ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΑ ΤΣΙΑΒΟΥ ΑΘΛΗΤΡΙΑ ΤΟΥ ΜΗΝΑ μέρος 2ο

ATHLETE OF THE MONTH Alexandra Tsiavou (July 2010) Experience what is going on inside an elite athlete’s mind Nationality: Greece (GRE) Boat Class:  LW1x, LW2x Key Results:  World Rowing Championships - 1 gold   European Rowing Championships - 3 golds   World Rowing U23 Championships - 2 golds   Click here to view Tsiavou's detailed results

The rowing club of Igoumenitsa in Greece has a famous member: Alexandra Tsiavou is the 2009 Best Athlete for Greece. In that year she became a World Champion in the lightweight women’s double sculls and won the European Rowing Championships in the same class. This was on the back of making the 2008 Olympic final in the double and becoming the Under-23 Champion in the lightweight single for the second time the previous year. Tsiavou is good, very good, and her rowing career is only just beginning. World Rowing profiles Tsiavou as the 2010 season gets under way and finds out where the 24-year-old is heading.   PART II 26 July 2010 World Rowing: You have just raced at the third Rowing World Cup in Lucerne. Was it an important race for you this season?Alexandra Tsiavou: Well, that regatta was a very important forming stage of preparation for the top goals of European Championship and World Rowing Championships as well. WR: Racing in the lightweight single, how well do you know your competition? – Do you have a fair idea of their strengths and weaknesses in racing?AT: I am pretty well experienced in lightweight single so, yes, I do have a fair idea. However I am a kind of “cautious” about the strengths and weaknesses of my opponents. WR: Describe the race in the final against Marie-Louise Draeger (Tsiavou finished second)?AT: Undoubtedly, it was a challenging race, although it wasn’t my greatest moment. WR:  Once racing had finished did you stay in Lucerne, or leave straight away?AT: Lucerne is picturesque and one of my favourite places, so I stayed one more day to enjoy it with dear friends from Greece. WR: How do you like racing finals on the Saturday evening?AT: If it was in my hands I would never choose finals on the Saturday evening because it’s very tiring. On the other hand racing finals lack their importance as so few can possibly watch them especially when the media are absent. WR: Did you take time off after Lucerne? AT: I kept practicing in my home town so I was back in the boat the day after. WR: What is the next regatta for you?AT: Well, the next regatta for me is the European Championships in September. WR: Has training changed for you since Lucerne?AT: Until now nothing has changed, as the training programme continues to be the same. WR: Where are you now?AT: At the present I am training in Kastoria, a place in West Macedonia in Greece.