The Perfect Stroke

The story behind The Perfect Stroke:
The efforts of an international team of volunteers from Paris, Amsterdam, London and New York made it
possible for a photographer to fulfill his dream of making a documentary about his first love, the sport of
rowing. After two years of hard work, the film, called The Perfect Stroke, has been completed and is now
available on DVD (http://www.jlrowing.com/pestdvd.html). The net proceeds will be used exclusively to
benefit the under-funded sport of rowing.
The photographer is Co Rentmeester who grew up in war-torn Amsterdam, not far away from the house where
Anna Frank was hiding. When he was young he wanted to become a pilot in the Dutch Air Force, but his father
thought that profession was too dangerous, refused to sign a required consent form, and gave his son a
Rolleiflex camera instead. Young Rentmeester started taking snap shots but also expressed his love for speed,
beauty and competition by taking up the sport of rowing. Rowing soon became his life. In the late 50s Co
became Hollands National Champion in single sculls, then European Champion in double sculls and in 1960 he
represented the Netherlands as a member of the rowing team in the Rome Olympics.
After the Olympics Co realized it would be impossible to continue training for another four years, time had
come to start making a living. He joined his sisters in the United States and moved to a small town in
California. One day, while working out at a local high school track, he met one of the high school teachers.
They started talking, became friendly and Co showed him the snapshots he had taken over the years. The
teacher was impressed and encouraged him to apply at the Art Center School of Design in Pasadena. A year
later Co was enrolled with a full scholarship. While studying he did some freelance assignments and, just
before he graduated, LIFE magazine published his photographs taken during the Watts Riots in Los Angeles,
including the cover. In the 37 years that followed, his photography took him all over the world, even fulfilled
his childhood desire of flying in a fighter jet when he photographed a story for LIFE magazine about the F14
and F16 (www.co-rentmeester.com).
In 2000, after a long and successful career in photography, Co decided it was time to hang up his still-cameras.
He wanted to row again and needed time to reacquaint himself with the sport after a 40-year hiatus. While
training to compete, this time in the masters, Co had the idea of combining his two passions, rowing and story
telling on film. The idea turned into a mission to help the sport and inspire young people to pick up rowing by
showing the beauty of the sport and, at the same time, demonstrate that rowing is an activity that incorporates
discipline, character development, teamwork, mental acuity and physical skill into one art form.
When returning from a rowing race with Jan-Maurits de Jonge in 2004, Co convinced his friend to join him in
the effort of making the film. Co and Jan-Maurits, who lives in the Netherlands, are still avid veteran scullers.
Together they recruited a team of volunteers, worked nonstop for 2 years and, against all odds, pulled off the
project. Jan Maurits and Co are now the proud producer and director of a beautiful film that hopefully will
continue to inspire young people for many years to come. The making of the film was a labor of love and,
except for some technical post-production, was completed entirely by volunteers.
As a final note, it should be reiterated that hundred percent of the net proceeds of the sale of DVDs will go to a
non-profit foundation for the sole benefit of promoting the sport of rowing. Besides helping a good cause with
the purchase of a DVD, those who purchase the documentary will own a beautiful film worth adding to
anybodys film library (http://www.jlrowing.com/pestdvd.html).

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• rowing
• row
• sculling
• sports
• water
• sport
• roeien
• roei
• skiff
• rentmeester

[knomip666]

Title=That's what she said.



[greenpower444]

I was stroke for the first time yesterday in my team's four boat. It's harder than it looks!!!

[vclarke4433]

@greenpower444 i remember my first beer

[LaMagra70]

@my8millennium We started race at 45 degrees angle to the right compared to the track, and there was a 45 degree bent in the middle of the race, ironically, to the left. And it was r-eight. We ended up first. :) Don't be too scared, just follow the strokes.

[my8millennium]

Ya, I'm training to be coxswain. Really terrified about steering. Plus we have to do a sharp turn near the dam.

[TheWhin]

der hollönder auf platz 3 bei 0:37 sieht aus wie jogi löw :D