2022 European Championship Silver — Men's Eight (Holland Acht)
2022 European Championship Silver — Men’s Eight (M8+)
2022 European Rowing Championships — Olympic Regatta Centre, Munich, Germany
Dutch Crew (Holland Acht): Niki van Sprang, Lennart van Lierop, Abe Wiersma, Jacob van de Kerkhof, Michiel Mantel, Mick Makker, Guus Mollee, Guillaume Krommenhoek, and Dieuwke Fetter (cox)
The Unbelievable Comeback in Munich
On August 13, 2022, the Holland Acht achieved an unforgettable silver medal at the 2022 European Rowing Championships in Munich in one of the most thrilling and dramatic comeback races in international rowing history.
Disaster struck right out of the starting blocks when a massive snoek (catching a crab) brought the Dutch flagship boat almost to a complete standstill, leaving the crew trailing the leaders by seven seconds and four seconds behind fourth-place Germany after the opening 500 meters.
Refusing to surrender, the Dutch crew—urged on with relentless fire by coxswain Dieuwke Fetter—launched an extraordinary, sustained surge through the middle thousand meters, overtaking Germany, Romania, and Italy in the closing sprint to secure an emotional and improbable European silver medal.
- Podium Finishers:
- Great Britain — 5:49.67 (Gold)
- Netherlands (Holland Acht) — 5:54.21 (Silver)
- Italy — 5:55.08 (Bronze)
Transitioning to Sweep Rowing
Following the Olympic victory in the quadruple sculls, Abe transitioned to sweep rowing to join the flagship Holland Acht (M8+) project for the 2024 Olympic cycle. This European Championship podium finish proved the boat’s world-class potential and demonstrated the unshakeable grit and cohesion of the new Dutch eight.
“From dead stop in the water to the European podium. That race tested every ounce of mental resilience, faith in each other, and sheer willpower.”