2007 World Rowing Championships, medal
chances at the Olympics were looking good.
where they would describe the session to
their coach.
2004 Olympic Champions, the
Danish lightweight men’s four
of Eskild Ebbesen, Stephan
Moelvig, Thomas Ebert and Thor
Kristensen.
While in Beijing, Jensen’s treatment continued. Brambell describes that Jensen started off
by coming to the boathouse at the Shunyi
Olympic regatta course and he would follow
the crew on his bike. But then the first treatment set him back. So the crew would do their
training session and then go to Jensen’s hotel
room afterwards
“He’d literally be confined to his room,” says
Brambell, “and we’d still find just as much
inspiration.”
“The incredible part about Bent is he’s there
to make you a good athlete and a good
person,” says Brambell. “He wants you there
100 per cent for rowing but he also prepares
you for life after rowing.”
15
© Alexander Hassenstein/Bongarts/Getty Images
For a full decade Jensen was the coach behind Denmark’s rowing hero, Eskild Ebbesen.
Ebbesen was part of Denmark’s lightweight
four, Guldfireren, who dominated the event
internationally from their win at the 1996
Olympic Games through to gold again in
2004.
“The way in which Bent continues to battle
his illness has most certainly had a profound
impact on my perspective on rowing,” says
Brambell. “However, long before Bent became
ill he, as a person, changed my perspective on
life and as a coach he most certainly changed
my perspective on rowing. All for the better!”
Ebbesen describes Jensen, “He knows what
to say to make the boat go faster. He just sees
it without having to analyse it. Also he is good
at making people feel comfortable on a team.
He has good humour and knows when his
rowers are not all right.”
Jensen was unable to make it to the rowing
course for the Olympic Finals, but Brambell
says it did not prevent his influence and
inspiration being felt. “He taught us everything
we needed to know before we left Canada,”
says Brambell. “Someone in the boat would
remember something Bent had said.”
“Bent is good at giving
the rowers a lot of
responsibility themselves. He is not the
type who thinks he
has to be there every
time to make the
team hard enough.
He makes a team
that wants to win.”
The lightweight men’s four Final at the Beijing
Olympics had both Jensen’s former crew
Denmark and his current Canadian crew
racing. At the finish line both crews medalled.
A fitting tribute to coach BentJensen.
■ M.S.B.
As we went to print we regret to say Bent passed
away on 9 December 2008 after his fight with
pancreatic cancer.
