The Ergohead, an open indoor rowing championships in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, celebrated its 20th edition last month. The event is renowned as the place to beat the world record 6km time, but this year’s edition had a slightly different focus.
For the first time, the Ergohead was held at the Friendship Sports Centre, located in the north of the city. The Friendship Sports Centre provides facilities for disabled people to practice sport. Inspired by this message, the Ergohead relocated and decided to raise money to benefit the Centre.
As a part of the fundraiser, Olympians, juniors and elite rowers sat side-by-side to race a ten minute relay. Four teams of four rowers each gathered in the first row of ergs and as the DJ blasted music, the race got underway. The composite team, including Dutch Olympian Roel Braas, started the fastest. No one could match Braas’s blistering 1:13 per 500m split. After 30-45 seconds, the rowers leapt off, to be replaced by one of their fresh teammates. Ten minutes of music, cheers from the crowd and exhaustion for the athletes later, the composite team was declared the winner, rowing 3342 metres.