Junior Henry Zietlow started rowing when he was a sophomore and has been hooked ever since.

He rows on the Mississippi River and mostly focuses on sculling, which is using two oars, and he prefers to row solo. He races about once or twice a month at regattas, which is just another word for a race. To prepare for regattas, Zietlow trains several times a week. An average practice consists of dryland exercise on Raspberry Island and then rowing practice on the Mississippi River.

Q: What is rowing?

A: There are two main types of rowing; one is called sweeping, and that’s where you have one ore, and the other is called sculling, where you hold two ores. Essentially you are just racing people and trying to go as fast as you can either over the course of two kilometers or five kilometers. There are a lot of different types of boats that you can be in, from as small as a one person boat to boats with nine people.

Q: When did you start and how did you get into it?

A: I started fall [of] sophomore year. I got into it because of my mom, she rowed in college and she still rows recreationally. I thought it would be a really great way to get out on the river in St. Paul.

Q: What’s your biggest accomplishment?

A: We had a big regatta in Cincinnati with a bunch of teams from all across the Midwest and I got second place in one of my events.

Q: What’s your favorite thing about rowing?

A: It gives me a reason to get outside on the river every day. It’s [a] really a pretty part of Saint Paul, especially in the fall with all the changing colors. I just like being able to get out on the Mississippi.

Q: How and where do you train?

A: Our boat house is on Raspberry Island which is right next to downtown St. Paul, and we just row down the Mississippi. We row around Lilydale up to the 35 E bridge.

Q: What’s the hardest thing about rowing?

A: People don’t realize that it’s a really difficult sport. It’s just as physically draining as running or cross country skiing, but it has the added element of really difficult technique.

Q: What’s the biggest challenge you’ve had to overcome?

A: There hasn’t really been one big challenge, just a lot of little obstacles to overcome, like refining my technique and becoming more fit.

Q: What’s something that most people don’t know about rowing?

A: A lot of people underestimate how difficult it is. It’s really technical and really difficult physically. I also think that most people don’t realize how many people row. There are at least five to six rowing clubs in the Twin Cities, each with a lot of members.

Q: Is rowing a team sport? If so, what’s the team dynamic?

A: I think it’s definitely a team sport because when you’re rowing you have to be completely in sync with the people in your boat, if even just one person’s off it slows your boat down a lot. I’m definitely really good friends with a lot of people in my club, there’s a really good team dynamic.

Q: Do you have a favorite memory from rowing?

A: I really like going to regattas with the team because, first of all, I really like to compete, but I also really like the memories that you can make with your team on regatta weekends though bonding and stuff.