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Kiiver and Ader Dominate Alfa Rowing, Narrowly Miss National Records
Rower Kaarel Kiiver and CrossFit athlete Adelle Ader secured victories at the 33rd Alfa indoor rowing competition, with both athletes posting 1000-meter times that fell just fractions of a second short of long-standing Estonian national records.
- —Kaarel Kiiver of Tartu University Academic Sports Club won the men's 1000m event at the 33rd Alfa indoor rowing competition with a time of 2:44.5, narrowly missing Tõnu Endrekson's national record.
- —In the women's category, CrossFit athlete Adelle Ader secured victory with a time of 3:11.7, just 0.1 seconds shy of Kaisa Pajusalu's Estonian record.
- —Veteran rower Allar Raja, a five-time Olympian, competed in the men's final, finishing fourth behind younger competitors.
- —The competition featured over 300 participants, including both professional rowers and enthusiasts.
Recap
The near-record times at the Alfa competition signal a highly competitive landscape in Estonian indoor rowing. The victory of a CrossFit athlete, Adelle Ader, who nearly broke a record set in 2009, points to a potential influx of talent from non-traditional athletic backgrounds, challenging established norms within the sport.