Two Florida Tech Men’s Rowing Freshmen Compete in 2020 European Rowing Championships

European Championships taking place this weekend

BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – While the 2020-21 academic year is underway at Florida Tech, a pair of men’s rowing freshmen, Václav Baldrián and Domantas Marocka, are preparing to represent their home countries at the upcoming 2020 European Rowing Under-23 Championships.

This year’s European Championships are taking place in Duisburg, Germany this weekend.

Baldrián, a member of the Czech Republic National Team, and Marocka, who is on the Lithuanian Team, are set to compete against each other for a chance at winning the gold medal in the U23 Open Quad Championship.

Baldrián, a native of Hodonín, Czech Republic, and Marocka, from Vilnius, Lithuania, are currently studying remotely at Florida Tech but are looking forward to entering the U.S. and joining the rest of their Panther teammates.

“I’m looking forward to coming to Florida Tech to help the team and start my studies in-person,” said Marocka. “I really want to come on campus in my best athletic and academic shape in the spring season.

I am very happy that there are some Lithuanians on the team, which is very exciting, and everything will be way easier with these guys.”

Preparation for the championships has been a several month process for both Baldrián and Marocka as they maneuvered through quarantine in each of their home countries as well as the restrictions applied to both National Teams as a result of COVID-19.

“This year is different than any other previous season, but I think we managed to still have a very solid preparation, full of hard work,” said Baldrián. “I am looking forward to competing, and hopefully, see the progress that we made in the past two months.”

“Our preparation for this Championship was very long,” said Marocka.

“It took about three months with the team in addition to individual preparation, which lasted the whole year. It was very difficult to do high-quality workouts during the quarantine period in the Spring. There were a lot of ups and downs, but now we are getting better and better with our shapes. We hope to achieve the highest possible result.”

Even though 2020 has provided some added complexities to their training, both student-athletes are accustomed to the type of work ethic it takes to be successful on the international stage.

Baldrián has represented Czech Republic at several prestigious competitions over the past few years.

In 2018, his quad won the gold medal at both the European Rowling Junior Championships and the World Rowing Junior Championships and won a bronze medal during the European U23 Championship.

Last year, Baldrián’s boat finished fourth at the European U23 Championship and earned fifth-place at the World U23 Regatta.

Marocka also competed at the 2018 World Rowing Junior Championships when they were held in Racice, Czech Republic. His crew also medaled at the Baltic Open Championships in 2018 and has won multiple Lithuanian Championships the past few years.

Marocka began his international rowing success in 2017 when his quadruple scull won bronze at the Baltic Cup Regatta.

“We are excited for Domantas and Vaclav and wish them the best of luck at the European Championships,” said Florida Tech head coach Jim Granger. “They are part of a fantastic incoming class that should represent Florida Tech well in the coming years.”

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