Keys Project E+

07/01/2026

https://keysproject.eu/new-keys-resource-motor-transfer-a-smarter-way-to-build-rowers-and-keep-young-athletes-in-sport/

📣 New KEYS resource is out! Motor Transfer 🚣‍♀️⚡️

How can other sports make young rowers stronger, smarter, and more adaptable?
Our new KEYS deliverable “Motor Transfer” explores how skills learned in different activities can transfer into rowing (and back), with practical insights for both flat rowing and coastal rowing / Beach Sprint.

Inside you’ll find:
✅ 15 sports analysed for their transfer potential
✅ simple 1–10 transfer scores (into rowing / from rowing)
✅ coach-friendly tips on how to use cross-training on purpose
✅ ideas to support performance, motivation, and injury prevention

Because keeping young people in sport also means keeping training varied, fun, and sustainable. 💙

📄 Read and share the deliverable: “2.1 Motor Transfer”
Tell us in the comments: which sport has helped you most in rowing?

In KEYS (Keeping our young generations in sports), we’re always looking for training ideas that do two things at once: boost performance and keep sport engaging, varied, and sustainable for young athletes. That’s exactly why we’re sharing our new deliverable “2.1 Motor Transfer”—a practi...

20/10/2025

From Izola, Slovenia this weekend: the National Beach Championships ran alongside an international beach sprint regatta—an ideal stage to connect our two European projects, Beachblast and KeYs (Keep Young in Sport).

In the photo: five athletes with international experience from Ireland, Italy, Croatia, and Slovenia—and they didn’t just compete; they came away with 6 golds and 3 silvers. 🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇 + 🥈🥈🥈

Beyond the medals, the real win was the exchange of ideas: coaches and athletes sharing approaches, comparing experiences, and building a truly European coastal rowing community—in the spirit of beach sprint and the European spirit.

Both projects revolve around coastal rowing, each with different targets and objectives, and moments like this help us learn from each other and grow together. Thanks to everyone in Izola for the warm welcome!

12/10/2025

🇪🇺 European Championships update!

Here are some photos of Nickol and Antonio Zanini, who have just competed at the European Championships!

Antonio made it into the top 16, finishing with the 12th fastest time before being eliminated in the round of 16 in Antalya (TUR). 🏖️
This was also his first time being selected for the national team — a fantastic achievement! 🇮🇹💪

Antonio also took part in the Keys Camp this summer, and both he and Nickol continue to train using the exercises provided by Blaž Kopič.

We’re proud to see their progress and dedication on the international stage! 🌍👏

09/10/2025

A fast, functional clean: lift the sandbag from the floor to one shoulder, stand tall, and control the descent.

Why: total-body strength, serious grip, and anti-lateral-flexion core. Great for power or conditioning.

Setup: bag centered between your feet, hinge with a neutral spine, brace hard.

How:
Load — hinge, grip, keep it close.
Drive — extend hips & knees, “zip” up the torso, rack to shoulder.
Finish — tall posture, glutes on, ribs down. Lower under control.

Cues: close to body • elbows tight • feet rooted • no twisting.
Avoid: rounded back • arm-only pull • letting the bag crash.

Scale/Progress: go lighter for volume or time caps; start bear-hug → to-shoulder; alternate sides; progress to clean & toss, shoulder-to-overhead, and carries.
Thanks Blaž Kopič

A fast, functional clean: lift the sandbag from floor to one shoulder, stand tall, control the descent. Why: total-body strength, grip, and anti-lateral-flexion core; great for power or conditioning. Setup: bag centered between feet, hinge with neutral spine, brace.

01/09/2025

🍎🏥 Snack with Sport at Papa Giovanni XXIII Hospital in Bergamo – a special day to promote healthy living and the joy of movement.
On Sunday 7th September together with Canottieri Sebino, children and families will experience the thrill of rowing on indoor rowing machines (remoergometers) – discovering the fun of the game, the strength of teamwork, and the connection between indoor and outdoor rowing. 🚣‍♀️✨

This initiative is part of the KEYS Project, sharing values that matter:

🧡 Health & Wellbeing – encouraging balanced nutrition and active lifestyles

🌍 Inclusion & Community – making sport accessible for everyone

💪 Teamwork & Growth – showing how rowing builds trust, resilience, and collaboration

👉 Because sport is not just about performance – it’s about values that last a lifetime.

01/09/2025

❓How do we keep our young people engaged in sport? By showing them that sport is more than competition – it’s teamwork, fun, and new experiences.

With the KEYS Project, our athletes discovered the link between basketball and Beach Coastal Rowing: both demand collaboration, quick decisions, and trust in your teammates. 🏀🌊🚣‍♂️

From basketball sessions on land to beach sprints on the sea, young rowers learned that staying active means growing together, learning from each other, and building skills that last far beyond the game.

👉 Keep our young in sport – because sport keeps us strong, connected, and inspired.

25/07/2025

🌊✨ The KEYS Camp 2025 was unforgettable!
Young athletes from 🇮🇹 🇸🇮 🇭🇷 came together for a week of rowing, kayaking, sailing, SUP, orienteering, and real international friendship!

From the waves of the Adriatic to the forests of Furlo and the streets of Fano — every day was an adventure 💪🌍

📸 Want to know what happened day by day and hear what the participants had to say?

👉 Read the full story here:
🔗 https://keysproject.eu/keys-camp-2025-an-adventure-of-waves-rivers-orienteering-and-international-friendships/

25/07/2025

🏁 KEYS CAMP 2025 – AN ADVENTURE ACROSS WAVES, RIVERS AND FRIENDSHIP!

The Keys Camp 2025 has come to an end — and what an amazing experience it’s been!
From the very first stroke to the final high-five, this international camp brought together young rowers from Croatia 🇭🇷, Slovenia 🇸🇮, and Italy 🇮🇹 in a week filled with sport, challenges, and friendship.

📍 DAY 1 – Welcome & First Strokes
👋 Sara (VK Arupinum Rovinj, CRO):
💬 "At first I was a bit nervous, but as soon as we started rowing together, I felt like part of the group. Everyone is super friendly!"

🚣 Leon (VK Piran, SLO):
💬 "I really enjoyed getting to know people from other clubs. We had our first training and it was already so much fun!"

🌊 Fabio (Club Nautico Fanese, ITA):
💬 "I like coastal rowing because I like row on waves."

📍 DAY 2 – Nature & Adrenaline
🚣‍♀️ Anita (Canottieri Montefeltro, ITA):
💬 "On the second day we went to Furlo by canoe and we went in the adventure park – but it was very scary :)"

🌅 Juraj (VK Arupinum Rovinj, CRO):
💬 "On the second day we went kayaking and to an adventure park. My favorite part was the kayaking because it was fun and we went on a beautiful river and saw beautiful sites."

🧗 Elly (VK Piran, SLO):
💬 "I really loved the adventure park because it was really high and it was great and fun."

📍 DAY 3 – Orienteering, Sailing & SUP
⛵ Marko (VK Arupinum Rovinj, CRO):
💬 "The third day was sailing and spending time in the water on the SUP."

📍 Tinkara (VK Piran, SLO):
💬 "The whole third day was very exciting because in the morning we went orienteering in Fano and later we went to the beach where my favourite part was sailing."

🥇 Annalisa (Canottieri Montefeltro, ITA):
💬 "My favorite part on third day was orienteering in Fano, because I won. It was a fun day!"

✨ A full week of growth, fun, and discovery — across borders and beyond language barriers.
Thank you to all the athletes, coaches and organizers for making Keys Camp 2025 truly unforgettable.

See you at the next edition!

22/07/2025

🌍✨ ORIENTEERING IN THE HEART OF FANO!
Today was all about teamwork, strategy, and discovery as our participants took on an exciting orienteering challenge through the streets of Fano! 🗺️💪

Divided into international teams, the young participants had to follow clues, decode maps, and rely on each other to reach hidden checkpoints spread across the city. It wasn’t just a race—it was a lesson in trust, communication, and leadership.

What made this day truly special wasn’t who finished first, but how every group learned to collaborate, listen, and support one another, even in moments of pressure and confusion.

From spontaneous cheers in Piazza XX Settembre to high-fives after solving tough riddles, today reminded us that every goal is easier when you work as a team.

🇪🇺 Another beautiful example of how Erasmus+ and this European experience bring young people together beyond borders.

💬 “We didn’t know each other yesterday—today we’re finishing each other’s sentences,” said one participant at the final checkpoint. And that says it all.

22/07/2025

🔹 Train smart to row strong – with Blaž Kopic at KEYS Camp 2025 🔹

At the KEYS Summer Team Building Camp, young athletes from Veslaški klub Piran, Arupinum, and Canottieri Montefeltro had the chance to experience a different kind of training — one that starts from within.

Led by Blaž Kopic of Vertebrae, the sessions focused on:
✅ Injury prevention
✅ Postural strengthening
✅ Functional mobility and body awareness

Through targeted and thoughtful movement, Blaž helped participants understand how performance is not just about power, but about balance, control, and smart preparation.

📣 "It’s not about doing more, but doing better."
This was the key message: an approach that supports young rowers not just in competition, but in building strong, resilient, and healthy athletic foundations.

Thank you to Vertebrae and Blaž for adding real value to the camp — and for reminding us that better movement leads to better results.

22/07/2025

🌲🧗‍♀️ Adventure Mode: ON! 🧗‍♂️🌲

Yesterday our KEYS Camp athletes from Veslaški klub Piran, Arupinum, and Canottieri Montefeltro pushed themselves to new heights — quite literally — at the Furlo Adventure Park!

Zip lines, rope bridges, climbing nets, forest trails — surrounded by nature and challenged by gravity, the teams faced fears, celebrated courage, and discovered that sometimes, the hardest step… is the first one off the platform. 😄💥

But just like in rowing, balance, trust, and teamwork made all the difference. Every shout of encouragement, every hand held out, every smile from the ground reminded us: we grow stronger when we lift each other up.

These are the moments we’ll take home:
🌳 conquering treetops,
🌟 cheering on teammates,
💪 learning that limits are often just starting points.