Albanian rowers
© 2009 Michael Steele/Getty Images
Albania and Italy may seem worlds apart,
but just a stretch of water, the 50km Strait
of Otranto, separate them. Now rowing has
brought a greater connection. Albanian
rowing is solely in Italy.
at home in Italy
It all began seven years ago when a recent
immigrant from Albania to Italy, Ilda Theka, decided
to take up rowing. This was the same year that Italy
hosted the World Rowing Championships in Milan
(in 2003) and local rowing enthusiast, Antonio
Bassi, noted that there were no Albanian rowers
at the championships. Bassi had met Theka who
was rowing at the Moto Guzzi Rowing Club in
Mandello del Lario, Italy, and with the support of
Coach Franco Zucchi they looked at establishing
Albanian rowing in Italy.
remains slim. Theka says there are a couple of lakes
that may be useful – particularly a small artificial
lake in the middle of the capital, Tirana – but it
would have to start from scratch.
Nikaj was born in Shkodeer, Albania, and now
lives in Varese, one of Italy’s top rowing spots. The
small core of Albanians has further been joined by
Andi Cuko. Cuko, 20, resides in Verbania, Italy but
was born in Fier, Albania.
Marsel Nikaj of Albania
competing in the men’s single
sculls at the 2009 World Rowing
Junior Championships in Brive-la-Gaillarde, France.
“When I tell people in Albania that I row they are
surprised,” says Theka. “But now I notice that there
is more interest than before.”
Although there are a few rowing clubs in Albania,
they have no Olympic boats. A national federation
has been established, but it is relatively inactive
and is run through the Albanian Olympic
Committee. The potential for Olympic-
standard rowing in Albania, at this stage,
Since Theka started rowing, Albanian rowing
in Italy has grown to include Theka’s brother
Edy. Edy took up the sport in 2006 and has
already participated in the World Rowing Junior
Championships and the 2008 World Rowing
Under 23 Championships. Recently he has been
joined by Marsel Nikaj and last year the duo rowed
together in the under- 23 double.
The rowers met through
competing at Italian regattas
and Zucchi encouraged them to
connect as a group. Theka says
that 2009 was an important
year for the Albanian
team as the small group
doubled in size to four. >
