Photo credit: Filippi
As humans, we are pre-disposed to remember the first time that something occurs. Life is littered with sequences where the opening gambit has a profound effect on how that pattern evolves. Through literature and the development of the romantic canon, we have come to smile fondly on the first. Without a debut, change is not part of our agenda.
In sport, the initial time something happens is even more significant. Records broken, barriers breached, mountains, both proverbial and physical, climbed for the very first time. There is a beauty in being a part of that and, when it comes to the Olympics, the storied history of the world’s most famous sporting games makes room for novelty on a frequent basis.
In 2024, it is Italy and Denmark whose women have found themselves in this most unique of situations. Both nations have qualified eights into the Olympic Rowing Regatta for the very first time in Filippi shells, a statement of intent for generations to come. “I feel very privileged,” acknowledged Nikoline Laidlaw, stroke of the Danish women’s eight. “I have been a part of the senior team since 2019 and finally achieving what I have worked for all these years feels incredible.”
For the Danish, the women’s eight project only started in earnest in November 2023. “The idea came from our success in the eight in 2022 at the second World Rowing Cup and then the Head of the Charles in 2023,” explained Nikoline. “In November, a group of 14 + girls were invited into the project and by March 2024 we finally set our eight. What’s special about our project is we weren’t a priority boat for the national team, so we did not receive funding, and our project only became possible because an anonymous sponsor stepped forward.“
That fresh focus and removal of the pressure that often accompanies the fastest crews in the world galvanised the Danish, something Nikoline was acutely aware of. “It’s an incredibly young boat, and the cumulative inexperience of racing at the senior level may have given us an advantage as we were consistently seen as underdogs by our competitors,” she said. “Being an underdog removes pressure and really gave me the belief that anything could be possible.”
For the Italian crew, and particularly Aisha Rocek, who sits at four, this was a crew longer in the making. “The project for our eight started in 2022 at the Europeans in Munich,” she said. “At that time, we did not know what it meant to race in the eight because Italy doesn’t have any culture in the eight. We started to believe in this project last year when we finished sixth at the world championships, just 2.5 seconds away from Olympic qualification. I would also say that we saw our project come to life when we won the World Rowing Cup in Italy this year, beating the Great Britain eight. We could not believe we were ahead of such a good team.”
The Olympics supersedes all else in rowing – the four years prior (or three in this slightly unusual Olympiad) all lead up to the start line of that prestigious Regatta. “We can’t wait to race against all the eights that have qualified and see our level compared to teams overseas that we did not compete against,” said Aisha. “Experiencing the Olympic atmosphere surrounded by athletes from other sports will be special.“
“Writing another piece of history with my eight teammates is something I’ll always be proud of,” added Nikoline. “For me personally, I feel validated in my choice to move to Denmark in 2019, instead of Scotland, as I believed there was a path towards the Olympics through the Danish system.
For Filippi, it is an honour and a privilege to support boats that are literally writing history with their every stroke. “Filippi has always been incredibly supportive and we knew if we ever needed something either at WCI or FOQR then Filippi would be there. The service that Filippi provides us is phenomenal” said Nikoline.
Aisha added: “I love racing in Filippi boats – they are very comfortable to row in. In addition, Filippi is known to be the most widely-used brand by many teams around the world for its speed, performance, and responsiveness in the water. I would also add that it is a source of pride to use the Filippi brand, as an Italian.”
With just a few weeks to go until Paris, both crews are now busy preparing for the ride of a lifetime. The impact this will have on scores of young rowers across Italy and Denmark will be profound, which is undoubtedly one of the single biggest bonuses about an Olympic Games. “I believe one of the most significant feelings is achieving a dream that we couldn’t imagine when we started rowing as juniors,” explained Aisha. “Another feeling is inspiring the younger generation, especially girls who aspire to compete at the Olympics one day. They will understand that qualifying and racing in an eight is not impossible.”
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