We hope to see everyone at the Bosbaan this year to cheer on the rowers.
For those unable to attend in person, we have arranged a live stream available on YouTube. You can watch every race here!
Starting this year, the Koninklijke Holland Beker is serving an entirely vegetarian menu. A wide range of lunch products is sold in which there is a choice between various sandwiches. In these sandwiches, local products from the local grower are used and a vegan option is also available. The famous Skoll burgers will include vegetarian patty’s this year.
There is also a commitment to sustainability. Local produce will be used and waste will be eliminated. A cup coin system will also be used to prevent excessive use of plastic and to keep the grounds tidy. These cup tokens can be obtained at the token sale counter.
See you this weekend!
This weekend it’s possible to rent a bike at the event. For 1 coin you can rent a bike for 2 hours, for 4 coins you can have it for the full day!
Important note: it’s prohibited to ride your bike at the area around the docks and the finish area!
See you this weekend and happy biking!
Just 2 days left until the Bosbaan becomes the scene of international rowing spectacle again! According to the current forecast, it will be a very sunny weekend with temperatures around 30 degrees Celsius. If you do come and visit us at the ‘Costa del Bosbaan’ this weekend, don’t forget to bring a water bottle (easy to refill with tap water), sunscreen and a hat! If you unfortunately can’t visit us at the Regatta this year, you can follow the races via the livestream which we will make available online.
Can’t wait until the racing kicks off? Us neither! Find out below who we believe are the ones to watch this year!
Ladies Trophy
Almost doubling the number of entries compared to last year, this year the Ladies Trophy has a record number of 23 entries. We have to go back to 2013 and 2014 to find more than 16 entries in this event (both years there were 21 entries). Amongst the 23 athletes are some of the best rowers of the world, including (former) world champions and Olympians, so we’re expecting some spectacular racing this weekend!
Unfortunately, last year’s winner Ria Thompson (AUS) is not here to defend her title. However, one who is back to win is the single sculls Olympic champion: Emma Twigg (NZL). She already won the Holland Beker back in 2016 and 2019 (WRC III Rotterdam) and claimed the 2014 world title on the Bosbaan as well! Twigg has not raced internationally yet this season, but she is without a doubt one of the favourites for this weekend.
The Dutch National Team has not really raced at Dutch regattas for quite some time, so we are honoured and beyond happy to have a large part of the Dutch rowing team racing at the Holland Beker this weekend. We are sure that Roos de Jong and Martine Veldhuis will be strong contenders to claim the Trophy. Veldhuis is back in her beloved single after an outing in the W4x at the European Championships. With her efficient rowing and her skills, she is on our list for the A-final. De Jong has to race without her partner in crime (and our ambassador) Laila Youssifou, but we are sure that she is more than up to the task.
Another athlete worth to keep an eye on is Mathilda Hodgkins-Byrne (GBR). A talented rower from the British team who gave birth 11 months ago but is already (successfully) back to racing. With that spirit, we believe she will definitely be one to reckon with! Cara Grzeskowiak (AUS) won the Championship 1x at Women’s Henley last Sunday, and will compete against Hodgkins-Byrne at the prestigious Henley Royal Regatta next week. The Ladies Trophy races will be the perfect opportunity for both to feel the waters and see where they are at. Whilst they are at it, they might even snatch the Trophy. Ida Görtz Jacobsen (DEN) is an experienced rower who we believe might be the ‘outsider’ to watch!
Strong competition is to be expected from some U23 athletes. For example, Mazarine Guilbert (BEL) is having a fantastic season so far and is determined to prove to the Belgian coach that she deserves a spot in the team for the World Championships. She might come in short of the overall victory given the names mentioned above, however, with her determination she might make it far!
Last but not least, we want to mention three athletes travelling from far. First, Olympian Alejandra Alonso Alderete (PAR). Second, the youngest contender in the Ladies Trophy: Nicole Martinez Gonzales (PAR). Third, Chloe Ahixsa Callorda Bordacosta (URU) who participated in the U23 World Championships last year. We expect all of them to have to row a very strong race to compete with the rest of the women in this field.
Battle of the mighty lighties
A thing that stood out to us when going through the entries of both the Ladies Trophy and the Holland Beker, is the high amount of (former) lightweights who have entered these events. Perhaps the nearing of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and the subsequent demise of lightweight rowing are encouraging these athletes to show their guns and see where they stand in the open weight field. One thing that we know for sure is to never underestimate the efficiency and power these athletes bring to the water.
For the Ladies Trophy we are keeping our eyes on above-mentioned Veldhuis (NED), Eva Hofoff (GER). and national team spares Elizabeth Martin (USA) and Georgia Miansarow (AUS). In the Holland Beker it’s Hamish Harding Damien George Schroder and Blaine Heseltine (all AUS) who are battling it out against inter alia Lennart van Lierop. Fun fact: van Lierop started out as a lightweight rower and switched back and forth between weighing in and starting in the open weight category until just a couple of years ago. Maybe these Aussies will pull a ‘Lennart Surprise” and beat him and the other top favourites on Sunday.
Holland Beker
Unfortunately, last year’s Holland Beker winner (Callum Dixon, GBR) is not coming to tropical Amsterdam to defend his title. However, with 22 entries, the field is packed with some of the best single scullers in the world. Whilst for the Ladies Trophy we believe the fight will be between a good mix of national and international athletes, we expect that the Holland Beker will go to a Dutchman.
Our number one favourite is Lennart van Lierop (NED). He surprised the entire rowing world with victory at the European Championships a couple of weeks ago. We are for sure expecting some magic from van Lierop this weekend as well. However, fellow Dutchman Simon van Dorp is taking over Lennart’s place in the single sculls for the World Championships. Van Dorp has some big shoes to fill, but racing against van Lierop, and the other talented athletes in this event, will be a good test run. We definitely see him as a contender for the podium.
Two other Dutch National Team rowers who are our favourites to claim the Holland Beker are Melvin Twellaar and Stef Broenink. Used to racing together in the 2x, this weekend they will compete against each other. Both have showed excellent results in the single at World Championships, with Twellaar claiming the silver medal at the 2022 edition and Broenink rowing a strong A-final in 2019. As to which one of this iconic duo will outperform the other, we do not are make any predictions. What we do know is that both of them have a high chance of walking away with the Holland Beker in the end.
Moreover, you should not rule out Dutch comeback kid of this weekend: Tone Wieten. He was part of the golden Dutch 4x that dominated the 2020 Olympics. He has recently proclaimed to give it a final shot after missing out on last season due to a back injury. Although he might not be the top-favourite, we for sure expect him to show his determination and skill on the Bosbaan this weekend. This could reward him with a podium finish!
With the clash of the titans mentioned above, you would almost forget the other talented rowers coming from all over the world to participate. Don’t worry, that’s why we mention them here! First, as mentioned above, we expect the Aussie lightweights to do very well. Next, we want to welcome back Privel Hinkati (BEN). He rowed to the 3rd place in last year’s C-final and we are sure that he hopes to improve that score this year! Third, we are curious what the younger contenders can bring on water. There is a good mix of ex-junior and U23 World Championship participants that could very well challenge the established names above.
New timetable online on Tuesday
Entries for the Koninklijke Holland Beker are closed. A new (temporary) timetable can be found here. We will keep you updated about the schedule and draw so you can finalize your weekend planning.
You can win prizes again this year. For the Holland Beker and Ladies Trophy event at the Koninklijke Holland Beker (both men and women) the prize money* is as follows:
* The prize money will only be awarded if at least three contestants from the Tokyo Olympics compete in the specific event
The merch is back and the webshop is open! Get your orders in now so it will be on time before the event.
The webshop is filled with baselayers, unisuits and warm-up jacket!
At the event site we will have a stand with the merchandise so you can try on your favourite item in the correct size.
This year at the Saturday of the Holland Beker the decisive races of the Development Classification will take place and the crews topping their classification event will be awarded a prize at the end of the day. So, what is this Development Classification exactly, and which events are a must-watch on Saturday afternoon?
The Development Classification is a special event for crews made up of intermediate level athletes*. The final classification is made up over 6 regattas during the Dutch 2k-season (April-July). At each development event during a regatta a crew can score points based on the result they achieve in the race. There are seven categories (M4-, LM4-, W4-, M2x, LM2x, and LW2x) in which the different crews can compete. Points are awarded to the crews based on their result at the regatta. The crew which comes first is awarded 10 points, the second crew 8 points, etc., until the 9th crew who gets the final 1 point. In the end, the crew with the highest total score, wins the overall classification**. The interim standings of the Development Classification can be found here.
As mentioned above, the Holland Beker is the final regatta for this classification and we expect some tight and fierce races. Keen to watch these events at the Holland Beker? Look out for the ‘Dev’ category in the events listed on time-team.com! For example: the event Ddev4- is the event for the Development W4-, and LHDev2x is the event for the Development LM2x. Cannot wait? We have got you covered with a preview of what to expect below.
Preview M4- (Hdev4-)
In this event it is the crew from Orca 1 which has a solid lead of six points over the crew from Skadi. With Orca 1 having won 4/6 races, and Skadi just one, it seems that Orca 1 has the best chances to take home the big prize after the Holland Beker and is certain to walk away with a top-3 finish! However, the gap to that top step of the podium can still be bridged… Maybe more exciting in this event is the fight for the final podium spot with just 1 point separating the crews Njord 1 and Triton. Triton will have to go all out in order to make up for an expensive 0 point result last weekend, but can still bump Njord off that third podium spot. With the top-three of each category being awarded a prize during the prize ceremony on Saturday afternoon, this is definitely still worth the fight!
Preview W4- (Ddev4-)
Just two weeks ago it was an ex aeqo between the crews of Orca 1 and Laga. Both crews have won multiple races and came in second (or third) in the other races. With 3/6 wins for Orca 1 it is this crew from Utrecht that is currently in first place overall. However, Laga will for sure be keen on getting back at that top spot and getting their bowball in front of the ‘ Utrechters’ at the Holland Beker. If they do, it might be a complete ex aeqo. Normally, the crew with most race wins will then be appointed as the overall winner, but if Laga wins, both crews will have won 3/6 races! We are definitely excited for this one! As it stands, Phocas has the best chance of grabbing that final and third podium spot, but do not rule out the crew from Groningen, Gyas, just yet!
Preview LM4- (LHdev4-)
In this event, technically, all top-four crews could walk away with the big prize after the Holland Beker. However, it is the crews from Theta and Laga that have the best chances of actually doing so. Where two weeks ago it looked like Laga was the best contender, tables have turned and it is Theta leading the overall classification. However, with both crews on 2/6 wins, the Holland Beker for sure will be the decisive race. The third place is currently in hands of Triton, but the boys from Skøll can still claim their spot if they put down a solid race just like last weekend during the Northwave Regatta.
Preview LW2x
This is the only event where the first spot has already been firmly decided. Only if this crew scores 0 points at the Holland Beker, and if Aegir wins the regatta can Triton still lose out on the overall win. However, having won every race so far, we expect this crew to row to victory one more time and take the big prize back home to Utrecht. Aegir has a 7 point lead over the Skøll 1 crew, which makes Aegir the best contender for that second place. The girls from Skøll 1 will have to give it their all, in order to keep the third place. As it stands, the crew Asopos de Vliet 1 is only 2 points behind them. Based on past results, these two crews seem tightly matched, with Skøll 1 having the slight advantage of outperforming the girls from Leiden 3/5 races.
Preview W2x
This event is definitely the closest fight with only 1 point separating the top-2! With the combined crew from Okeanos/Skøll having won 2 races, we are not ruling them out from taking over the overall win on the Holland Beker Saturday afternoon. The third place is currently in hands of the crew from Saurus. This crew won the first race of the season, but has since struggled to find their pace. However, they find themselves solidly positioned in that third spot and could still take the second place! Definitely an underdog we will keep our eyes on.
Preview LM2x
With 4/6 race wins, the crew from Laga is (almost) certain to claim that big prize at the end of Saturday afternoon. Things will have to go topsy-turvy for Laga in order for the crew Argo 1 to bridge the seven-point gap to first place overall. Argo 1 also has to watch out for Okeanos 2. This latter crew being only 4 points behind can still take over second place overall. The crews from Triton and Nereus are currently tied at 24 points for that fourth place, and will have to row the race of their lives (much like Lennart van Lierop becoming the European Champion in the skiff) in order to claim a podium spot!
Preview M2x
In this event the current top three could be scrambled after the race on Saturday afternoon, and even the Skøll crew in fourth place could find themselves on the podium. The first place is currently in hands of Proteus-Eretes 1, but runner-up Njord is only three points behind. Following closely, just 2 points behind Njord, is the crew Laga 1. The crew from Triton, who won the first race of the season, will have to settle for a spot outside of the podium. Again, everything is still possible and the Holland Beker race will decide which crews end up on the podium and which spot they will take!
*Typically, rowers in the Development event are second- and third-year student-athletes. However, this is not necessarily the case. Crews competing in the development events have to meet the intermediate rower level criteria, so technically, also fourth- or fifth-year athletes can join these events, provided that they have few prestation points that determine their rowing level, or if they form a crew with athletes so that the total of prestation points of a crew does not exceed 10 points (for 4- events) or 5 points (for 2x events).
*Note that the worst result of each crew is deducted from the total of points scored.
We are looking forward of welcoming you all at the 2023 edition of the Koninklijke Holland Beker. When you are going to visit the Bosbaan this June, please take attention to the following:
Because of different events in the “Amsterdamse Bos” on June 24 and June 25, we kindly ask you to take a different route to the Bosbaan. From Highway A2, take exit 9, “Amsterdam-Buitenveldert”, and take a left onto S109, “Europaboulevard”. Take a right onto “Van Nijenrodeweg” at the Shell gas station. Drive straight for 3 kilometres and find free parking available on your right.
In parallel with the Koninklijke Holland Beker, a field hockey tournament will take place at the nearby Wagener Stadium. This will cause significant traffic congestion at the intersection of the “Amstelveenseweg” and “Van Nijenrodeweg” and the start of the “Bosbaanweg”. When planning your visit to the Koninklijke Holland Beker, we kindly ask you to try to avoid arriving by car in the following time windows:
There are plenty of bike rental shops located throughout the city of Amsterdam. It is also possible to rent a bike at the train station “Amsterdam Zuid” for €4,45 per day. You can check the availability here. Cycling time from the station is around 9 minutes, and bikes can be parked next to the main entrance.
The nearest bus stop from the Bosbaan is Amsterdamse Bos and can be reached from two nearby stations:
From metrostation “Amstelveenseweg”:
Bus 347 to “Uithoorn Busstation”.
Bus 357 to “Aalsmeer Busstation”.
From trainstation “Amsterdam Zuid”:
Bus 348 to “Uithoorn Busstation”.
Bus 358 to “Kudelstaart Bilderdammerweg”.
Bus 247 to “Uithoorn Watsonweg” (only on Monday-Friday).
For up-to-date information on public transport in Amsterdam, check out 9292.nl
Designated parking for boat trailers is available along the “Koenenkade”. It is NOT permitted to park boat trailers in the area around the boat sheds and changing rooms.
We are in full swing of preparing the Koninklijke Holland Beker 2023! But, it’s always good to have a little recap of the previous edition. How fast did your favourite crew go? Where did your own squad place again?
You can find the full results on time team.
See you in June!
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