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Almost all Damen divisions were represented in a rowing team that recently won its first event. After just over two months of training, the team competed in the Van Oord Nautilus Companies Regatta 2023 and won the novice class. What’s more, their fastest time was faster than that of the winners of the experienced class. “It was a fun experience and like the rest of the team I hope we can participate again next year and then not just with the fastest boat, but preferably with two boats,” says coxswain Ricarda Lang, Operational Analyst at Damen Naval.
Coxswain Ricarda Lang receivers her winner's medal.
It all started with an idea to bring Damen colleagues living in Rotterdam closer together. “When we heard there was a Rotterdam rowing competition, organised by dredging company Van Oord, we knew we had found the perfect way,” says Timo Kreule of R&D. The very next day, with the help of Young Damen, I sent out an e-mail to find enough interested parties. I got responses from all corners of the organisation, and a week later we had our first of nine training sessions. Damen Shiprepair offered to sponsor our rowing suits.”
The enthusiastic rowers managed to get enough other people excited about taking part in an 8+ rowing boat, with eight rowers and a coxswain. Besides Damen Naval, almost all of Damen’s divisions were represented. The team included colleagues from Shiprepair, Yachting, Services, Supply Chain, Civil & Modular Construction, R&D, and Industrial Participation. One of them is Bob Bouhof of Damen Services: “I already row in a Kommeraan [a sloop rowing boat], but when I was offered the opportunity to row in a rowing boat like at the Olympics, I grabbed the opportunity with both hands.”
The full team consisted of:
Ricarda Lang (Damen Naval)
Ruben van de Ven (Shiprepair)
Sergio Zonligt (Shiprepair)
Ionut-Cornel Duduta (Yachting)
Stella Bighignoli (Yachting)
Frank Leeuwenburgh (Services)
Bob Bouhof (Services)
Levi Wilming (Supply Chain)
Willemijn van Zandwijk (Civil & Modular Construction)
Timo Kreule (R&D)
Stian Sterken (Industrial Participation)
The weather conditions deteriorated in the second half of the day, making the team slightly slower in the second heat.
The team started with training on rowing machines to learn the technique, then transitioned to 4+ rowing boats (with four rowers and a coxswain). “The final step was with everyone in the 8+,” says Stian Sterken. “Every Monday night for nine weeks, eight of us met and with the help of a coach and a coxswain, we began to learn to use the legs first, then the back and finish with the arms. We learned to move as a unit.”
By the time race day arrived, the team members had gotten to know each other and learned to row as a group. The weather conditions were tough, but the team had made a race plan. Ricarda: “The first heat was over 1 km, which we did in 00:04:12 and where we showed that as Damen we can not only build boats, but also power them with the fastest team overall.” In the afternoon, the team rowed the second heat in 00:04:23 in heavy weather conditions. They were again fastest and won the novice 8+ category with their combined times.
Stian summarised on behalf of all, “I have never felt the family feeling and team spirit with other colleagues like this. Coming together with a team with no experience in a rowing boat, racing against other companies in treacherous weather and crossing the finish line first after nine practice sessions felt incredible!”
For the winning team, the medals and champagne were well deserved.