{"id":73496,"date":"2017-04-10T16:01:18","date_gmt":"2017-04-10T14:01:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/2017\/04\/10\/geen-succes-voor-skadi-op-varsity\/"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:22:48","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:22:48","slug":"geen-succes-voor-skadi-op-varsity-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2017\/04\/10\/geen-succes-voor-skadi-op-varsity-2\/","title":{"rendered":"No luck for Skadi rowers at Varsity"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n\t\n\n<\/svg>\n<\/span>\n\tImage by:<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAysha Gasanova<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>

People who jump into the water \u201cnude but not naked\u201d, drunk students throwing bunches of grass at each other and packed shuttle buses blaring tremendously loud music \u2013 such things are only allowed at the Varsity. Skadi was unable to cause an upset at the 134th edition of the illustrious rowing competition for students. The Rotterdam students came fourth in the Ladies\u2019 Four and Men\u2019s Four races, the two most prestigious races.<\/p>\n

It is 3pm and the banks of the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal near Houten are filling up. An estimated four thousand fans have taken up their positions on the waterside, singing. Although they have had quite a few beers, the Skadi fans are not overly optimistic. They think fourth or fifth place for the Men\u2019s Four is probably as good as it is going to get. \u201cBut the Ladies\u2019 Four might just win, you know!\u201d the die-hard fans yell.<\/p>\n

Better than Olympic gold medal<\/h3>\n\t
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\n\t\t\u201cYou just hate those bastards from Amsterdam, even though they may be pretty cool guys\u201d\n\t<\/blockquote>\n\n\t<\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n

The Varsity is not just a very studenty affair, but a very prestigious one too. Some say that winning the rowing competition for students is better than winning an Olympic gold medal. Cox Kimberly Kamp, 28, who won the Men\u2019s Four race with Skadi in 2015, understands the sentiment. \u201cAt this race you really represent your club, university and town. Unlike the Olympics, second place does not count here.\u201d Kamp is wearing a white Skadi jacket, which may only be worn by victors and remains unwashed until the next victory. \u201cI really hope I can pass it on to someone else soon.\u201d<\/p>\n

By now, the first scuffles and bunch-of-grass fights have been spotted. They form the prelude to the traditional game of brassen<\/em>, which involves Skadi taking on Amsterdam-based Nereus on a boat especially hired for the purpose. The objective is to grab one\u2019s opponent by the lapels and pull them to the ground, for the sake of honour. And there is a lot of honour at stake, because according to Skadi member and economics student Ivan Kalinichenka, 23, the battle between Nereus and Skadi is definitely comparable to an Ajax-Feyenoord match. \u201cYou just hate those bastards from Amsterdam, even though they may be pretty cool guys.\u201d Neither party is really proclaimed the winner.<\/p>\n

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Het 'gerollebol'<\/span><\/p>

\n\t\n\n<\/svg>\n<\/span>\n\tImage by:<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAysha Gasanova<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Buckling knees<\/h3>

By now the Ladies\u2019 Four have completed their race, which is won by Nereus. The fans are highly confused. One is absolutely certain that the ladies\u2019 team has not yet crossed the finish line. Others, always eager to get more beer, are struggling with frequently malfunctioning coin dispensers. Elsewhere, a student has had a breakdown. Paramedics are rushing his way.<\/p>\n

The Skadi ladies come fourth, which is a huge disappointment to them. \u201cWe wanted to get closer to victory,\u201d medicine student Jara Verweij, 21, says after the race. \u201cDuring our training camps we logged some really fast times.\u201d Pressure played a part not to be underestimated. \u201cMy knees buckled when we passed all those spectators while rowing to our spot before the race,\u201d says Verweij. Her teammate Crista Algie, 24, had the added pressure of dealing with the legacy of her father, who won the Varsity with Leiden\u2019s Njord club in the 1980s. \u201cI don\u2019t think I\u2019ll be able to face him again any time soon,\u201d she says jokingly.<\/p>\n

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De winnaars van Nereus<\/span><\/p>

\n\t\n\n<\/svg>\n<\/span>\n\tImage by:<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAysha Gasanova<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>

\u201cNobody supported Nereus\u201d<\/h3>

Next up: the grand final that is the Men\u2019s Four race. To prepare for the race, a few students pee in the water from the bank of the canal. Nereus and Utrecht\u2019s Triton team get off to a great start, with Skadi lagging behind a little. When the boats get closer to the finish line, the Skadi fans are climbing onto each other\u2019s shoulders. \u201cHollee Skadi!\u201d they shout. \u201cSkadi is really getting back into the race now!\u201d yells a fan as the Rotterdam team loses more ground. The enthusiastic cheering morphs into booing when Nereus wins the race by the slightest of margins. \u201cThis is really sad,\u201d Kalinichenka opines. \u201cNobody here supported Nereus, except they themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n

What remains are the last few yelling students, lots of cigarette butts and empty beer cups. And, of course, the white Skadi jackets, which will remain dirty for at least another year.<\/p>\n

Read about the Varsity last year and the year before<\/h2>