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celiamdupre

Countdown to the WORLD ROWING CHAMPIONSHIPS, 2023


The World Championships are in Belgrade, Serbia from the 3rd to the 10th of September 2023:

Monday: HEAT 12:57

Tuesday: REPS → TBD

Thursday: SEMI-FINAL 12:55 or 13:05

Saturday: A-FINAL: 15:10



And just like that, the season is coming to an end. We are 3 days out to the first race at the World Rowing Championships and for some reason, it doesn't feel like it quite yet. It's possible that it's because I am currently sitting in the airplane, and we haven't seen the racecourse or the rest of the nation's training, but I can't seem to realize what's about to go down. These are my second Senior World championships, and this time more is on the line. This time, the Olympic dream is in reach. This is the chance we get, to qualify a boat for Switzerland. This year, as previous years, I am in the quad with 3 other lovely women.


Lisa Löetscher (two seat) and I have been in quite a few boats together in previous years, including last year's quad, the 2021 U23 Quad as well as the 2020 U23 quad, and in 2018 as juniors in the quad together. She brings a very kind and happy energy to the crew, as well as a very representative Swiss Team fashion style. Pascale Walker (three seat), I had the honor to compete with last year in the quad. She brings a lot of racing experience to the boat and power. Fabienne Schweizer (bow) is a crew member I have not had the opportunity to row with as much but is one of the toughest and most persistent athletes I have ever met.


With 13 boats entered at the world championships, the top 7 will qualify the boat (not the athletes) for the Paris Olympic Games next year. There is one other chance to qualify later next year at the last chance regatta but as the name states it is the last chance and where dreams go to die and careers end.



Belgrade is somewhat of a new racecourse for me to an extent, I say this because last year's first World Cup and my first ever World Cup was also in Belgrade and I had the awful experience, of what we can only assume was Salmonella from the hotel's fish. I had never felt so sick in my entire life and was unable to race the final. I have blocked out the memory of that time because it was so hard for me. I remember sitting in the bus after not sleeping all night, with a potential fever on the way and not being able to move but still wanting to race, fueled by the adrenaline of the final of a world cup when in reality my actions was selfish for the team. Thankfully, a teammate was able to convince me that this was not the best option for anyone in the long term. Lisa, our replacement at the time, was already on the water training in the single when she heard the news that she would be rowing in the boat. I am very grateful that my team was so supportive, and I can assure you that I went to the pharmacy before leaving this time and I have everything I need to prevent this from happening again.


My team and I are more than excited to race with passion this next week and to try and grab that chance of our Olympic dream right in front of us. I am sitting here writing this and can not believe this is actually happening. I remember thinking about the Olympics as I watched the World Championships in 2019, which was the last Olympic qualification year, while being just junior rowing on the Tokyo 2020 racecourse as the test race a year out.


I will make sure to keep you updated on how our team does as well as any other news about this next rowing season!




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