ARGENTINA: ROWING - Double sculls rowers are looking to turn the tables in the rowing world and take back Olympic gold after 60 years

Record ID: 330768

  • Title: ARGENTINA: ROWING - Double sculls rowers are looking to turn the tables in the rowing world and take back Olympic gold after 60 years
  • Date: 30th May 2012
  • Summary: BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA (MARCH 29, 2012) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF ARGENTINE OLYMPIC ROWERS, CRISTIAN ROSSO AND ARIEL SUAREZ, CARRYING A ROWING SHELL ON THEIR SHOULDERS VARIOUS OF THE ROWERS GETTING INTO THE SHELL VARIOUS OF ROSSO AND SUAREZ PRACTISING (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ARGENTINE OLYMPIC ROWER, ARIEL SUAREZ, SAYING: "Our goal is to physically get there, and finish better than we did in the world cup. That's what we've been doing and to be able to take that step which we've been fighting for the last two years and get to an 'A' final. In New Zealand [2010 World Rowing Championships] we made it to the doorstep, but could not get in. In Bled [Slovenia, 2011 World Rowing Championships] we were at the doorstep and could not get in. So, this is our goal, to open this door to get into the 'A' final. And how precious to do it at the Olympic Games." ROWING TEAM ROWING IN SHELL VARIOUS OF ROWERS GETTING INTO SHELL (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) SUAREZ, SAYING: "We did one world cup in Switzerland which was the first time we did the 2000 meters and weren't sure and the truth is, our performance was pretty good. Even though our position was in the 'C' final, the performance was pretty good and so we said, 'this could work out really well.'" VARIOUS OF ROSSO AND SUAREZ WARMING UP ROWING COACH GIVING INSTRUCTIONS VARIOUS OF ROWERS GETTING INTO A SHELL (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) SUAREZ, SAYING: "The prospect is, first of all to do better than we did last year. It is always good to get a little better in something because the competition is tight, so the things you can better are very small, they're details, so it's not easy. So you have to be happy if you're able to improve a bit. We got a lot better from 2010 to 2011. That made us very happy. It gave us a lot of motivation and now we know it is going to be a lot more difficult still because the competition is better so we are going to try to move up a few positions." VARIOUS OF THE PAIR ROWING COACH GIVING INSTRUCTIONS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) SUAREZ, SAYING: "There are basically two groups. One group that includes New Zealand, Australia, France and Germany, who are a bit ahead of everyone else, there are four or five countries that we are still a bit behind. After that there is a group of five or six more boats including Slovenia, Estonia, Norway, us, Canada, Lithuania where every country is very very closely paired. So between this group of six boats, we want to try and be at the front, the first ones just below the toughest competitors." VARIOUS OF THE PAIR ROWING COACH GOING TO THE PIER AT THE END OF PRACTICE ROWERS ARRIVING TO PIER AT END OF PRACTICE
  • Embargoed: 14th June 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Argentina
  • Country: Argentina
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA5TRPL0YBQZHLBYV002973VFYP
  • Story Text: Argentina's double sculls men are looking to take it to the world's traditional top rowing teams at the Olympic Games this summer in London.
    Cristian Rosso and Ariel Suarez, who began rowing as single scullers, say they have stepped up their training since taking gold at the Pan-American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico last year.
    The South American pair's big goal is to keep evolving after qualifying for the July 27 to August 12 London Games at a regatta in Slovenia but they are aware that despite their improvements there are teams of a much higher standard.
    Suarez told Reuters the pair was focused on inching up in the world ranks after placing 9th overall with a third place finish in the 'B' final in Slovenia.
    "Our goal is to physically get there, and finish better than we did in the world cup. That's what we've been doing and to be able to take that step which we've been fighting for the last two years and get to an 'A' final. In New Zealand [2010 World Rowing Championships] we made it to the doorstep, but could not get in. In Bled [Slovenia, 2011 World Rowing Championships] we were at the doorstep and could not get in. So, this is our goal, to open this door to get into the 'A' final. And how precious to do it at the Olympic Games," Suarez said.
    The pair's rise has come about in recent months. Their debut together was at a World Cup regatta in Switzerland in 2010 and that year they also took part in the world championships in New Zealand finishing in the top 10 in their category and just outside the final.
    "We did one world cup in Switzerland which was the first time we did the 2000 meters and weren't sure and the truth is, our performance was pretty good. Even though our position was in the 'C' final, the performance was pretty good and so we said, 'this could work out really well,'" Suarez added.
    Suarez said he and Rosso are focused on fixing the minor details that they say can make all the difference in closely fought competitions like the upcoming Olympics that can be won or lost by split seconds.
    "The prospect is, first of all to do better than we did last year. It is always good to get a little better in something because the competition is tight, so the things you can better are very small, they're details, so it's not easy. So you have to be happy if you're able to improve a bit. We got a lot better from 2010 to 2011. That made us very happy. It gave us a lot of motivation and now we know it is going to be a lot more difficult still because the competition is better so we are going to try to move up a few positions," said Suarez.
    Rowing in Latin America has lagged behind Europe, North America and Australia as a result of limited state support, but signs of improvement in Argentina, including state of the art facility outside Buenos Aires, have encouraged Suarez and Rosso to give the traditional powerhouses a run for their money.
    "There are basically two groups. One group that includes New Zealand, Australia, France and Germany, who are a bit ahead of everyone else, there are four or five countries that we are still a bit behind. After that there is a group of five or six more boats including Slovenia, Estonia, Norway, us, Canada, Lithuania where every country is very very closely paired. So between this group of six boats, we want to try and be at the front, the first ones just below the toughest competitors," Suarez added.
    Argentina and Uruguay are the only two Latin American countries with Olympic success.
    Argentina have won four, including gold in the men's double sculls in 1952 which Suarez and Rosso hope to retake 60 years later.
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