Wikipedia

Hartmut Wenzel

Hartmut Wenzel (23 February 1947 – 24 August 2020) was a German coxswain. He defected from East Germany during his rowing career in 1971, later winning Olympic bronze for West Germany.

Hartmut Wenzel
Personal information
Born(1947-02-23)23 February 1947
Berlin
Died24 August 2020(2020-08-24) (aged 73)
Essen
Height167 cm (5 ft 6 in)
Weight54 kg (119 lb)
Sport
SportRowing
ClubTSC Berlin
RK Am Baldeneysee Essen
Medal record
Men's rowing
Representing  East Germany
World Rowing Championships
Bronze medal – third place 1966 Bled Eight
European Rowing Championships
Silver medal – second place 1969 Klagenfurt Coxed four
Representing  West Germany
Olympic Games
Bronze medal – third place 1976 Montreal Coxed four
World Rowing Championships
Bronze medal – third place 1975 Nottingham Coxed four
Bronze medal – third place 1977 Amsterdam Eight
Silver medal – second place 1978 Cambridge Eight

Wenzel was born in 1947 in Berlin. He was a rowing cox for TSC Berlin and in 1966, he won his first national title coxing the eight.[1] He then went to the 1966 World Rowing Championships in Bled with the eight where they won a bronze medal.[2] For their success at the World Championships, team members were awarded the title and medal Honoured Master of Sports.[3]

After a break from the sport, he came second at the East German national championships in 1969 with the eight from TSC Berlin, beaten for first place by ASK Vorwärts Rostock.[1] From this team, a coxed four was formed for the 1969 European Rowing Championships in Klagenfurt, and they won the silver medal behind West Germany.[4] The same team came second at the 1970 East German national championships, beaten by rowers from ASK Vorwärts Rostock.[5]

In 1971, Wenzel defected and joined RK Am Baldeneysee Essen. In 1971, his first season at the new club, he became national champion with the coxed four.[6] For the 1972 rowing season, he changed to the eight and the team won silver at the national championships. In 1973, the rowing eight from Essen became German champion.[7] In 1974, he was back coxing the four for Essen, and they became German champion.[6] For the 1975 World Rowing Championships in Nottingham, he was the cox for four rowers from different clubs, and this team won a bronze medal after the Soviet Union and East Germany.[8] Most of Wenzel's team members changed for the 1976 season, but the new composition once again won the national championships.[6] He also coxed an eight at the national championships, and that boat came second.[7] West Germany qualified a coxed four for the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal and further changes to the rowing team composition were made. That team won the bronze medal in the coxed four event.[9]

At the 1977 World Rowing Championships in Amsterdam, Wenzel coxed the eight that won the bronze medal.[10] In 1978, he coxed an eight that came second at the national championships.[7] The exact same team won the silver medal, behind East Germany, at the 1978 World Rowing Championships in Cambridge, New Zealand.[11] He finished his international career with his appearance in New Zealand.[12]

At the national championships in 1979, Wenzel came second with the coxed four, and third with the eight.[6][7] The same eight went to the 1979 World Rowing Championships in Bled where they came ninth.[13]

He had been ill for several years before he died on 24 August 2020.[12]

References edit

  1. ^ a b Hoffmann, Wilfried. "DDR-Rudermeisterschaften: Achter – Männer (Plätze 1–3)" (in German). Rüsselsheimer Ruder-Klub 08. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
  2. ^ Hoffmann, Wilfried. "Ruder-Weltmeisterschaften seit 1962: Deutsche Medaillenerfolge – Gold, Silber und Bronze" (in German). Rüsselsheimer Ruder-Klub 08. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
  3. ^ "Leistungen gewürdigt". Berliner Zeitung (in German). Vol. 22, no. 342. 13 December 1966. p. 7. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
  4. ^ Heckert, Karlheinz. "Rudern – Europameisterschaften (Herren – Vierer m.Stm.)" (in German). Sport Komplett. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
  5. ^ Hoffmann, Wilfried. "DDR-Rudermeisterschaften: Vierer-mit – Männer (Plätze 1–3)" (in German). Rüsselsheimer Ruder-Klub 08. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
  6. ^ a b c d Hoffmann, Wilfried. "Deutsches Meisterschaftsrudern (DMR): Vierer mit Steuermann – Männer (Plätze 1–3)" (in German). Rüsselsheimer Ruder-Klub 08. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
  7. ^ a b c d Hoffmann, Wilfried. "Deutsches Meisterschaftsrudern (DMR): Achter – Männer (Plätze 1–3)" (in German). Rüsselsheimer Ruder-Klub 08. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
  8. ^ "1975 World Rowing Championships: (M4+) Men's Coxed Four – Final". WorldRowing.com. FISA. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
  9. ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Hartmut Wenze". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
  10. ^ "1977 World Rowing Championships: (M8+) Men's Eight – Final". WorldRowing.com. FISA. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
  11. ^ "(M8+) Men's Eight – Final". International Rowing Federation. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
  12. ^ a b Sauer, Volker; Riethmüller, Peter; Weinreich, Manfred; Göbe, Wilfried. "Trauer um Hartmut Wenzel (23.02.1947 – 24.08.2020)" [Mourning for Hartmut Wenzel (23 February 1947 - 24 August 2020)] (in German). Ruderklub am Baldeneysee. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  13. ^ "(M8+) Men's Eight – Final". International Rowing Federation. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
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