Oxford University world record nabbed by Dutch students after rowing marathon
Eindhoven University of Technology student rowing association, Thêta, took on a gruelling 10 days of continuous rowing on a rowing machine inside a glass enclosure at the bustling Eindhoven Central railway station in a bid to break the world record for ‘continuous rowing on an ergometer in a large team’.
This was held by St Peter’s College Boat Club of the University of Oxford and it was achieved in January 2024, with 83 participants logging 1,628 miles (2,620,930 metres) over 10 days.
Thêta beat the record at exactly 1pm on Friday, February 21, but didn’t stop there – they kept rowing until 8pm to push the record further.
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This brings the final record to ten days and seven hours.
The goal of 50,000 euros in donations for the Heart Foundation was also met, thanks to a late surge in the final hours of the record attempt.
TU Eindhoven is also donating 100 euros for each day of rowing, totalling 1000 euros.
The world record attempt underway (Image: Bart van Overbeeke Fotografie) Their choice to support the Heart Foundation comes after the association lost a valued competitive rower, Claudia van Lieshout, who passed away in her sleep at just 21 after suffering cardiac arrest.
Ymke Tolboom, president of Thêta, saw that the past ten days brought more than just a generous donation for the Heart Foundation.
“What stood out to me was the sense of togetherness, both within and beyond the club,” said Ms Tolboom.
“Thêta members came to cheer each other on outside their own rowing shifts, family members showed up for surprise visits, passersby and locals reacted enthusiastically, and Dutch Railways staff offered assistance—there was an incredibly positive vibe.
“We even had American friends tuning into the livestream, sending encouraging messages!
“We’re beyond grateful for all the support and the overwhelming number of donations still coming in. I can’t thank everyone enough!”
The record attempt was opened on February 11 by top rower and Thêta member Sander de Graaf, a silver medallist with the Holland Eight at the Paris Olympics last year.
“This is a fantastic initiative with amazing results,” said Anouk Brand, project officer at the Heart Foundation.
“It’s great to see young people actively contributing to the fight against cardiovascular diseases in the Netherlands.
“Thanks to this donation, we can fund crucial research to improve and accelerate treatment.
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“This is urgent, as 1.7 million people are currently living with cardiovascular diseases—a number that could rise to 2.6 million if we don’t take action.”
TU/e Board president, Robert-Jan Smits added: ”
“This shows what our students can achieve when they join forces to reach their goals. A great initiative with a great outcome.
“Thêta has once again made a name for itself with a generous donation to the Heart Foundation—and on top of that, they managed to outdo the University of Oxford with its strong rowing tradition.”
