Crafting a new teamboat is inherently challenging. Merging two exceptional athletes doesn’t guarantee excellence on the water. Surprisingly, even pairing two lesser athletes can yield a crew capable of achieving remarkable feats.

After spending four years partnered with Artuur Peters, who qualified for the olympics in K1 1000m, this year I found myself tasked with forming a new crew. Alongside our dynamic U23 team, we embarked on numerous training sessions, experimenting with various crew configurations. Following rigorous testing in Seville, it became evident that I would join forces with Rafael Bastiaens. Our main goal for this season will be maximizing our performance at the Olympic qualification regatta in Szeged, which take place the 8th of may. There will be just one remaining ticket to secure a spot at the Olympics.

After the conformation of the forming of our new crew, we embarked on an intensive training camp in Le Temple sur Lot, France, priming ourselves for the upcoming international season. The primary focus of the camp was to enhance our lactic capacity and to improve the crew connection during our race pace.
In the gym, we emphasized maximum power and explosivity training, resulting in personal bests for me. Unfortunately, towards the end of the camp, I encountered a minor wrist injury, halting my progress in setting new personal records.

Currently, I’m consumed by an intense sense of curiosity. Our training sessions reveal a boat that performs admirably even when fatigue sets in. However, it’s disheartening that our inaugural race will likely be the season’s pivotal moment. We confront our most formidable challenge with limited experience.
Like Seneca said: “ It is a rough road that leads to the heights of greatness.”

Bram Sikkens