November 2021 : Jaime Canalejo Pazos

Rower of the Month – November 2021

Since he first picked up an oar at only 8 years old, Jaime Canalejo Pazos has been in love with the sport. After reaching his first Olympic Final in the Men’s Pair this year, he decided to take part in the 2021 World Rowing Coastal Championship, where he took home two medals – gold in the Coastal Men’s Solo, and silver in the Coastal Mixed Double with his life partner Natalia de Miguel. We sat down with him to chat some more:

How was your on water season?

It started very well with a bronze at World Rowing Cup I in Zagreb, with a good feeling for the Olympics. Then at World Cup II in Lucerne, we couldn’t get our best performance and had some problems. Luckily, we managed to solve them quickly. Participating in the Olympic Games was a dream come true. We managed to compete very well, especially in the semi-final, which gave us a pass to the final A. The medal would not be, since we could not recover 100% from one day to the next, and our rivals were superior to us. We felt a little tired, and the second 1000 meters we could not put in the small change of pace that we always do.
Later in the season, I participated in the World Rowing Coastal Championship. I won the CM1x and came second in Mix2x with my partner Natalia de Miguel. The regattas were incredible, and we managed to beat boats that had a high level.

How did you first get into rowing?

I live in Seville and rowing has a lot of tradition there. I tried it out with my brother at the Club Náutico Sevilla, and from the first day I loved it. I started when I was only 8 years old, but I am still here.

You recently competed (and did very well!) at the 2021 World Rowing Coastal Championships. Can you tell us more about your experience in coastal rowing, and what prompted you to try it?

The experience was incredible. It is totally different from Olympic rowing. There is a lot of strategy in the regatta and many things can happen (crashes, changes of direction, waves, etc.). It is very entertaining and fun, although they are very long races; since they are between 4000 and 6000 meters long. I was encouraged by my partner Natalia de Miguel who lives in a coastal city (Malaga), to try it out. We thought about doing the Coastal Mixed Double to be able to row together, and then she encouraged me to do the CM1x as well. Luckily I listened, because I went on to win a spectacular race. I had been training the month of September in Malaga at her club, since they let me row with their boats and adapt to the sea. That way of rowing is totally different. It took many kilometers with the waves to get used to it, and there were very difficult days.

Can you tell us more about your A-Final in the CM1x at the 2021 World Rowing Coastal Championships? It looked like an amazing race.

The regatta was very complicated because there is a lot of current at the mouth of the Tajo River in Lisbon where the race took place. I managed to reach the first buoy with the current World Rowing Coastal Champion, Adrián Miramón. He got caught on the buoy and the capsized because of the current. At that moment, I knew that I had a good chance of winning. The second straightaway was 2km, so the second buoy was not visible in the distance. You had to go in blindly, and trust that you were in the right direction. It was far out into the ocean, and the waves were getting bigger and harder to row. The German came up to me right on the third part of the race, but I managed to get ahead again and then I knew that if I didn’t make any mistakes, I would win. The last kilometer, I loosened out a bit, because I had the A-Final in the CMix2x 1 hour later and I did not want to wear myself out.

What do you think about the future of coastal rowing?

I think it is very spectacular and has a great future. More and more countries are participating and the level in the championships is higher every edition. This year, several Olympic rowers medalled, so the reach is really increasing. I think it may be an Olympic discipline in the not too distant future.

What are your upcoming goals in rowing?

In the short term, this year’s international competitions (European Championships in Munich, World Rowing Championships in Racice). And in the long term, I am thinking of the Olympic Games in Paris 2024. This Olympic cycle is a shorter year and I think I can achieve a better result than in Tokyo.

Where is your favourite rowing location?

Seville is the best. Luckily that’s where I live. The weather, the city, and the river are perfect for rowing. There is 7km of calm water, in which you cross through the city with incredible views. Many large rowing nations and rowers come train here during the winter months.

When you aren’t rowing, what does your life look like? Are you a student, do you work, or is rowing the full-time job?

I spend most of my time training, but I am completing a degree in sports and physical activity science. I hope to finish it this year, and face the qualifying year in 2023 at 100%.

If you could give one piece of advice to a rower starting out what would it be?

Enjoy the process and be patient. It is a very physical and technical sport and requires many years to excel. There are going to be good and bad days, but the important thing is to always get up and go for the next one.

What’s the most memorable piece of advice that has been said to you?

With work, effort, and sacrifice dreams come true; and that I can say is true.

Do you have a mentor or athlete that you admire?

Rafael Nadal seems to me to be the perfect athlete. He has won it all and remains humble. It is very difficult to be in his situation and keep your feet on the ground. He is an athlete that I have always loved to see compete, and luckily he is Spanish.

Check out Jaime’s A-Final in the CM1x here, and follow him through his Instagram as he continues his path to Paris2024.