Stand-out indoor rowing performances continue

Olympic Champion in the men’s single sculls, Olaf Tufte, raced at the Norwegian Indoor Rowing Championships and recorded a speedy 5:46.9 for the 2,000m distance. Also competing at the Norwegian championships was Sweden’s Frida Svensson. Svensson, who is the 2010 World Champion in the women’s single sculls, finished in a time of 6:48.4.

Across in France at the French Indoor Rowing Open nearly 1,500 competitors raced including a good turnout of junior and university student athletes. But it was the adaptive rowers that impressed. Perle Bouge is the world silver medallist for 2011 in the TA mixed double sculls. She covered the 1,000m distance in 3:54.1 to set the standard for her class. Meanwhile her doubles partner, Stephane Tardieu, pulled a personal best with a time of 3:36.3. French national team members from the LTA mixed coxed four, Remy Taranto and Corinne Simon set personal bests with Taranto going 2:57.5 and Simon finishing in 3:54.6.

The Canadian Indoor Rowing Championships attracted over 1,000 competitors and was especially well-represented in the masters age groups. Five athletes qualified for a free trip to the CRASH-Bs by going faster than the standard set for their category. Anne Bourlioux not only qualified for CRASH-Bs, but also set a World Record for her age group in the process. In the heavyweight 50 – 54 year old age group Boulioux set the record in a time of 7:05.9. Bouliox is 51 years old.

A new record in the 65 – 69 lightweight women’s category was set recently by Denmark’s Ingrid Petersen. Completed at the Open Sealand Championships, Petersen broke her own record by going 7:56.7 for the 2,000m distance.

World Records are also chronicled in a variety of distances and a new record for the 5km distance was set in the UK. Great Britain national team member Anna Watkins, 28, completed a 5km erg test as part of her national team testing and finished with a World Record time. She completed the 5km in a time of 16:56.4 giving her the record for the 19-29 women’s heavyweight category. This means her average split for 500m was an amazing 1:41.6. Watkins is the reigning World Champion in the women’s double sculls and is currently working towards the Olympic Games.

For World Records check out: www.concept2.com