Rowing is a popular sport in Croatia, and one of the many sports in which Croatia often excels in top-class competition. The Jelsa Rowing Club was founded in 1978 by Jurica Gamulin, who to this day maintains a regular fearsome fitness programme in the club gym. Besides being an oarsman who competed several times in the European Championships, Jurica Gamulin has been President of the Croatian Rowing Association (Hrvatski veslački savez), and is the current President of the Dalmatian Rowing Associaition (Veslački savez Dalmacije). It is largely thanks to his foresight and effort that the Jelsa Rowing Club and rowing throughout Dalmatia have flourished through all these years.
Pictured from the left: Jakša Marić, Mihovil Kotoraš, Jurica Gamulin, Marino Dragičević, Nikša Peronja (Jelsa's Mayor and a former keen competitive oarsman), Ivan Županović and Jerko Božiković.
The current president of the Jelsa Rowing Club is Jakša Marić, who was a recreational rower as a youth. Currently President of Jelsa's Local Council, he was formerly the town's acting Mayor. Last Sunday, December 15th, it fell to Jakša to open the proceedings at the Jelsa Rowing Club's 35th anniversary celebratory meeting. The attendance was impressive, numbering about a hundred, which reflects how important the club is to the local community. Jakša's speech was a celebration of rowing in Dalmatia in general, putting the Jelsa club into its historical context. Rowing in Dalmatia goes back a long way. It was first a means of survival for the coastal people, offering, together with sailing, a means of travelling across the sea, whether for fishing, business, pilgrimage, pleasure or adventure.
Rowing competitions were first recorded in Korčula in 1603, but rowing as an organized sport in Dalmatia came much later with the founding of clubs in Zadar, Split, Dubrovnik, Makarska and Šibenik. More sprang up following the second world war, including the Jelsa Club. Jelsa's start was modest, with old boats donated from the Split club 'Mornar', numbering just one eight, one quadruple scull and one single scull. The eight in particular was in a bad way, but was restored by local craftsman Slavomir Plenković. The boats were originally housed up on the football pitch 'Soline', but after a short time the club was given the use of its current premises on the part of the waterfront known as 'Kantun' (the Corner). The first landing pontoon was wooden, but after a couple of years this was replaced by a concrete jetty on different levels to allow boats to leave and land at high or low tide. A particularly valuable acquisition was the speedboat for coaching.
The club has thrived because of the enthusiasm, skills and labour of the many local people who have supported - and continue to support - its development. The original building has been renovated and extended over the years, now boasting an impressive collection of boats, a changing room with showers, a well-equipped gym and an office area which houses a proud array of trophies. The investment has reaped rich rewards: the club has enjoyed success in local, national and international regattas (winning a total of 106 gold medals, 120 silver and 123 bronze), and, most importantly, the rowing school for very young children has a constant throughput of enthusiastic youngsters experiencing the particular pleasures and health benefits the sport affords.
Sunday's meeting saw honour bestowed on all those who have contributed to the club's success over the years, with special awards given to current competitors Mihovil Kotoraš, who has competed twice in the World Championships at U23 and senior level, Marino Dragičević, who came 6th in the World Junior Championships, and Ivan Županović, who has competed twice in the European Junior Championships, coming 9th last year, 7th this year, and who also took part in the World Junior Championships this year.
Club coach Jerko Božiković has held the position for several years, and carries out his duties with tireless efficiency and good humour. He covers all aspects of land and water training, and is equally good at motivating and encouraging very young children in their first experience of organized sport and fitness exercise as seasoned weightlifters and body sculptors. The future of the club looks healthy!
