Photo Credit: Jo Karg/ World Sculling Finals
Today, we saw a revival of the World Sculling Championships, where two behemoths of the contemporary rowing world took to the River Spree in the heart of Berlin, battling for a chance at glory.
Olli Zeidler, the reigning Olympic men’s single sculls champion, defeated Simon van Dorp, hot on his heels and – though defeated – showed that overturning Zeidler for the gold medal in Lucerne earlier this year was not a fluke. Earlier this week, Fraser Innes gave a glimpse into the storied history of the World Sculling Finals (1863-1957), where oarsmen from around the world competed for the coveted “champion” title.
Compared to the likes of Henley, the Boat Race, and the Olympic course, today’s World Sculling Championship is both a revival of tradition and a taste of what rowing might look like in the next few years. What is so special about this race, and what does it mean for the future of our sport?
To help answer these questions, I invited both competitors into a conversation about tradition, camaraderie, and why this event is something that even the non-rower should be excited about.
On history’s doorstep
The 2,300m course begins upstream of the Rathaus Bridge in the city centre, winding past eight bridges and notable sights such as Berlin Cathedral, and finishing against the backdrop of the Reichstag Building, the seat of the German parliament and one of Berlin’s most famous landmarks.
Zeidler, rowing on home soil, describes how meaningful it is to hold the event here. “It’s a city full of historical significance, and to bring this epic rowing duel here feels monumental”, he said.
Van Dorp echoed this, adding, “Berlin is a great city with lots of history and I do really like the city. I think having it in the city centre of any major city in Europe is absolutely an honour.”
In this setting, rowing tradition intertwines with the history of Germany itself, strengthening the event’s appeal to the non-rowing community.
Several JRN writers, including James Lamboll, John Wojtkiewicz, and Sam Sheppard, have already discussed the potential for new racing formats and what they can bring to the sport. An event like this could be the answer.
“The unique format and the stunning setting create an atmosphere that’s both traditional and exciting. This kind of event highlights the sport’s competitive and thrilling aspects, which can definitely improve its visibility and appeal,” Zeidler says.
The excitement of rowing combined with rich history is a way to bring new audiences to the sport. Van Dorp likens it to “a Boat Race but done with two people.”
Staying rooted in the modern age
I was especially interested in how these two made sense of this relationship between tradition and spectacle within rowing, especially as athletes of the highest calibre.
For Zeidler: “This event taps into the tradition of historic duels, reminiscent of the World Sculling Championship, but presents it in a modern way with broadcasting, prizes, and hopefully next year, a vote for the course length. The challenge here is to maintain the integrity of these traditions while making the sport accessible and exciting to new audiences. Adjustments like changing the race distance to accommodate circumstances, as we’ve done for this race, show that rowing can be both flexible, embedded in an event environment, and deeply rooted in its history.”
But what exactly is rowing’s tradition? In recent years, the sport has worked to dismantle its stereotype of exclusivity and increase access to those wanting to get involved, so the question of what rowing tradition means can be complicated.
Van Dorp has a particularly poignant answer. He said: “I think it is great to have that feel of at least some of the core things that make rowing what it is. And I think one of those things is it’s a sport that’s supposed to be tough.”
He brings up cycling as a good example.“In theory, there’s not much happening. There’s about four or five hours where they’re trying to get to the finish line, but you can’t see the whole race, you can only see them come by,” he said. “You can see it on TV, of course, but it’s a massive sport and I think that’s because it’s such a tough sport.”
“It’s clear that it’s tough and that broadcasts well, and at the same time there’s all of the personalities in cycling that people like to follow. So to me, that’s the biggest part – keeping the toughness. I mean obviously paddling around is great too, but if you’re racing, what I like to see is two people fighting it out and it not being easy for either of them.”
Here, he also touches on the deeply personal nature of the single sculls. Van Dorp, who raced in the Dutch eight at the Tokyo Olympic Games, only moved to the single scull in 2023.
“When I used to race the German eight or the British eight, it was always an entity. It wasn’t like you were racing these people, and now you’re racing people. You’re not racing nationalities anymore,” he says.
Of his German competitor, he writes that “having that personal relationship only strengthens that feeling of racing a person.” While Zeidler and van Dorp are fierce competitors on the water, Zeidler describes the “deep respect” between them.
He said: “Having friendships with fellow athletes, especially at this level, adds a layer of respect to the competition. We push each other to our limits, but we also understand the sacrifices and hard work involved, which creates a special atmosphere around the race itself.”
Perhaps this event signals the coming tide of how rowing is adapting to the modern world. With newer distances and bigger spectacle, our sport has the potential to transform into something new and exciting. Together, with Zeidler and van Dorp as two of the greatest athletes of our time, this event drives headfirst toward positive change while staying true to what makes rowing special: toughness, tradition, and respect for what it takes to be great.
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