Willem III Rowing Club
Encyclopedia
Willem III Rowing Club is one of the largest and oldest rowing club
s in The Netherlands. It is located on the south side of Amsterdam
, on the bank of the river Amstel
. The club also has training facilities near the Bosbaan
, the former olympic course on the southwest side of Amsterdam. It is a member of the Royal Dutch Rowing Association (KNRB). Willem III members include famous rowers like Nico Rienks
(gold medals at the 1996
and 1988
Olympic games), Esther Workel (silver medal at the 2004
Olympic games and 2005 World Championship
and Herman Boelen (medal at the 1964 Olympic games).
Willem III organises every year the Head of the River Amstel
. This is an annual rowing race between Amsterdam and Ouderkerk aan de Amstel
, the membership fee was 5-10 guildercent per week, and the annual budget amounted to 25 guilder
s. When naming their club after Willem III of the Netherlands, the boys did not realize that they needed permission from the monarch. They applied for this permission in 1885, which was granted on 18 December 1886 by His Royal Majesty.
In the following year the club and fleet grew, as a result of which the original boathouse
became too small. The club moved to a new, larger, boathouse on the Hoogte Kadijk at the wharf 'Koning William'. Quickly, this housing became too small and in 1890 the club moved to a floating boathouse in the Oosterdok (opposite the current Maritime Museum. In 1896 the boathouse was moved to the river Amstel between the Govert Flinckstraat and the Stadhouderskade and in 1898 it was moved again to a spot close to the Amstelcanal. When Willem III existed 10 years it had 35 members and 60 supporters. By the turn of the century, the club had grown to 80 members and 77 supporters, and it owned 8 boats. In 1906, membership became open to women.
To handle the ongoing growth, a second floating boathouse was added in 1899. However, both boathouses were fragile. During a storm in 1903 one of the houses sank (and was lifted again) and in 1907 the other boathouse started to drift during a storm. To end these problems, the club started to construct a building close to the Amstel, opposite the Trompenburgstraat, which was opened in 1909. Because of the treat of war
, the number of members dipped to 251 in January 1940, but subsequently growth picked up strongly, forcing the club to limit the number of members to 500. At the end of 1943, the Germans ordered the destruction of the housing of all rowing clubs on the banks of the Amstel, and in February 1944 the building on the Trompenburg was in fact demolished. Virtually the entire fleet was moved to an empty laundry in Nigtevecht. The members continued to gather in a rented room on the Ceintuurbaan.
After the war, Willem III moved to the building of the 'Deutscher Turn und Rudernverein' (designed for 80 members) that it had to share with RIC. There was a pressing lack of space, which made it necessary to construct a new club house. In 1947 the general meeting decided to build a new club house at the current location. After solving the financial problems, construction could start in 1953, partly thanks to important contributions from the members themselves. The building was opened on 19 June 1954. The building was expanded in 1996, doubling the boat storage, and adding a room for indoor row trainers
. In 2000 and 2001 the change rooms were completely renovated and made accessible to handicapped people. In 2005 the renovation of the second floor, including the club room, was started. Willem III started 2006 with 800 members and supporters.
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...
s in The Netherlands. It is located on the south side of 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...
, on the bank of the river Amstel
Amstel
The Amstel is a river in the Netherlands which runs through the city of Amsterdam. The river's name is derived from Aeme stelle, old Dutch for "area abounding with water"....
. The club also has training facilities near the Bosbaan
Bosbaan
The Bosbaan is a rowing lake situated in the Amsterdamse Bos in Amstelveen, The Netherlands. Amstelveen is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands and is part of the metropolitan area of Amsterdam. Confusingly, all built structures at the north-eastern end of the course fall under...
, the former olympic course on the southwest side of Amsterdam. It is a member of the Royal Dutch Rowing Association (KNRB). Willem III members include famous rowers like Nico Rienks
Nico Rienks
Nicolaas Hessel Rienks is a former rower from the Netherlands and two-time Olympic gold medallist....
(gold medals at the 1996
Rowing at the 1996 Summer Olympics
Taking place at Lake Lanier, Georgia, United States, the 1996 Summer Olympics saw the debut of lightweight rowing events. The three included replaced the remaining coxed events for men and the Women's Coxless Four...
and 1988
Rowing at the 1988 Summer Olympics
Rowing at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul featured 14 events in total, for men and women, held on the Han River Regatta Course.-Medal summary:-Medal table:-See also:*Rowing at the Summer Olympics*Olympic medalists in rowing...
Olympic games), Esther Workel (silver medal at the 2004
Rowing at the 2004 Summer Olympics
Rowing at the 2004 Summer Olympics took place at the Schinias Olympic Rowing and Canoeing Centre and featured 550 competitors taking part in 14 events....
Olympic games and 2005 World Championship
World Rowing Championships 2005
The 28th World Rowing Championships were held at the Nagaragawa International Regatta Course, Kaizu, Gifu, Japan, between August 28 and September 4, 2005. The international rowing season usually ends with the World Championship regatta. Apart from the Olympics this is the most prestigious...
and Herman Boelen (medal at the 1964 Olympic games).
Willem III organises every year the Head of the River Amstel
Head of the River Amstel
The Head of the River Amstel or Kampioenschap van de Amstel is a rowing race held annually on the river Amstel in Amsterdam, The Netherlands on the 8 km track from Amsterdam to Ouderkerk aan de Amstel...
. This is an annual rowing race between Amsterdam and Ouderkerk aan de Amstel
Ouderkerk aan de Amstel
Ouderkerk aan de Amstel is a town in the Dutch province of North Holland. It is largely a part of the municipality of Ouder-Amstel, and lies about 9 km south of Amsterdam. A small part of the town lies in the municipality of Amstelveen....
History
Willem III Rowing Club was founded on 22 August 1882 by five friends: 15-year old Arent Daniel Meyjes, his younger brother Gottfried and the brothers Egbert, Fije and Kees Bok. The boys were too young to join the existing rowing clubs, and therefore decided to start their own club. Their first base was the shipbuilding yard 'De Gouden Leeuw' the Meyjes brothers' father in the Kleine Kattenburgerstraat in Amsterdam. The fleet consisted of one (borrowed) sloopSloop
A sloop is a sail boat with a fore-and-aft rig and a single mast farther forward than the mast of a cutter....
, the membership fee was 5-10 guildercent per week, and the annual budget amounted to 25 guilder
Guilder
Guilder is the English translation of the Dutch gulden — from Old Dutch for 'golden'. The guilder originated as a gold coin but has been a common name for a silver or base metal coin for some centuries...
s. When naming their club after Willem III of the Netherlands, the boys did not realize that they needed permission from the monarch. They applied for this permission in 1885, which was granted on 18 December 1886 by His Royal Majesty.
In the following year the club and fleet grew, as a result of which the original boathouse
Boathouse
A boathouse is a building especially designed for the storage of boats, normally smaller craft for sports or leisure use. These are typically located on open water, such as on a river. Often the boats stored are rowing boats...
became too small. The club moved to a new, larger, boathouse on the Hoogte Kadijk at the wharf 'Koning William'. Quickly, this housing became too small and in 1890 the club moved to a floating boathouse in the Oosterdok (opposite the current Maritime Museum. In 1896 the boathouse was moved to the river Amstel between the Govert Flinckstraat and the Stadhouderskade and in 1898 it was moved again to a spot close to the Amstelcanal. When Willem III existed 10 years it had 35 members and 60 supporters. By the turn of the century, the club had grown to 80 members and 77 supporters, and it owned 8 boats. In 1906, membership became open to women.
To handle the ongoing growth, a second floating boathouse was added in 1899. However, both boathouses were fragile. During a storm in 1903 one of the houses sank (and was lifted again) and in 1907 the other boathouse started to drift during a storm. To end these problems, the club started to construct a building close to the Amstel, opposite the Trompenburgstraat, which was opened in 1909. Because of the treat of war
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the number of members dipped to 251 in January 1940, but subsequently growth picked up strongly, forcing the club to limit the number of members to 500. At the end of 1943, the Germans ordered the destruction of the housing of all rowing clubs on the banks of the Amstel, and in February 1944 the building on the Trompenburg was in fact demolished. Virtually the entire fleet was moved to an empty laundry in Nigtevecht. The members continued to gather in a rented room on the Ceintuurbaan.
After the war, Willem III moved to the building of the 'Deutscher Turn und Rudernverein' (designed for 80 members) that it had to share with RIC. There was a pressing lack of space, which made it necessary to construct a new club house. In 1947 the general meeting decided to build a new club house at the current location. After solving the financial problems, construction could start in 1953, partly thanks to important contributions from the members themselves. The building was opened on 19 June 1954. The building was expanded in 1996, doubling the boat storage, and adding a room for indoor row trainers
Indoor rower
An indoor rower, or rowing machine, is a machine used to simulate the action of watercraft rowing for the purpose of exercise or training for rowing. Indoor rowing has become established as a sport in its own right...
. In 2000 and 2001 the change rooms were completely renovated and made accessible to handicapped people. In 2005 the renovation of the second floor, including the club room, was started. Willem III started 2006 with 800 members and supporters.
External links
- http://www.willem3.nl/english
- http://www.knrb.nl (Royal Dutch Rowing Association)
- http://www.nlroei.nl The most important site about rowing in The Netherlands