Last weekend, the RVD (Rowing Club Datteln) participated in the Krefeld Rowing Regatta/ Krefeld Boys' and Girls' Regatta at Elfrather See in Krefeld, along with its competitive rowers from the U15 to U19 age groups. The regatta is affectionately known as the "Reibekuchen Regatta" within rowing circles, due to the delicious potato pancakes (Reibekuchen) traditionally offered by the regatta’s catering.
During this event, the NRW ranking for 16- and 17-year-olds (the athletes who will form the U19 squad in the following year) was also contested in the single scull. Unlike the championship format with heats, repêchages, semifinals, and finals, this event was simplified to just heats and finals. The heats were organized by state coaches to ensure that the best athletes would only face each other in the finals, not in the heats, thus avoiding early eliminations. This task was quite challenging, as many athletes don’t show their skills in the single scull during the season, and the fitness levels in the autumn season can be difficult to estimate.
The task was handled very well in the junior women's category, and the heats were typically completed cleanly with the expected best athletes finishing in the top spots (the favorites are placed in the middle lanes). Lotte Gehre did well in her heat, confidently winning her race from lane 3, and thus qualifying for the A-Final.
In the junior men’s category, due to the high number of 60 participants, the full width of the Krefeld regatta course was used, with an exceptional start across seven lanes. Aaron Greuel began his race from the outer lane and was able to move up to 4th place. Lennart Freck improved his position to 5th place, while Jannis Lammers made the best progress, finishing 3rd and qualifying for the C-Final. Jannis then won the C-Final with an outstanding time, which was well within the top ten times.
In the junior women’s A-Final, Lotte Gehre was only overtaken by the rower from Mülheim and secured 2nd place in the rankings. This was an excellent result and a great recommendation for the upcoming state championships in two weeks!
On the "regular" regatta, team races were held again. Participants included the boys and girls rowers Johanna Bromkamp, Muriel Gerards, Tom Pastoors, and Silas Wewers, the B-junior athletes (U17) Lotte Gehre, Mia Minarzik, Sophia Greuel, and Justus Lokau, as well as the A-junior athletes (U19) Aaron Greuel, Jannis Lammers, and Lennart Freck.
Notable performances included the bold races by Silas Wewers and Tom Pastoors, who together won 1st and 3rd places in the double scull, as well as securing top spots in the single scull (1st to 3rd places). Mia Minarzik and Sophia Greuel also took on their first races in the pair without coxswain. In this challenging boat class, they stayed close to the stern of the established crew from Gelsenkirchen and Wanne and demonstrated that they should be counted among the strong competitors. In their usual double scull, they also achieved a victory in LKII.
A particularly exciting moment for the Datteln club and its coaches came at the end of the regatta with what was likely the final race in this crew configuration in the "vice-royal class" of rowing, the coxless quadruple scull. The A-junior crew, consisting of Aaron Greuel, Johann Dörfl (RC Germania), Lennart Freck, and Jannis Lammers, raced with high stroke frequency and the precision of a clock, leaving the competition behind and claiming victory. A few races later, Lotte Gehre, in her bright green single scull, made a strong final push in the last meters, surging ahead to overtake her opponents and secure the win.
Comments