games. Im not the type of person who can do ten things

well at once. And when I dont have to study I can pay more attention to my personal life and rest well between practices, she says. Okuleviciene smiles when she sees these athletes, which she describes as future bombs. Attracting new generations to the sport, however, is not as easy. Many teenagers are attracted to rowing. But to keep them rowing and working hard is not so easy, says Okuleviciene. Making

rowing facilities nicer and better each year, thinking about education and financial support is not enough. Helping athletes feel that they are being cared for, that they are part of a family and are being supported is necessary. All of us should grow together with the rower: the coach, the fans, the boat builder, the Federation. The forest is stronger when all trees are the same height. This is what we are doing now - we are growing!
Dbora Meier-Feutren

Mindaugas Griskonis (LTU)

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uniVersity roWing

The future looks bright for world university rowing

the annual World university rowing championships will be held in Kazan, russia next year from 5 to 7 september 2012, an event that will act as a test for the 2013 universiade, also to be held in Kazan. rowing is back in the universiade for the first time since 1993. Kazan has been preparing to welcome the worlds best university rowers to its state-of-the-art rowing centre. Not only has the natural, freshwater rowing course just been reopened this summer in the presence of Russian President Medvedev after two years of building work, it is now considered to be one of the most advanced rowing lakes in the world. Several test events for the 2012 championships have since been held, one being the All-Russian University Rowing Competitions which included rowing, canoeing and kayaking. The Tatarstan government is the driving force behind the events. They are using the Universiade as a means to create a different relationship to sport for their citizens. Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov believes that the University Games will reintroduce the concept of sport and participation in sport as a complement to daily life.

After excellent work by FISU and Technical Committee Chair Lionel Girard to work to include rowing in the 2013 Kazan event, FISA Executive Director Matt Smith had >

Rowing lake in Kazan, Tatarstan.

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FISA

UNIVERSITY ROWING

> The future looks bright for world university rowing

> the opportunity to meet with President Minnikhanov to demonstrate to the authorities of Tatarstan that FISA stands fully beside the recommendation of FISU (the International University Sports Federation) to ask the government of Kazan and Tartarstan to agree to host the 2012 event as a test event for the 2013 Universiade. Smith stated: FISA fully supports this. Kazan has been very clear from the beginning that rowing will be a part of these games, even as an optional sport. The Kazan authorities see rowing as a key university sport and fully support it.

The city of Kazan is home to the second oldest university in Russia, Kazan Federal University, originally founded in 1804 as Kazan Imperial University. It is a growing city, with over one million inhabitants, situated approximately 1,000km east of Moscow, and is referred to as the Third Capital of Russia. Kazan has a strong history of rowing, producing high-calibre rowers including Russian internationals. Kazan, chosen as the sports capital of Russia in 2009, is currently bidding for the 2015/2017 FINA World Championships, and if successful,

open-water swimming events will also be held at the rowing centre. The 2010 World University Rowing Championships were held in Szeged in Hungary. Italy came out on top of the medals table, winning three golds, whilst Great Britain finished just behind. FISU is the governing body for the summer and winter Universiades and the World University Championships. The Universiade is held every two years and the summer Universiade has 13compulsory sports and up to three optional sports. Rowing is an optional sport. The World University Championships are organised every second year for sports that are not compulsory in the Universiade programme.
Laura Fell

FISA

FISA Executive Director Matt Smith (left) meets Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov (right) in October 2011.

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enVironment

10 tips towards a greener boathouse and cleaner water in your rowing environment
Fisas commitment to rowing practices that help protect the environment has meant the establishment of the Fisa environmental Working group in 2001 and the establishment of a strategic alliance with the World Wide Fund for nature (WWF) in 2011 for the promotion of clean water. Here are a few ideas that could be done around your boathouse to help sustain a healthy environment.

2. Take a closer 1. The all-important water bottle. look at what youre Make sure its one that you can use washing the boats and re-use many times and that it with. If its a detergent doesnt fall out of your boat it with ingredients making would just become another piece up of a long list of of unsightly floating rubbish unpronounceable words, in your beautiful waterway then it probably contains and could harm fish or many chemicals that can harm birds. the waterways. For an alternative that is cheap and successful, try a mixture of white vinegar and water 3. Make sure you to clean your boat. Prevent any engage the members wash water from draining of your rowing club in directly into your clean-ups of the water waterway. 5. Keep the engines on body you are training the coaching boats in good on. Try to encourage support condition. They will run from other groups, clubs or 4. Turn off the more efficiently and be communities which use the water. Its best not less polluting. same water too. to leave hoses running when youre not using them. Clean water is scarce in many parts of our world. Also, if your boathouse is hooked up to a water meter, wasting water is an extra expense that would better be used for buying boats.
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Igor Meijer

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2011 Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

enVironment

> 10 tips towards a greener boathouse and cleaner water in your rowing environment

6. Recycle as many things as you can. Rather than buying 10. And what about this one? cloths to use as rags for Consider hooking up your ergos cleaning, use the old towels and create lots of Watts that can be that have been sitting in stored for power usage. This may the lost and found box be a bit of a fantasy at present, for ages. Also have a but already Columbia recycling bin available 7. Check to see if the light University and Drexel for glass, paper and bulbs around the boathouse are University in the United plastic (including energy-efficient. Theyll save States have done water bottles!). lots on the power bill and help 9. Get the the research. the environment in the process. edge over your And the last person to leave competition by the boathouse is responsible biking or jogging to for turning the switch off. the boathouse. If youre heading to an early morning practice youll feel much more alive and awake when you get there. Car8. If washing pooling is also a good rowing-wear is done alternative if driving at the boathouse, is a necessity. hang everything out to dry in the sun and reduce the use of the power-consuming clothes dryer. Sunlight is good at killing germs and clothes smell fresh.

WORLD ROWING AND WWF PARTNERS FOR CLEAN WATER

World Rowing and WWF International are Strategic Partners, helping to promote environmentally-sustainable practices at our events and in day-to-day rowing activities. We aim to raise awareness of the need to manage and use clean, fresh water in a sustainable manner. For more information, please refer to www.worldrowing.com -> Environment and www.panda.org to locate and support your country`s local WWF office.
Melissa S. Bray

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Igor Meijer

Zofka

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2011 Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

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FISA is the governing body of the sport of rowing and the oldest international sports federation in the Olympic movement. Based in Lausanne, the Olympic capital, FISA has 136member federations worldwide, organises World Championships, Olympic Regattas and World Cups and promotes all forms of rowing. The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily the opinions of the FISA Council. Reprints permitted with acknowledgement of source. Publisher FISA communications manager Dbora Meier-Feutren World rowing Journalist Melissa S. Bray communications assistant Laura Fell contributors Tine Jacobsen, Gearoid Towey Fisa Maison du Sport International Avenue de Rhodanie 54 1007 Lausanne Switzerland Tel: +41 21 617 8373 Fax: +41 21 617 8375 info@fisa.org

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