ATHLETE OF THE MONTH Elia Luini

For over a decade there has hardly been a final in the lightweight men’s double sculls that Elia Luini has not been in. The courageous Italian is World Rowing’s Athlete of the Month for May and he openly shares with us the highs and lows of his rowing career so far, as well as his thoughts on what makes a good double and all about his current doubles partner, Lorenzo Bertini.
World Rowing: What are you looking forward to this month?Elia Luini: I look forward to training in a satisfactory way so as to achieve a positive result in Munich. This is the first step of my journey to the World Rowing Championships and, ultimately, London!
WR: Where are you at present?EL: I’m currently in Gavirate (close to Varese) but I am going back to Piediluco (Terni) in a few days to continue my preparation for the World Rowing Cup in Munich.
WR: Describe your typical day. EL: When I’m at home, I usually wake up at 8am and have breakfast. I generally leave my house around 9.30am to reach the Varese Rowing Club. There I train alone on the lake and I am a guest, as my own club is the Aniene Rowing Club, in Rome. I’m generally done with my training by 12.30pm, when I usually have lunch with my parents. I get some rest in the early afternoon and relax before my second daily training session begins. For the second session I can choose between running, biking, going to the gym or rowing once more.
After this I usually go home and have dinner. In the evening I normally watch TV or meet up with friends. Apart from rare occasions, I go to bed around 11pm or midnight.
WR: When not rowing what can you be found doing?EL: Since I get to spend very little time at home, when I am not rowing I usually take care of those tasks I never have enough time to take care of. Let’s say it’s mostly housekeeping tasks!
WR: Give us a bit of a background on how you first got into rowing. EL: My first meeting with the rowing world dates back to when I was 12. I had practised a lot of different kinds of sport (judo, basketball and swimming) as my parents, who had also practised much sport, believed that it was necessary for a kid to take on some sport. Their aim was not to make a champion out of me, but they felt that sport is essential for a kid and helps you grow up. However, the problem was always the same: all these sport activities were designed for kids, which means that we were supposed to meet two to three times a week only and we had no meeting at all during summertime when school was closed for holidays. Because of this lack of continuity I used to switch to a new sport any time September came to try something new.
I was lucky when it came to rowing because not only did I like rowing very much, but also I could keep on rowing for the whole summertime. The courses did not stop at the end of school time: instead our training sessions were doubled during the holidays! That’s one of the reasons why I stuck to rowing once I had started. Moreover, I always had some challenging goals to achieve which was something that made it more and more exciting!
WR: Are you a full-time rower? EL: Yes, I’m a full time athlete. At this level, athletes luckily manage to practise full time as they are supported either by the army branches or by private sport clubs. I do not belong to the army and I’m part the Aniene Rowing Club as previously mentioned. The club, based in Rome, has many members who love rowing and do a lot to support and make the most of the sport activities and the athletes.
WR: You just competed in the Memorial D’Aloja. Is the double with Lorenzo Bertini a sign of your season to come? EL: I would say so: Lorenzo and I were already together on the national races which were held two weeks before the Memorial. We were both happy with the results achieved on these two occasions and agreed that they were a good start for us and also a very positive way to get closer to what is waiting for us in Munich.

The rest of the story here: worldrowing.com