An Orange Army of Volunteers Keeps the Staatsloterij World Rowing Championships on Course
Wherever you look along the rowing course, bright orange dominates the scene. This is not only thanks to the elite Dutch rowers and their supporters, but above all due to the hundreds of volunteers populating the grounds. As many as 600 volunteers, coordinated by the EventMakers platform, ensure that the world championship runs like clockwork.
The Person Behind the Elite Athlete
Irene Morel and Mieke Rekkers (a member of RV Rijnland) are just sitting down for lunch after an intensive six-hour morning shift. Thanks to their language skills, they staff the information desk in the athletes’ village, where competitors from 64 different countries come together.
“It’s a fantastic event with an incredible atmosphere,” Rekkers shares enthusiastically. “Here, you truly get to see the person behind the elite athlete.” One of the highlights of their morning was the Chinese delegation’s warm-up: a sun salutation performed like a perfectly synchronized, choreographed dance. Taking a video, however, was out of the question. “No, there are strict rules for that. As volunteers, we aren’t allowed to,” Morel laughs.
Huge Turnout
The willingness to help during the tournament proved overwhelming. Tournament director Nico Rienks emphasizes the value of the effort along the water:
“For this World Championship, we need about 500 volunteers, and we received around a thousand applications. That is fantastic and says a lot about how alive the sport of rowing is in the Netherlands.”
Thanks to the massive dedication of this ‘orange brigade,’ the tournament is running smoothly for both the international field of competitors and the spectators.
