This week, row2k continues our 2025 spring collegiate racing preview with an interview with Brown senior Adam von Bismarck. We chat with him on committing to Brown during Covid, working through a cancer diagnosis, and more.

row2k - How did you get your start in rowing?

Adam von Bismarck - When I was 13 and had just started at high school, there was a big presentation on a lot of sports that I had never seen before. Rugby, soccer (football in the UK) and tennis, but I knew that I had absolutely no ability to catch or throw a ball. Then I saw a video of people rowing on the Thames and thought that it looked like something I might be good at. For a while, I stuck with it only because my friends were doing the same sport, but eventually, I started to truly enjoy it. During my time at my high school I was incredibly fortunate to have a number of very talented coaches who instilled in me a strong work ethic and a solid technical foundation.

row2k - How did you decide to attend Brown?

Adam von Bismarck - During junior year of high school my now head coach, Paul Cooke, came to visit my school in the UK. Before then I had not all considered that rowing in the US was something that I was anywhere near good enough to do. I remember feeling incredibly excited that a coach from the US was even talking to me at all. That visit sparked a new sense of possibility, making me realize that rowing at a high level in the US was not just a distant dream but something I could actually work toward. It motivated me to push myself harder and refine my technique.

Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, I could not go on official visits, so my decision was based on a trip to Brown in the summer of 2019. The Open Curriculum at Brown played a key role in my decision to attend, and as a senior, I appreciate it now more than ever. The freedom to choose any classes without being restricted by a mandatory curriculum is truly invaluable. Combined with Brown’s incredible facilities and beautiful campus, it ultimately made my decision clear.

row2k - You had some health issues over the summer, can you tell us about that and what the process of returning to rowing was like?

Adam von Bismarck - In late August of last year, I returned from vacation and noticed a lump in my scrotum and a few days later, I was diagnosed with testicular cancer. It is difficult to put into words the feeling of such a diagnosis and the shock of hearing it for the first time was somewhat overwhelming. The weight of the situation had definitely not sunk in as the first words out of my mouth when I was told I needed surgery to remove the cancerous cells was, “when do you think I can row again?”. Luckily, I was able to return to Brown before the start of classes, though I had to be wheeled through the airport by some very kind people, both in London and Boston, holding my hand luggage on my lap.

Unfortunately, the cancer had progressed to a stage where I needed to get a round of chemotherapy once in the US. At the cancer ward, the semi-open cubicles were arranged around a central nurses’ station, allowing you to always see at least one other patient while nurses moved through the room, checking in on everyone over the course of the four-hour sessions. While I was fortunate to have relatively mild side effects, sitting in that chair for hours, feeling my body being attacked by the treatment, was a uniquely uncomfortable experience, one I am incredibly grateful to have put behind me.

The support of the team during my treatment was incredible, and one of the most meaningful moments came on the second day of chemotherapy. That afternoon, the entire team gathered in the backyard of the team house, where all the seniors live, and shaved their heads in solidarity. I remember walking into the yard and seeing clumps of hair scattered all over the ground, little piles of it collecting like fallen leaves. It was more than just a symbolic gesture, it was a tangible reminder that I had an entire team standing beside me, willing to share in even the smallest part of my experience.

Beyond that, someone from the team always made sure to come sit with me during treatment. No matter how miserable or drained I felt in that chair, there was always a familiar face keeping me company, making conversation, cracking jokes, or just sitting in comfortable silence when words weren’t needed. That kind of support made all the difference, it turned something isolating into something bearable, reminding me that I wasn’t going through this alone.

After the treatment was over, I slowly started easing back into rowing in November. It is always a shock coming back after time off, but this was on a completely different level. I remember getting back on the erg and feeling like I was 15 again, slow, weak, and struggling to pull numbers that once felt easy. Every stroke was a reminder of how much ground I had lost, how far I still had to go.

The physical recovery was tough, but in many ways, the mental side of it has been even harder. I knew I would not bounce back overnight, but watching myself put in the work and still feel miles behind where I used to be has been frustrating. I can remember exactly how fast and strong I was before all of this, and that comparison is in the back of my mind every time I train. No matter how much progress I make, there’s always that voice reminding me of where I could have been. I want to finish strong, to feel like I made it all the way back, but I also have to accept the reality that I may never fully return to the form I had before. That’s been the biggest challenge, learning to balance the frustration with gratitude, to recognize how far I’ve come instead of just mourning what I lost.

row2k - You’ve raced in the GBR M8+ at the U23 European Championships, what was that experience like?

Adam von Bismarck - I rowed in the bow seat of the GB U23 European Championships eight in the summer between my Freshman and Sophomore year. I struggled after arriving at Brown, having to take time off due to a glandular fever diagnosis. Missing all of my physical benchmarks from the year before, I ultimately did not attend the IRAs that year. I felt that I had something to prove and I focused my efforts on trying to make selection for Europeans when I was back in the UK. The training was a lot of fun; rowing on flat water in warm weather is always when the sport is at its best. We had a bit of a tough time getting going but ended up finding some good speed. I do not believe either of the two races we competed in Belgium were our strongest performances, but we still managed to secure a spot on the podium.

row2k - What has been your most memorable race and why?

Adam von Bismarck - I started rowing almost ten years ago now in 2015, which feels like a very long time ago now. Over that time I have probably competed in over a hundred races but there are very few that I can remember as clearly as the 4V final at Eastern Sprints in 2022. We had some last minute changes in the lineup going into Sprints and we had not raced in this lineup before that Sunday but I remember feeling so sure on that start line that we were going to have a good race. The boat felt like it was on rails the entire way down the course and nothing was more motivating as looking back at Yale at the 1000m mark as we slowly pushed in front of them. Standing on the podium, I knew we had executed the best race we were capable of.

row2k - What are you studying at Brown and do you have any plans for after graduation?

Adam von Bismarck - I am a Computer Science major at Brown. I am currently working part time at an E-Commerce startup and hope to continue working with them after I graduate in New York.