Earlier in December, the Swede Lassi Karonen, who has semi-retired from elite rowing, travelled across the world to give Mahe Drysdale a match in the Billy Webb Challenge.

FISA’s website writes in an article,

‘The men’s single sculls is a special boat class. It attracts some of the biggest, strongest and toughest athletes the sport of rowing has to offer. They are the type that can put themselves through a world of pain during round after round of racing, with nobody else to rely on to motivate them or to coach them during the hard mid-race strokes.’

Read the whole article here.