Hans Gruhne is one of a few scullers who didn’t move to Hamburg but still belongs to the National team. This is due to a joyous reason as in March 2019, the Olympic Champion of 2016 became a father for the first time. He therefore has commuted between Berlin and Hamburg in the first few months to support his wife. The time as a father will also have an effect on his rowing as the everyday stress level by commuting between two locations will increase. Nevertheless, the experienced strokeman has made it to a tough process in the quadruple scull. Can he defend his seat until Tokyo?
15 German scullers, 3 boat classes and only 7 seats available. The young scullers have a long and hard way ahead of them. Who will make it into which boat and fulfill his dream of the Olympic Games?
Before the selection process starts, all athletes have to do different tests. Typical for rowing is the step test, which is conducted by the performance diagnosticians several times a year .
The rowing soul is delighted, because the athletes like to rowing most with their boats on glassy water and sunny weather. But also a training camp has its rules.
Oliver Zeidler, Stephan Krüger, Tim Ole Naske – those are three contenders for the seat in the single scull. Each of them has his very own strengths. In Erba they practice head-to-head.
In the end the coaches select the rowers for the boats. The double scull could become highly competitive. Only the most successful boat of the last years causes some worries.
The ergometer test is the starting point of the selection and well known in the world of rowing: 2,000 meters – human vs. machine.
More than just a final rehearsal for the German Championship in Cologne: the single scull races in Hamburg-Allermöhe.
The German Championships are not just about the title. Already in the quarter-finals, there is a hard fight for a place among the first twelve. Not everyone achieves this goal.
Professional sport means above all renouncement. Timo Piontek, for whom last year was anything but easy, knows that too. At the World Championships in Linz everything goes well for him and the quad – until the final race.
Unlike the European Championships, several national teams per boat class can be nominated. At the World Cup II in Poznan, Hans Gruhne and Stephan Riemekasten start together in the double scull and want to show what they are capable of.
After another fourth place at the World Cup II in Poznan head coach Marcus Schwarzrock exchanged the strokeman in the quad. At the last regatta before the World Championship, Hans Gruhne takes over the command instead of Lars Hartig. Who can best withstand the pressure?
Hans Gruhne finally made his way to the stroke in the quadruple. One of his best friends was waiting for him.