The German champion and his teammates—Tim Czemper, Markus Müller, Paul Seydel, and Stefan Verhoeven—dominated the race from start to finish. They secured the victory after 12 hours and 5 minutes of intense effort, finishing 22 minutes off the record.
A perfectly calm lake, brilliant sunshine followed by a full moon at dusk: the 54th edition of the BCGE Tour du Léman Rowing Race will be remembered as one of the most beautiful in recent years.
Setting out at 8 a.m. on Saturday from the Société Nautique de Genève, the eleven crews representing eight nations quickly spread out along the Swiss shore of Lake Geneva, depending on their experience and physical condition.
Crew No. 2, consisting of Matthias Auer, Tim Czemper, Markus Müller, Paul Seydel, and Stefan Verhoeven, took the lead from the very first strokes. Over the course of the 160-kilometer race, they gradually extended their lead, confirming their status as favorites.
At the end of a race that lacked suspense but was nonetheless very difficult, Auer and his teammates claimed victory after 12:05:55 of intense effort, just 22 minutes shy of the record. “I’m extremely tired. Despite appearances and the mild weather, it wasn’t an easy race,” Auer said . “We managed to stick to our race plan from start to finish, rowing at a precise and steady pace. Unfortunately, by the time we passed Le Bouveret, we were about fifteen minutes behind the record. And we weren’t able to make up that time. But it was a fantastic race, and I really enjoyed rowing with this team.”
This achievement further adds to the exceptional record of Matthias Auer, a true icon of the BCGE Tour du Léman rowing race. The 55-year-old German rower was competing in his 21st edition of the race this year and holds nearly all of the event’s records. Last night, he claimed his 14th victory in this race.
This year, Matthias Auer rowed alongside two of his most loyal teammates, Markus Müller and Stefan Verhoeven, as well as two young rowers from Berlin, Tim Czemper and Paul Seydel. It was a particularly effective combination of experience and youth. The five men had named their team “Route 66,” a reference to the combined number of times its members have participated in the Tour du Léman, a total reached this year.
“It was a wonderful event,” said Stéphane Trachsler, president of the Organizing Committee. “The weather was perfect, and we didn’t have any problems; only one team was forced to drop out about halfway through the race; all the others completed the full lap around the lake, which makes me especially happy.”
Beyond the competition for victory, this 54th edition stood out for its international character and the diversity of its participants. “I was very impressed by the third-place finish of the AVIRON ROMAND ZURICH/LAUSANNE-SPORTS AVIRON team, which competed in the coxed four, ” Trachsler enthused. “ A big congratulations also to the Bonne No. 3 team, which completed the course in a coxed pair. Finally, I’d like to commend the performance of the women’s crew (Frederike Nitschke, Canan Dockendorf, Claudia Ciescholka, and Kim Enders), who secured an impressive fifth-place finish.”
Founded in 1972 by the rowing section of the Société Nautique de Genève, the BCGE Tour du Léman à l’Aviron is the world’s longest rowing regatta contested nonstop on a closed body of water. It is an event where athletic performance is combined with endurance, teamwork, and the essential ability to adapt to the conditions on Lake Geneva. The event’s success depends on a proven organizational structure, as well as the support of numerous volunteers and the dedication of the safety team.