Author: Harry Otse

SportUp Boost Amsterdam is an national initiative located in Amsterdam to bring startups in the realm of sports or health to life. It consists of a three-month program that offers vital guidance and promotes networking opportunities to help entrepreneurs kick-start their ideas within the specific sport and health sector. With over 12 reviewed applications, four startups have participated in this 3-month program. The entrepreneurs were informed, evaluated, and engaged in various themes with the aim of further validating and testing their health or sport businesses.

During the closure event, the entrepreneurs will share their improved business ideas with the audience and convey their passion. The event also offers a great opportunity to make new connections and get inspired with other entrepreneurs and experts. During the network moment there is more time to get more info from these start-ups.

Want to know more or sign up directly? Please read this article on the AISS website.

The prestigious Koninklijke Holland Beker has an intriguing history of locations that highlights its evolution over the years. Initially held on the Amstel River in Amsterdam when it was founded in 1886, the regatta soon outgrew its early venue due to its growing popularity and competitive stature.

In 1920, the event found a new home at the Bosbaan, also in Amsterdam. This move marked a significant upgrade, as the Bosbaan, opened in 1937, is one of the world’s oldest artificial rowing courses, specifically designed for high-level rowing competitions. This venue provided better infrastructure and more spectator capacity, elevating the event’s status.

The Second World War brought interruptions, but post-war expansions in 1949 further enhanced the Bosbaan, solidifying its reputation as a premier rowing venue. Today, the Bosbaan remains the permanent home of the Holland Beker, known for its fast waters and excellent facilities that meet international standards.

The Bosbaan’s continual improvements and its prime location in Amsterdam have made the Holland Beker a magnet for top rowing talent worldwide. Especially this year, the Holland Beker serves as perfect preparation for rowers aiming to compete in the upcoming FISU World University Championships at the Willem-Alexander Baan in Rotterdam and the prestigious Henley Royal Regatta in England.

We are eager to see what the Bosbaan has to offer to its rowers and look forward to welcoming you to one of the most beautiful rowing courses in Europe.

Alongside the esteemed Koninklijke-Holland Beker event, we’re excited to organise a special knowledge session: “Rowing in the near future” as official side-event, located directly at the shore of de Bosbaan at the first of June. AISS has partnered up with the Koninklijke-Holland Beker for creating the perfect atmosphere and a great spot for networking and meeting new people. We will have three sessions of approximately half an hour about three highly relevant topics inside the sports or rowing.

Want to know more or sign up directly? Please read this article on the AISS website.

It’s time to get warmed up for the 2024 edition of our great event. The after movie of the sunny 2023 regatta visible below:

 

We are still buzzing since the 2023 edition of the Koninklijke Holland Beker. We are looking forward to the 2024 edition on the 1st and 2nd of June! We’ll keep you posted and are looking forward to hosting all of you next summer!

The men’s final certainly had us on the edge of our seats! My oh my, this certainly was a battle of titans with the reigning European Champion, vice world and olympic champions, world record holder on the erg and an olympic champion at the start, this will go down in history as one of the best Holland Beker finals ever.

Everyone was away fast. However, amidst the clash of the Dutch Titans Australian sculler Heseltine found himself off the blocks first. Top-favourite van Lierop found himself already half a boat length behind at 250m. However, he was the fastest of the Dutch scullers in the first 500m. He did not get much space from the others though. Broenink and Twellaar who race together in the Dutch men’s double sculles rowed almost synchronically together and kept the pressure on van Lierop and Heseltine. They followed the European champion across the 500m line within one second.

After this mark, the race started to change. Broenink placed an impressive attack and started to row away. He built the gap stroke by stroke and Wieten had to let go of the pack. He found himself in sixth place for the remainder of the race. Despite that, we hope he can look back on this weekend feeling proud of what he has achieved in this short amount of time back!

Meanwhile, as the scullers were nearing the 1000m mark, it was Twellaar who seemed to have found his rhythm and started to work his way back through the field. Unfortunately, van Lierop was clearly suffering under the fast pace the others were setting and had to give up costly places to Twellaar and van Dorp. Twellaar crossed the halfway mark in third and van Dorp in fourth place. Leading them were Aussie Heseltine in second place and Broenink in first place.

Having rowed together for such a long time, Broenink and Twellaar know each other through and through. This allowed Twellaar to place a well-timed attack around the 1150m mark. Stef could not fight him off and Twellaar quickly rowed past him. With 500m to go, Twellaar had a half a length lead over Broenink. Broenink tried to fight back, but the first half of the race had consumed too much energy from the vice-world champion. In the meantime van Heseltine cracked and this allowed van Dorp to take over third place. Van Lierop picked himself up and started to regain pace. The cyclists along the course yelled him past Heseltine and helped him gain even more courage for the final 500m.

The final 500m of this race was a true apotheosis of this weekend, and we could not have wished for more. Sadly, Broenink got overwhelmed by the speed he put in in the first part of the race, and slowly but surely fell back more and more. It was van Dorp who rowed past him first, and took over the second place. In the final sprint van Lierop also overtook Broenink and rowed to the final podium spot. Van Dorp who will race at the world championships in the single sculls was thrilled with his performance, demonstrated by a loud roar and him throwing his hands in the air after crossing the finish line. Van Lierop was clearly devastated with a third place after the brilliant race in Bled just a couple of weeks ago. However, the way that he managed to get back from fifth place onto the podium is more than commendable and clearly shows his strong determination and will to win.

Twellaar showed true brilliance and dominated the final 500m. He crossed the finish line clearly very emotional. In an interview with the NOS shortly after the finish, he explained that this was a special win to him. He expressed gratitude for his grandparents who got him to take the leap to go row in Amsterdam. Having just received bad news about the health of his grandmother on Saturday, winning this race was an extra special moment for him and his family. Melvin, we are sure you made her more than proud! Congratulations on winning the 129th Holland Beker!

Under a scorching hot sun in 31 degrees Celsius it was ladies first when it came to the afternoon finals at the Bosbaan on Sunday. Let’s take a look at the race, which is certainly one that we will remember for years to come.  

Lights out and away they went! It was Martine Veldhuis (NED) who pulled away fast with a quick and highly efficient start. She knew that in order to compete with the rest of the field later in the race she had to be away first and so she did!  Top-favourites Emma Twigg (AUS) and Roos de Jong (NED) followed closely behind, with German rower Juliane Faralisch alongside them. Although not fastest out of the start, it was Twigg who attacked at 200m to take over the lead. She came across the first 500m in a fast time of 1:49.80.  De Jong trailed closely behind and the gap at 500m was just 0.44 seconds. German sculler Faralisch crossed the 500m line in third place. But the battle for the Trophy seemed to go between de Jong and Twigg.

It was around 750m that Twigg really started to pull away from de Jong, who could not respond to this attack and had to give in half a boat length. Towards the 1000m Twigg could build this gap and de Jong lost contact. It was still Faralisch who put up a very brave first 1000m and managed to hold on to that third place. However, behind her, Hodgkins-Byrne (GBR), who did not have a very fast start, was catching up and started to row through the rest of the field to fourth at the 1000m. 

Unfortunately, the Belgian U23 rower Mazarine Guilbert could not keep up with the high speed from the start on and trailed in sixth place. She did manage to keep a very consistent pace throughout the race, but will just have to find a little bit more speed in that middle part to be able to really compete with the big league. We do hope she has convinced the Belgian head coach to give her a spot in the Belgian team for the World Championships! 

Meanwhile, de Jong did not let Twigg extend her gap and even placed a clear and decisive attack around the 1250m mark. However, Twigg could (seemingly) easily fight off the attack and soon after managed to extend her lead. Behind the fight in the front there was another thrilling race going on for that third podium spot. Hodgkins-Byrne was getting up to steam in that second 1000m and also managed to row past Faralisch to take over third place by the time they reached the 1500m mark. 

 

In the last final 500m it seemed that defending the attack from the Jong earlier in the race did cost Twigg some costly energy and de Jong gave another push. She managed to close the gap a little bit with a very powerful final sprint. However, with 250m to go only a boat-stopping crab could keep Twigg from victory. Despite exhaustion she showed powerful and long strokes in her final sprint and smoothly rowed to the finish line. She crossed the line in a whopping 7:27.15  and claimed the ladies trophy for the third time in her career!

De Jong had to settle for second place (this time). However, she came out of the boat smiling broadly, clearly very happy with her race and the final result. Hodgkins-Byrne crossed the line third, almost ten seconds behind de Jong and twelve behind Twigg, but wow what a race from her! Best of luck in Henley next weekend, we are sure that this race will have instilled some confidence! Faralisch unfortunately could not keep up quite the same pace in the second half of the race, but she did manage to finish fourth, just in front of Veldhuis who pulled off a really hard final sprint to see whether she could close the gap. A brave row from both girls. As mentioned above, Guilbert came in last, but certainly not least. 

What an edition of the Ladies Trophy this was. Thank you to all participating athletes for your brave performances and spectacular racing.  We hope to welcome you back next year! 

For the Ladies Trophy this afternoon, it looks like we are getting a tight battle between Roos de Jong (NED) and Emma Twigg (AUS) with the times in the semis just 0.10 apart! They will be accompanied by Mazarine Guilbert (BEL), Mathilda Hodgkins-Byrne (GBR), Juliana Faralisch (GER) and Martine Veldhuis (NED). There is some serious prize money to divide between the top three spots and the athletes are strongly matched. The A-final is at 16:15 today! Don’t miss it!

In the Holland Beker all the Dutch National team rowers qualified for the A-final. Van Lierop had to battle Broenink all the way to the finish to claim the first spot. The difference at the line was 0.19 seconds so we also expect some super close finishes in the A-final. It looks like Broenink and Twellaar were able to conserve some energy in the last 500m. This will definitely help them out later today. The only non-Dutchie joining these titans in the A-final is Aussie Blaine Heseltine. You can see how the battle unfolds at 16:30!

If you come to the Bosbaan, we want to inform you that it is scorching hot today. Therefore, don’t forget water, sunscreen and a hat!

Get your merch at the Koninklijke Holland Beker now! Check out our stand right next to the VIP tent in the finish area.

For competive people, the fastest man and women over 100 meter on the ergo win a free T-Shirt!

Each year, the top six of the Freshmen classification gets an invite to row a direct A-final at the Holland Beker. Whereas no points for the classification nor for so-called ‘status’ can be awarded by winning this race, for most crews getting the invite is an honour and goal to achieve in their first year of racing competitively. As the commentators pointed out, there is a ‘Holland Beker Curse’, meaning: whoever is on top of the classification does not win at the Holland Beker. This year, the curse was broken. Many crews topping the general classification fulfilled their ‘duty’ and also won today. The only exception was the LMFm8+ event where it was surprisingly the crew from Skøll who won by a boatlength! This crew has had some strong performances this season, but the 2k-win over the strong crews from Nereus, Laga Gyas and Skadi was quite unexpected! Well-done!

Results Fm races
LW4* Gyas
W4+ Euros
M4+ Pelargos

LM8+ Skøll
W8+ Nereus
M8+ Nereus