European Championships Rowingbike 2011

Neeltje Jans, Zeeland, The Netherlands
September 17 and 18, 2011

Middelburg, September 2011,

The rowingbike sport is a meeting point for (top) athletes from different backgrounds. Row cycling is fun and can be tough, very tough. "Die hards" find a new extreme challenge: kick and pull your brains out while you are "flying" low over the road. Or one can also row at a very relaxed pace and enjoy the scenery on the rowingbike. On this Rowingbike Championships both racing "die hards" and more recreational rowingbikers will get their kicks.

During September 17 & 18 2011 the annual European Championships Rowingbike will take place on and near the artificial island Neeltje Jans, Zeeland, The Netherlands. Approximately 60 Row cyclists from 5 countries will participate in this event. Because of the hospitality of sponsor Roompot Holidays the previous European Championships have been a great success. No doubt this championship will prove to be another cracker.
Several top rowers like Olympic gold medallists Nico Rienks, Ronald Florijn participated in earlier rowingbike championships. This year we will be welcoming some young top rowers: Jort van Gennep (Dutch Champion Rowing /youth) and Wies Rebel.
Several European Champions Rowingbike of the last couple of years, like Menno van Blitterswijk, Martijn Mateman, Theo Homan, Derk Thijs and Beb Thijs, will be present in top form.
Spectacular and fast are the 3 rowingbike tandems (back to back) that are competing this year.

There's a racing class and a touring class. The racing class will ride 4 disciplines: a Criterion along 14 km, Sprint (200 m), one hour Time Trial and a 80 km Long Distance race. This balanced combination of sprints and distance races ensures an all-round test of the participants. The touring class will perform 2 tours: one of 60 km and a 70 km ride.

The rowingbike is a kind of recumbent bike that is propelled by a rowing movement. That means that legs, arms, back, belly and shoulders are used in propelling the bike forward. A unique feature of the rowingbike is the Snek transmission: a Continuous Variable Transmission by means of a dyneema cable on a snek (fusee) in stead of the conventional chaindriven system. Result is the rowingbike: an allround fitness device which provides high speeds and is fun to ride!

Richard Bruijn rode to the north pole circle and back in 2001 and did it again in 2005. Theo Homan, 2001 Rowingbike Champion, excelled at the 2003 and 2011 legendary Paris- Brest-Paris tour. He rowed the very challenging track of more than 1200 km in less than 57 hours. Derk Thijs completed the entire route of the 2001 Tour de France on his rowingbike. He even completed it a day faster than the pro's: in 21 days. Theo Homan amazed us 2 years ago by being seventh on the 1400 km long race Londen-Edinburgh-Londen. He covered the distance in just 3 days and 6 hours!

For more info on the event, check the website: www.rowingbike.com

Your contact person during the race weekend is Wim Thijs 06 53573077