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	Podcast:		RowingChat
	Episode:		Belgium Rowing Federation - Gwenda Stevens
	Category:		Sports & Recreation
	Duration:		00:11:04
	Publish Date:		2024-07-25 22:00:03
	Description:		Gwenda Stevens is the President of the Belgium Federation. We discuss masters rowing in Belgium, the clubs regattas and the new Masters National Championship event. Timestamps 00:45 Gwenda has been president for 12 years and she's also an umpire and masters rower. 02:30 Master rowing in Belgium isn't a big sport. There are 28 rowing clubs in the country - only a few have masters. Gent has hosted regattas regularly in April and May for many years. There has been a lack of entries recently. Until 2 years ago when changes happened. 04:45 The Federation added masters rowing to the national championships three years ago. They worked hard to ensure that there were enough entries. IN September 2023 there were a huge growth with 9 eights racing masters. The April regatta will now have a small boats champs (1x and 2-) and in September for big boats (4x, 4- and 8 as well as a mixed 8). 06:40 There is now a Belgian National Title on offer and Gwenda believes this has accelerated the change and growth in competitors. The standard is high. Gwenda thinks the changes weren't big but had a large impact. She hopes to have a separate masters championships. 08:50 New innovations - they are waiting to see how the event evolves and may have a masters only event with international participants as well from local countries.
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