The KEYS Project consortium brings together a diverse group of partners committed to addressing dropout rates in sports, fostering inclusivity, and advancing the discipline of Coastal Rowing. Each partner brings unique expertise, resources, and perspectives, creating a collaborative and dynamic approach to achieving the project’s objectives.
Veslaški klub Piran – Slovenia
Founded in 1887, the Piran Rowing Club is based in the Sečovlje Salt Pans Landscape Park. With about 40 youth rowers (ages 10-20), the club focuses on developing competitive rowing for youngsters. It addresses issues like adolescent dropout, promotes coastal rowing, and fosters ecological awareness. The club organizes an annual regatta in Portorož Bay and collaborates with schools to engage youth in rowing.
Team Members:
- Marko Bolha: Project leader, coach. Master’s in Kinesiology, certified rowing coach (Slovenian and World Rowing), ex-national team member, experience in European Beach Sprint.
- Pia Mušič: Coastal rowing development team. Master’s in Kinesiology, active coastal rower and researcher, experience in European Beach Sprint.
- Lea Sorgo: Head Coach. Certified rowing coach (levels 1 and 2, Slovenia) with massage therapy expertise.
- Gregor Simonič: Volunteer and club member. Computer programmer.
Veslački klub – Club di canottaggio ARUPINUM Rovinj-Rovigno, Croatia
Founded in 1907, this is the oldest sports club in Rovinj-Rovigno, with 40 active competitors. It focuses on youth rowing (ages 15-18), offering innovative training like cycling routes and coastal rowing. The club sees this project as a way to prevent dropout, attract new athletes, and develop skills for the new Olympic Beach Sprint discipline.
Team Members:
- Nickol Udovičić: Rowing coach. Certified international coastal rowing coach, nearing a degree in rowing from the Faculty of Kinesiology in Zagreb, ex-national team member.
- Antonio Marangon: Technical commission volunteer and club member.
- Alen Jakus: Club President. Volunteer and active club member.
Rowing Club Adriatico Fano ASD – Italy
Established in 2018 in Fano, this club is dedicated to promoting Coastal Rowing, leveraging ideal conditions along the Adriatic Sea. With expertise in Beach Rowing Sprint and Erasmus projects, it fosters local and international collaborations, enhances skills in young athletes, and supports rowing’s growth through inclusive programs and high-level coaching.
Team Members:
- Fabio Patrignani: President and coastal rowing coach. Expert in marketing, EU projects, and event management. Extensive experience in organizing rowing events and teaching coastal rowing techniques.
- Corrado Coacci: Rowing coach. Active with RC Adriatico Fano and Club Nautico Fanese ASD.
- Eugenio Balducci: Rowing and coastal rowing coach. Master’s in Sport Education, sports events manager, and PR expert with schools and parents for youth sports activities.
- Anna Perini: Business intelligence engineer, she is a sport club promoter of the project idea, connecting link between the partners, coordinating the network of italian sportclub. Communication and social manager
VERTEBRAE – Slovenia
A physiotherapy clinic specializing in sports injuries and athlete well-being, Vertebrae brings expertise in biomechanics, injury prevention, and rehabilitation. Its owner, an active master rower, aims to create international guidelines for injury prevention and rehabilitation while collaborating with the project’s multidisciplinary team.
Team Members:
- Blaž Kopič: Physiotherapist. Bachelor’s in physiotherapy, official physiotherapist for the volleyball national team, active in sports therapy with experience from courses and conferences.