Saturday, April 21, 2012

NK (Dutch Champs) on the Bosbaan

I'm here at the NK (Dutch National Championships) held at the Bosbaan in Amsterdam watching this huge event. I can't help but make a little comparison to the USA.
So at this regatta, you have all the clubs, and their loyal supporters and the club's heritage that brings a certain code of honour to the sport of rowing felt at the regatta. Then you also have the student clubs which would be somewhat equivalent to the universities of the U.S. You have novices and juniors, aspiring to be in the Senior A, all at one regatta, racing. It brings the whole family together. So there is a continuation from one part of your rowing, (junior, to university to senior) to another. Whereas it would seem like a very disjointed system where universities especially function like a closed entity. And in most cases, the dominent entity. NSR regattas are also distant, kind-of poorly attended, meaning in spectators, although wildly written about under pseudo-names (what kind of support it that)? I know rowing seems to have no status in the U.S being in the shadows of Football, Baseball, Basketball, so the experience of rowing in Europe is fantastic where suddenly your sport is revered and somewhat even recognized. (Tired of hearing the question, where do you put your fishing pole in that boat?!)
Bikes and Buoys
Last 500m
Bosbaan
Boats and Cafe
and here come the bike supporters following every stroke of the race, cheering athletes on
Clubs Together

2 comments:

  1. Nice post, Ursula!
    Maybe USROWING could promote a post IRA regatta that would mimic this formula (?)
    We all need to get to work on this...

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  2. Did you take those pictures? They are amazing!

    ReplyDelete