FRVS shines at the season opener

Berlin – season opener

In bright sunshine and pleasant temperatures, the traditional outrigger race 'Rund um Scharfenberg' took place last Saturday on Tegeler See. For the mixed team of the Frankfurt Rowing and Canoe Club Sachsenhausen (FRVS) it was the first competition of the 2026 season – and an immediate success: with a time of just under 1:30 hours, the team secured not only 1st place in the mixed classification but also 3rd place overall!

A strong start after intensive winter training

After hard and focused winter training, the FRVS team used the race as a first benchmark. The preparation paid off: technique training, endurance and team harmony bore fruit. 'Over the winter we worked especially on our paddling technique and synchronisation. Today you could see that it paid off,' said Lars, one of the team captains in the boat.

The race: 19 km, 3 laps and a thrilling fight for the top

The race was held over 19 kilometres on a circuit with three demanding laps. At the start were 13 boats from all over Germany, including 9 mixed teams, 1 women's crew and 3 men's crews. The FRVS team, made up of Gaby, Florian, Lars, André, Christiane and Stefan, delivered a strong performance from the outset. With a powerful start phase the team quickly settled into the leading group.

In the first lap there were hard battles for position, with numerous sprints around the islands, but the team kept its nerve. By the end of the first lap the FRVS team had established itself in 3rd place and held it to the finish after almost 19 km at the end of lap three. Despite pressure from two fast men's crews, the FRVS managed to prevail as the best mixed team.

Team performance and harmony as the key to success

The harmonious cooperation in the boat was particularly highlighted. 'It comes down to 6 paddlers: paddling together in sync is the key to success. Today that worked perfectly,' said André. The good mood and the cohesion in the team were palpable – and contributed significantly to the success.

Thanks and outlook: optimistic for the coming competitions

After the race the joy was great. 'A great start to the season! We are proud of this performance and look forward to the next competitions,' said Gaby.

With this successful start, the FRVS team looks optimistically to the coming regattas. 'Now we know where we stand. And we also know: we can get even more out of it!' was the team's unanimous conclusion.

'Stronger together – successful together!'

Your FRVS outrigger team