Greeks paddle to Euro-gold

Home team rowers land five gold medals during the continental championships near Marathon

Chryssa Biskitzi and Alexandra Tsiavou (right) triumphed in the women’s lightweight double sculls, finishing first ahead of the second-placed Polish pair.

Greek rowers won an amazing total of five gold medals in the European Championship that was held at the Olympic Center in Schinias near Marathon over the weekend.

In strong tail-wind conditions and some rain, the rowers did their best to make use of the weather. Many of the crews had to race in both the semifinals and finals on Saturday, as the finals were brought forward from Sunday due to fear of rainstorms.

Despite the adverse weather conditions, the home advantage proved crucial as the hosts won five of the 14 finals in the competition, making Greece effectively the European champion in rowing.

Beijing silver medalists Dimitris Polymeros and Vassilis Mouyios added a European Championship gold to their collection in the lightweight men’s double sculls, while Chryssa Biskitzi and Alexandra Tsiavou successfully defended their 2007 title in the lightweight women’s double sculls.

Biskitzi said that “it was worth trying so hard during preparations for this competition straight after the Olympics. For us it was difficult to find motivation after competing in Beijing. We defended the gold medal won last year and this makes us really happy.”

Beijing Olympian Yiannis Christou took a gold in the men’s single sculls and Giorgos Tsiompanidis and Pavlos Gavriilidis followed suit in the men’s pairs.

Nikolaos Gountoulas, Apostolos Gountoulas, Giorgos Tziallas and Ioannis Tsilis led throughout the final in the men’s four-man crew and won Greece’s fifth gold in the Championships.

Greece finished top of the medals table with five golds, ahead of Ukraine, France and Romania, which each took two golds.

“We want to thank all the Greek fans that made it to the Olympic Rowing Center in Marathon despite the bad weather to support and cheer for us. Both Vassilis and I hope that they are happy and proud of us,” said Dimitris Mouyios.