Satisfactory outcome of the World Championships for the German Eight: after the Coxless Four had celebrated an emotional victory in the B final on Saturday, the German flagship boat was also back on track and now has reason to be optimistic with regard to upcoming races: the team won the B finals ahead of China and Italy on Sunday 25 September in Račice/Czech Republic after having missed the A finals on the previous Friday. Almost all members of the German Eight are new on board this season, and participating in the World Championships gave them an opportunity, following the European Championships in Munich in August, to once again collect important racing experience in a top international competition.

In Račice, the German rowers were supported by a big community that consisted not only of fans, family and friends but also of Wilo representatives from Dortmund (Richard Schmidt, Marco Stapelmann, Julia Liebetanz), Wilo CS (Jan Matějovský) and Evi Hoch of the Wilo-Foundation.

The traditional Wilo family get-together, which is always organised on the day of the finals for athletes, their families and the supporting team, took place in Prague’s oldest private rowing club, VK Slavia, on the banks of the Vltava River in the historic centre of the city. Guests celebrated the victory in the B finals with drinks and food in perfect late summer weather, with a view of river.

Jan Cidlinský (Managing Director) and Jan Matějovský (Sales & Marketing Manager) of Wilo CS, who had established the contact with the VK Slavia rowing club and helped to organise the event, were also there, as was Moritz Petri, Chairman of the German Rowing (DRV).

After some snacks and refreshments had been served, Evi Hoch welcomed the guests on behalf of the Wilo-Foundation, and Jan Cidlinský of Wilo CS thanked the athletes for the exciting races on that day. Afterwards, the host of the event, Jan Malso of the VK Slavia Prague rowing club, gave a vivid account of the history of the special venue. In a motivating speech, Richardt Schmidt, multiple world and European champion and winner of the Olympics with the German Eight, who now works as a hydrogen expert for the Wilo Group, wished the team every success for the upcoming competitions. Jonas Wiesen, coxswain of the German Eight, expressed his thanks for the good wishes and talked about the team’s ambitions for the future.

The evening ended with a family picture – accompanied by the guest’s best wishes for the team as it prepares for the 2024 Olympics in Paris.