Image Credit: TresKasen
Next weekend, the NK for small boats will take place at the Amsterdam Bosbaan. Only single sculls and coxless pairs will compete for the medals whilst all other boats will start the Hollandia Races. With more than 600 entries, it will be a hectic schedule, which will guarantee a fantastic set of races.
Recently, there have been many complaints about the limited participation of the Dutch rowing federation’s rowers at national competitions. In this post-Olympic year, they finally listened to these requests, resulting in 17 female rowers starting in their orange unisuits. Both Olympians and new talents are competing.
Benthe Boonstra
One of the Olympians who will be competing is Benthe Boonstra. After winning gold at the Paris Olympic Games, she is hungry for more. The woman from the Amsterdam rowing club Skoll, who learned to make her first strokes at the club De Laak in The Hague, will not give the victory away easily.
Margot Leeuwenburgh
After an Olympic year, the KNRB always looks for new talents for the next Olympic cycle. After the trials in January, it turned out that Margot Leeuwenburgh has a strong position in this quest, recording the fastest time in the women’s selection on two occasions. This meant that, like other ladies who have rowed successfully at this trial, she has the opportunity to train with the national team until next weekend. After a long period of absence for the Njord women at the Olympic Games, she may be able to start a new period of success.
Willemijn Mulder
Due to Laga’s grand victory at the last Varsity, Willemijn Mulder must have been living on a pink cloud for the past two weeks. This weekend, she will switch her Laga red shirt for an orange unisuit and row alone. The question is whether she has recovered enough from her hangover from the Kroegjool (a big party to celebrate the victory) to be completely fresh at the start.
Femke van de Vliet
If we have to keep an eye on one person who is not (yet) competing for the union this year, it is Femke van de Vliet. On behalf of the U. S. R. Triton, the former light lady will start in the heavy women’s field. After winning the winter races with a clear lead, she must continue this line at the Dutch championships. At the Winter Games in Delft, she won with minimal preparation, so she may be surprised.
Prediction
I think there is almost a 100% chance that only rowers in federation suits will dock on the honour roll. The only question is whether these will just be old familiar faces or fresh new talent. The open-mindedness of Mulder and Leeuwenburgh will probably work very much in their favour.
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