80 per cent of Austria’s full-time rowers are in the army where they receive support

is the sport for you.”

Anna Berger made it to the A-final of the women's single sculls at 2013 World Rowing Under 23 Championships in Linz-Ottensheim, Austria. ©Detlev Seyb/MyRowingPhoto.com

For those who have already chosen rowing as their path in sporting life, what support systems are in place? According to Lambing, 80 per cent of Austria’s full-time rowers are in the army where they receive support but their ambition aims to grow the number of full-time rowers is up against a challenge with the system too. “There are only about 120 sports specific army places,” Lambing explains, “and over half of them go to winter sports. We hope that with the better results achieved by our rowers, the more places we will have available to us.” The rest of the squad’s athletes are students and their education is strongly encouraged by the federation. Lambing recalls how his former coach, Thor Nilsen once told him, “I do not coach anyone who isn’t doing something educational on the side.”

 http://www.worldrowing.com/news/success-breeds-success-for-an-austrian-rowing-renaissance