EuroGames 2004 Rowing Regatta - a celebration!

The sun shone brilliantly on Friday and Saturday, 30 - 31 Jul for a flawless EuroGames 2004 rowing regatta. Held at the world-renowned Munich Oberschleissheim, site of the the 2001 FISA World Championships, the competition included 70 rowers from Norge, Danmark, Nederlands, France, Great Britain, Suisse, Australia, USA, and Deutschland. Crews had the chance to train on Friday afternoon before competing on Saturday afternoon. Fifty boats launched for 14 races between 1500h and 1900h, Saturday, 31 Jul, on smooth as glass water.

The most exciting races were the Mens 8+ with Danmark, Great Britain, and Holland all racing for the first place finish, and the Womens 2x with the crews from Holland and Danmark fighting for the gold. In true rowing tradition, the winning boats from each race proceeded directly to the award dock where the rowers disembarked and stood on the same 1-2-3 blue winners’ boxes used at the FISA World Championships.

After an exhausting day of multiple races, with some rowers competing in several races (Orion’s oarsmen were amazing in that regard), everyone gathered for Lowenbrau beer and chat at the finish line. Hip Hip Hoorah to the regatta organizer, Frank Tjaben, and his regatta volunteer team who arranged the boats, set the race schedule, and orchestrated each race from start to finish. That evening, those crews who were not completely spent gathered for the Munich City Launch.