Veterans' Rowers' Association

Veterans' Rowers' Association
Location Ghent, Belgium
Home water Leie River
Founded 1960 (1960)
Former names Association Flemish Veteran rowers
Affiliations Ghent Students Rowing
Website www.rowing-vvr.be

Veterans' Rowers' Association (Dutch: Vereniging Veteranen Roeiers, VVR) is a Belgian rowing club in the city of Ghent. They have an extensive international track record.

In the Dutch language (and more generally in Europe) Veteraan was (and is sometimes still) used for older competition sporters in athletics, rowing and some other sports.

Originally called the Association Flemish Veteran rowers, who were the Flemish wing of the 'Veterans' Scullers and Oarsmen of Belgium' which in turn where founded in 1960 by Brussels students rowing club 'Sport Nautique Universitaire de Bruxelles'.

Since 1990, the International Rowing Federation (Fédération Internationale des Sociétés d'Aviron, FISA) are using the name 'Masters' for older competition rowers from the age of at least 27 years old.

Every year the FISA organises the FISA World Rowing Masters Regatta, the largest participated rowing regatta worldwide. The competition - department of VVR makes teams with the best Masters - rowers of the country, some of which are world champions in their age group.

But this first and only autonomous rowing club for Masters in Belgium have their activities at the Vissersdijk, a part of the Leie River that crosses the famous urban Watersportbaan rowing racecourt of Ghent. The location of the May regatta and the Spring Regatta, very well known International Open Category Rowing Races in Great Britain and Ireland.

Since 1984, the recreational program of the association is organising the Golden River Toertocht on the Leie River along the famous Flemish luminist and expressionist painters village of Sint-Martens-Latem.

Since 2006 they also start to educate students in rowing. VVR is today the main host club and sponsor of Ghent Students Rowing. Two autonomous target group - directed clubs work now together.

References

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