The windows looking out onto the soccer field in Charlety Stadium in Paris Saturday were covered by condensation. But that had nothing to do with the soccer practice taking place in the rain that poured down on the French Capital all weekend.
The window fog was being created by the 1,200 athletes of all ages that were pounding away at the rowing machines in the warm up areas and the inside competition floor where the 2017 European Rowing Indoor Championship were taking place.
For just over nine hours, athletes grouped in all age and skill levels, from junior though elite and para rowing categories, took their turns hauling chain on Concept II rowing machines for a chance to have some fun, challenge themselves and - of course – a shot at the medals and flowers awarded to the first, second and third place winners in every event.
"It was a very nice day," said Juliette Duchemin, director of development projects for Aviron France. "We had 27 nations and 1,200 athletes, so it was difficult to organize and run. But we can see that all of the athletes were happy and in good condition.
"It was a challenge, but we had help. So, it was good," she said.
Being that it is a post-Olympic year, recognizable names outside of the local rowing organizations that came were limited to just a few. But it is France, and one name that was easy to find was that of 2016 French Olympic champion Jeremy Azou, who lined up against a few other international elites including Italy's Pietro Ruta and Martino Goretti.
It was easy to figure out where Azou was rowing, surrounded as he was by still and broadcast cameras. And under the glare, he lived up to expectations, if not quite his own.
"This is not the time I wanted for this morning," he said. "I wanted to break the six-minute mark, but I went 6:03:0 instead." Azou said he took "just a little" time off after winning gold in the lightweight men's double in Rio. He said he plans to take each day and each season one at a time, but he does have a desire to race in the 2020 Games.
"I would like to go to Tokyo in 2020," he said. "But I just focused on today for now, and I will take each season as they come and see if I can go to Tokyo. I don't want too project too far. I want to train each day and we'll see what I can do."
Among the elite open men, Danish single sculler Sverri Nielsen did break six minutes, also just barely shy of his goal.
"It was quite good," Nielsen said. "I was hoping to go 5:47.00, but I went 5.47.09. So, that was alright. It's my first time at the European Indoor Championships."
Nielsen has his sights set on 2020, after missing qualifying for Rio at the Final Olympic Qualification Regatta in Lucerne, Switzerland last spring where he finished fourth.
"For this year, I have a lot of training," he said. "It's early in the year and I'm just working on the basic form right now, just trying to get strong and work hard and then go out on the water and work hard on efficiency.
"I did the Danish nationals last week; I was a bit slower, but it was easier. I'm hoping to row in the world championships in Sarasota this year. Hopefully, we'll see."
Complete results can be found here.
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