Our rowers will start the season with a strong accent. On 29 March they will compete in the Head of the River Race on Thames
“The history of the competition goes back to 1926.” – says Paweł Rańda, coach of the Wrocław University of Technology team – “At the beginning, only 21 eights took part in the event but from the 1970s, over 400 teams started appearing at the competition, so the organizers set a limit of participants. Each application is verified and accepted or not.”
The regattas are organized on the Thames river, on a distance of 4,25 miles (6,8 km). The eights start one by one with a 10 second interval. Last year, the best team travelled the distance in 18 minutes.
“Our rowers are physically well prepared for the season, although we haven’t started training on water yet. “ – says Rańda. He adds that when the students come back from the inter-semester break, they will start practicing in boats straight away. “We plan to start practicing on the Odra river at the beginning of March.”
The team that will go to London will be composed of: Adrian Bryk (coxswain), Paweł Buryn, Maciej Jasiński, Jakub Łanda, Sebastian Łanda, Wojciech Łopuszko, Paweł Penno, Krzysztof Rokita, and Adrian Wiktorek. Our team in the same composition won the bronze medal at the last year’s Junior Polish Championships in Poznań.
Our rowers have already competed in London. In September 2014, they participated in the Great River Race – a water marathon (34 km distance) on pilot-gig boats. They took fourth and eleven place.
The rowing section at Wrocław University of Technology has 30 members, including girls. “All new members are welcome.” – encourages the coach – “Soon, we will open our marina close to the University campus and I hope it will be teeming with life.”
ISZ
Translation: Dariusz Więcławski
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