Roei en Zeilvereniging De Amstel (Rowing and Sailing Association “De Amstel”) is one of the oldest non-academic rowing clubs in The Netherlands. It was founded in 1874, and the club colours are dark blue with a white diagonal stripe. The main activity of the club is practising and promoting rowing.
The clubhouse is in the heart of the South district of Amsterdam, approximately 1.75 km, rowing from the River Amstel, the club’s main training water. The first clubhouse was situated along the River Amstel but had to be demolished in 1944, and the present clubhouse was constructed in 1954 and renovated and enlarged in 2010.
The club is active year-round, training through the winter for the Head of the River race and Heineken Vierkamp Race in March and April, and for the rest of the year, the club concentrates on fours, pairs, doubles and sculls. We have a substantial number of active junior members who often compete in various competitions.
Our focus is on racing and competition, but whether you are a complete beginner or competition rower, fanatical or slightly less fanatic, the Amstel is open for you. Once you have learned how to row, you may row with a group or on your own, out on the water or one of our Concept 2 indoor rowers. You can be a recreational rower, a marathon or race rower, or become a club member and enjoy our beautiful terrace in the summertime or join our billiard club. The club has a large fleet of racing shells, from singles to eights and wider shaped boats for slow racing and wherries for recreational rowing. Our sailing committee organises some sailing events throughout the year.
Apart from championship winners throughout our existence, we like to mention two famous winners.
In 1929, our member L. H. F. (Bertus) Gunther won the Diamond Challenge Sculls at the Henley Royal Regatta, at the time the unofficial world championship.
Jan Wienese won the gold medal in single sculls at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, the only gold medal ever for the Netherlands in this event. He also won two European bronze medals in single sculls in 1965 and 1967 and a silver medal at the 1966 World Rowing Championships.
