Teaneck Rowing Coach Honored for Regatta Win

Teaneck High School Rowing Coach Clemens Reinke was honored recently by the Bergen County Freeholders for his win in the FISA World Rowing Masters Regatta 2013, the freeholders announced Monday.

The race was held on the Lago di Varese in Varese, Italy, about 35 miles north of Milan, and included more than 3,000 participants from 49 countries racing in 140 events, a news release said.

Reinke raced in the Men’s D single category and placed first in his heat, the announcement said. Overall, he had the 12th fastest time of the category.

Reinke began his rowing career in Germany in the mid-1970's winning several gold medals at the German Scholastic and Junior Championships in the single, doubles and quads. In 1978, Reinke won the Junior Single event at the Thames Head Race in England. He was invited to join the German Junior National Team and trained with world champion sculler, Peter Michael Kolbe. Clemens medaled gold for Germany at an International Youth Regatta in Villach, Austria in 1979, according to the release.

Reinke is head coach of the Teaneck High School crew team, the Leonia High School crew team and the Fairleigh Dickinson University crew club. He has worked since 2010 to develop rowing programs for local youth, collegiate and adult levels at the Teaneck Rowing Club, now called the Overpeck Community Rowing Association.