World Rowing Champion Gmelin: "I'd rather be chased by more than one competitor"

Almost like home: Zurich's Jeannine Gmelin feels at home at Rotsee. (Image: Alexandra Wey / Keystone (Lucerne, July 11, 2018))

This was a special photo last weekend in London. Jeannine Gmelin posed with the winner's trophy, which is not surprising – after all, since she won her fifth place at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, she won all the competitions at which she participated.

More surprising, though, was his fashionable outfit. Gmelin wore a hat and a summer dress whose skirt was to reach his knees. This is the dress code of the Henley Royal Regatta, as prestigious as the Wimbledon Tennis Tournament. "It's a bustle.", Raconte Gmelin

"At Rotsee, I feel at home"

The young 28-year-old Zuricher was first invited to the traditional event and immediately won the Princess Royal Challenge Cup. "I wanted to create a new charm and get out of my way," says Gmelin, who gave up the Henley Royal Regatta at the Swiss championships on the Rotsee. The conditions were difficult: the current of the Thames, the swell of motor boats, the distance 112 meters longer, the spectators at two meters beside you and the duels at 1: 1 in the co. -System – it was different from all that I have lived up to here.At all, a good lesson. "And the one with a good end, would add. After the victories of the World Cup in Belgrade and Linz, Gmelin won the third success of the season in the English capital.

On Friday, the next strong point is already on the agenda. In Lucerne, the third and last regatta of the World Cup will take place again. On the other hand, the basic conditions could hardly be more contradictory compared to London. "It's blatant, yes, but these are circumstances that I know a lot better.I feel at home on the Rotsee, I know every corner." The single Uster maneuver arrives at Lucerne for the fourteenth time in his career and for the fifth time in World Cup competition at Skiff "I did not want to work here for the first three years, so I can not say it," said Gmelin in the rankings 15 (2014), 9 (2015) and 7 (2016).

Last year, however, she has one of her finest victories, as she says today, Gmelin first won a World Cup event at the Rotsee in Skiff, Lucerne was the perfect return for her, culminating in winning the 2017 FIFA World Cup ™ title in Florida – for the first time, a Swiss woman won the World Cup gold in an Olympic boat class.In addition, the athlete in love with nat ure also enjoys the ambiance of Rotsee. "The Pilatus, the cows – that's typical Switzerland. And I like to be Swiss.

Gmelin does not want computational games

In Lucerne, Jeannine Gmelin can now mark the highlight by winning the World Cup for the first time. A fourth place would already ensure him the only prize of the trophy. Only defending champion Magdalena Lobnig of Austria can become dangerous here. However, Gmelin does not want to involve himself in the big games of chance: "I want to win in Lucerne and make everything clear." 23 athletes are registered, with the exception of the second Victoria Thornley World Cup ( GBR). "Everyone is going to chase me away," says Gmelin, not hiding that she took a liking to her role as a favorite.

As for the Henley Royal Regatta in London, where athletes face off in 1-1 duels, Gmelin notes, "I prefer to be pursued by more than one rival." Today, if at 11:25, the heats in the female skiff will start again at Rotsee.