November in the Netherlands. The leaves are falling. The sky gets greyer every day. And all the canals, rivers, and ditches are filled with fours. It’s time for the Novembervieren (also known as the Nov444). A race on the beautiful Amstel River of, as you might guess, 4.44 kilometres. This race is known as an important decision-making moment. Some rowers may choose to end their rowing career with this race, focusing mainly on a fun day. However, for many participants, a lot is at stake. Will they secure a spot in the A-boat for the coming season? And who puts the best potential Varsity coxed four on the water? This is a race where not only the winners can win, and winning a trophy doesn’t necessarily mean going home feeling good. Here are our predictions.
HE4+
The Men’s Elite 4+ field is, as in previous years, not heavily populated. However, it remains the most exciting field of the day. The first team that stands out is De Hoop/Nereus. This group don’t lack in strength. All four rowers have rowed recently at university clubs and have several elite wins. They’re coxed by Sara Kalf, who recently claimed an Amstelbeker victory and is undoubtedly familiar with the bends of the Amstel. This team will do everything to challenge the students. Additionally, Skøll has entered two boats, both with very accomplished rowers. Skøll Van Lierop includes three Olympians (who earned a gold and silver medal at the Paris Olympic Games) and is complemented by a rower and coxswain who have also competed in multiple international championships. The other Skøll boat also has significant international experience and, like De Hoop, benefits from the home advantage. Then, there is Theta and Triton, two more boats filled with Olympic and international experience. While Theta has a lot of new talent in the boat (with two rowers from the recent FISU World University Championships for the Netherlands), Triton has three rowers who have won the Varsity in the past two years. Over the last few years, Triton has shown that they can put very competitive quads on the water and will definitely aim for the win.
Notably, ASR Nereus is absent from this field. This might be due to their (often secretive) preparations for the Varsity in April. Nevertheless, it will be an absolute spectacle, where Triton and Skøll will likely battle it out for the win. These two clubs have increasingly been at the top of Dutch rowing in recent years.
HE4*
The Elite 4* field is also thinly populated, with only three entries. It’s disappointing now that the rules make it easy to enter with a relatively experienced boat in the advanced field, this is frequently taken advantage of. Unfortunately, this trend has been visible in Dutch rowing for several years. Notably, there are many (former) lightweight rowers in this field. All three boats seem to be combinations of rowers who have competed in both lightweight and heavyweight categories. Again, there’s a boat from De Hoop with rowers who graduated a bit longer ago. Then there’s a Njord/Weert/Skøll combination. This team has a combined total of 72 wins (one belongs to the coxswain), making them the second most decorated team of the day. However, I expect them to have a tough time against Skøll. Led by two-time Olympian and silver medallist Jan van der Bij and supported by young, talented rowers with international experience, they will make it very difficult for the other teams to take the win.
HG4+
As quiet as the Elite field was, the Advanced field is busy, with no less than 25 entries. The results in this field will vary widely. Some rowers had their first competitive year last year, but also rowers with quite a bit of experience. First, Njord Griep. This team includes several experienced rowers who have competed in various strong fields over the past years. The Nereus boat, filled with three juniors, also seems well-positioned to take the win. Additionally, Skøll Nijhof appears to have strong credentials. Lastly, Triton Kerr with several rowers who performed well in the development category last year. This field could go – like the Amstel – in many directions, so it will be interesting to see who comes out on top.
HG4*
It seems that many clubs are fielding their experienced rowers here. The entries are notable, and the level here will likely be higher than in the HG4+ field. Let’s start with a local club that hasn’t been mentioned much in previous fields; Okeanos. The Okeanos team has several rowers with U23 experience. They seem eager to show what they’re made of in this field. Also worth watching is Proteus-Eretes Hazelaar, with three rowers who managed a third place in last year’s Varsity. They’re coached by none other than the girlfriend of their bow rower, which will indeed serve as motivation. Then there’s Triton, a boat filled with former juniors who have performed well in recent years. They’ll likely recognize many rowers from the Nereus boats, as both are filled with successful juniors. I expect a tight contest in this field. One to keep an eye on this coming Sunday.
LHG4+
Despite the decreasing number of lightweight rowers in the Netherlands, this field still has 10 entries. As with the HG4+ field, there’s a significant skill gap. Two clubs, Triton and Skøll, each have two boats in the water, and I expect the battle for victory to be between these two. Skøll Amorison has quite a bit of experience in the boat, complemented by a talented rower from their first-year eight from last year. However, they will face a tough challenge from Triton Gompel. All rowers in this quad have competed in multiple international races, and two of them have been part of the national top for years. The other clubs will have to put in significant effort to beat this team.
LHG4*
Lightweight rowing is doing well in Utrecht, as Orca and Triton both field an experienced four in this category. However, the best entry seems to be the combination team from Phocas/Proteus-Eretes/Laga. With the experienced Lagaaier Mees Halkes in stroke, I would almost dare to say this team is a sure bet for victory. These rowers have rowed and won together before. However, seeing who secures second place should guarantee us a close race.
LHB4*
Finally, the LHB4*-field is often used as a transition from sweep rowing to sculling. This is evident when looking at the entries. Nearly all teams consist of former first-year rowers, except Vidar, who competed in the Development coxless four field last year. Interestingly, they are coxed by Julia Groenveld from De Hoop, a coxswain who has logged many kilometres on the Amstel recently and will surely know the fastest route in this race. However, experience isn’t everything. Phocas teams have been performing well for some time, and the other teams might also pull off some surprises.
It’s a complete program this Sunday on the Amstel, and everyone will do their utmost to show their best side. With a wide range of experience and talent, this race will set the tone for the seasoned rowers in the coming year. Best of luck to all rowers and coxswains competing this weekend!
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