Royal Club Nautique de Gand
Encyclopedia
Royal Club Nautique de Gand
(English translated Royal Rowing Club of Ghent / Dutch & today's official name: Koninklijke Roeivereniging Club Gent)
is a rowing club
from the Belgian city of Ghent
founded in 1871. The association is located at the Ghent urban Watersportbaan
. It has an extensive international track record. Originally the association was called Club Nautique de Gand.
and at the Rowing at the 1908 Summer Olympics
and where the finalist teams took the worldrecord in the heavy mens eights and at the Rowing at the 1912 Summer Olympics
this club won in the single sculls. Club de Gand was 3 times winner of the Grand Challenge Cup
at Henley-on-Thames
on the famous Henley Royal Regatta
. Club Presidents of that time were members of well-known offspring Ghent families.
The club won the first ever victory of a foreign club at the Grand in a mix with the docks foremans couple Visser - Molmans of the former Royal Sport Nautique de Gand during the first years of the 20th century.
Club Ghent and their upper class relations where also the founders of the internationally famous Regatta for these days at the Cluysen - Ter Donck Regatta
on the Ghent-Terneuzen Canal
.
It was a good reason and for the first time the leading English Clubs where making the trip to the continent, looking for a fair revenge.
This was in the United Kingdom known May - Regatta
, which was much later reinvigorated with new energy by the friends of KR Sport Gent and their Chairmans generation
Rombaut sr. and jr. and their team, a few days earlier on the calendar, on the current Watersportbaan.
Until the second world war and by good weather conditions, the Regatta locally named Bootjesvaring was good for 20 up to 25.000 visitors!
In the early nineties of the twentieth century Club de Gand won also the Diamond Challenge Sculls
at Henley with the former lightweight world champion Wim van Belleghem
.
It was the very first time a lightweight sculler won that race.
National and more recent
The club won eight consecutive national championships in the eight men open category at Hazewinkel
This generation was dominating from the mid-nineties up to early 21st century Belgians heavyweight men's rowing
. In this period they were also not really ignored on the Heineken Roeivierkamp on the River Amstel in Amsterdam
The so called crown on that performance was gold at the 2001 Thames Challenge Cup
at Henley Royal Regatta
. A Belgian rowing crew who once won that race was the Antwerpse Roeivereniging or Sculling, who now is permanently active in Hazewinkel
, where the British A.R.A. organises his annual trials, usually.
(English translated Royal Rowing Club of Ghent / Dutch & today's official name: Koninklijke Roeivereniging Club Gent)
is a rowing club
Rowing club
A rowing club is a club for people interested in the sport of Rowing. Rowing clubs are usually located near a body of water, whether natural or artificial, that is large enough for manoeuvering of the shells . Clubs usually have racks to store boats and a dock to put them in the water...
from the Belgian city of Ghent
Ghent
Ghent is a city and a municipality located in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is the capital and biggest city of the East Flanders province. The city started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Lys and in the Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of...
founded in 1871. The association is located at the Ghent urban Watersportbaan
Watersportbaan
The Watersportbaan is a five lane rowing race course in the Belgian city of Ghent. It is 2300 metres long and 76m wide and was first used in 1954...
. It has an extensive international track record. Originally the association was called Club Nautique de Gand.
Successes
KRCG won (under its old name) a silver medal at the Rowing at the 1900 Summer OlympicsRowing at the 1900 Summer Olympics
At the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris, four events in rowing were contested, marking the introduction of the sport to the Olympic program. At the inaugural 1896 Games, the rowing competition was cancelled due to strong winds.-Medal summary:...
and at the Rowing at the 1908 Summer Olympics
Rowing at the 1908 Summer Olympics
At the 1908 Summer Olympics, four rowing events were contested, all for men only. Races were held at Henley-on-Thames. The competitions were held from July 28, 1908 to July 31, 1908. There was one fewer event in 1908 than 1904, after the double sculls was dropped from the programme...
and where the finalist teams took the worldrecord in the heavy mens eights and at the Rowing at the 1912 Summer Olympics
Rowing at the 1912 Summer Olympics
Rowing at the 1912 Summer Olympics featured 4 events, for men only. All races were held in Djurgårdsbrunnsviken from Thursday, July 17 to Saturday, July 19, 1912.-Medal summary:-Bronze medals:...
this club won in the single sculls. Club de Gand was 3 times winner of the Grand Challenge Cup
Grand Challenge Cup
The Grand Challenge Cup is a rowing competition for men's eights. It is the oldest and most prestigious event at the annual Henley Royal Regatta on the River Thames at Henley-on-Thames in England. It is open to male crews from all eligible rowing clubs...
at Henley-on-Thames
Henley-on-Thames
Henley-on-Thames is a town and civil parish on the River Thames in South Oxfordshire, England, about 10 miles downstream and north-east from Reading, 10 miles upstream and west from Maidenhead...
on the famous Henley Royal Regatta
Henley Royal Regatta
Henley Royal Regatta is a rowing event held every year on the River Thames by the town of Henley-on-Thames, England. The Royal Regatta is sometimes referred to as Henley Regatta, its original name pre-dating Royal patronage...
. Club Presidents of that time were members of well-known offspring Ghent families.
The club won the first ever victory of a foreign club at the Grand in a mix with the docks foremans couple Visser - Molmans of the former Royal Sport Nautique de Gand during the first years of the 20th century.
Club Ghent and their upper class relations where also the founders of the internationally famous Regatta for these days at the Cluysen - Ter Donck Regatta
Cluysen - Ter Donck Regatta
Cluysen - Ter Donck is now a hamlet along the Ghent-Terneuzen Canal,but for almost a century, there was a huge and very important international sporting event at that place.-History:...
on the Ghent-Terneuzen Canal
Ghent-Terneuzen Canal
The Ghent-Terneuzen Canal , also known as the "Sea Canal" is a canal linking Ghent in Belgium to the port of Terneuzen on the Westerschelde estuary in the Netherlands, thereby providing the former with better access to the sea.-History:The canal was constructed between 1823 and 1827 on the...
.
It was a good reason and for the first time the leading English Clubs where making the trip to the continent, looking for a fair revenge.
This was in the United Kingdom known May - Regatta
May - Regatta
May Regatta is a Belgian international Fédération Internationale des Sociétés d'Aviron rowing regatta. The race is known under this name since the beginning of the 20th century...
, which was much later reinvigorated with new energy by the friends of KR Sport Gent and their Chairmans generation
Rombaut sr. and jr. and their team, a few days earlier on the calendar, on the current Watersportbaan.
Until the second world war and by good weather conditions, the Regatta locally named Bootjesvaring was good for 20 up to 25.000 visitors!
In the early nineties of the twentieth century Club de Gand won also the Diamond Challenge Sculls
Diamond Challenge Sculls
The Diamond Challenge Sculls is a rowing event for men's single sculls at the annual Henley Royal Regatta on the River Thames at Henley-on-Thames in England...
at Henley with the former lightweight world champion Wim van Belleghem
Wim van Belleghem
Wim Van Belleghem is a Belgian former rower from Koolkerke near Bruges. He won the World Championships single scull lightweight class in 1987. After Polydore Veirman of the Royal Club Nautique de Gand, he is the most important Belgian of all time.Van Belleghem was born in Bruges...
.
It was the very first time a lightweight sculler won that race.
National and more recent
The club won eight consecutive national championships in the eight men open category at Hazewinkel
Hazewinkel
The Hazewinkel is a Bloso 2,000 m rowing and regatta course in Heindonk, belonging to the municipality of Willebroek, near Mechelen, Belgium. The site consists of a finishing tower, boathouses, a cafeteria and eight basic huts that house athletes using the lake. The course hosts the Great...
This generation was dominating from the mid-nineties up to early 21st century Belgians heavyweight men's rowing
Rowing (sport)
Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
. In this period they were also not really ignored on the Heineken Roeivierkamp on the River Amstel in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
The so called crown on that performance was gold at the 2001 Thames Challenge Cup
Thames Challenge Cup
The Thames Challenge Cup is a rowing event for men's eights at the annual Henley Royal Regatta on the River Thames at Henley-on-Thames in England. It is open to male crews from a single rowing club. Boat clubs from any university, college or secondary school are not permitted, neither are squad...
at Henley Royal Regatta
Henley Royal Regatta
Henley Royal Regatta is a rowing event held every year on the River Thames by the town of Henley-on-Thames, England. The Royal Regatta is sometimes referred to as Henley Regatta, its original name pre-dating Royal patronage...
. A Belgian rowing crew who once won that race was the Antwerpse Roeivereniging or Sculling, who now is permanently active in Hazewinkel
Hazewinkel
The Hazewinkel is a Bloso 2,000 m rowing and regatta course in Heindonk, belonging to the municipality of Willebroek, near Mechelen, Belgium. The site consists of a finishing tower, boathouses, a cafeteria and eight basic huts that house athletes using the lake. The course hosts the Great...
, where the British A.R.A. organises his annual trials, usually.