Interview With Philippe Romé

Philippe Romé, Swedish Champion. Photo Courtesy Peter Petersson.

Loyal HTBS reader and contributor Hélène Rémond in Rennes, France, helped a fellow French journalist to look for people from France living in Sweden, who wanted to be interviewed for Jobtrotter. Each month the site is interviewing Frenchmen living abroad to hear how it is to live in another country. This month it was Sweden’s turn. As the interviews are in French, Hélène has been kind enough to edit and rewrite one interesting interview. (Click here to read the interview in French.) Hélène writes,

I discovered my fellow countryman Philippe Romé thanks to a HTBS post about the Swedish Rowing Sprint Championships held in Malmö. I thought it would be a nice opportunity to talk about rowing, so I contacted this French rower, who is a Swedish rowing champion. Philippe actually comes from Redon, in Brittany, which is close to my hometown. It was also an opportunity to put him in the spotlight in a way. Just like his father, he used to row in Rennes, at the Société des Régates Rennaises, the oldest sporting club in the city, founded in 1867.

Philippe has now lived in Sweden for three years, after living with his Swedish girlfriend during four years, before the birth of their first child. He works as a “sportchef’, and coach at Mölndal Rowing Club, in the suburbs of Göteborg, on the Swedish west coast. He trains adults, young teenagers, and school children on all levels. He also organizes special events for companies, for ‘teambuilding’, "which is a popular concept in Sweden," Philippe says. An annual regatta is also organized, as well as the Swedish Championships every third year.

In the picture Philippe Romé is standing in front of "victory wreaths". It is an old tradition in Sweden that Swedish Champions in many sports receive a laurel wreath as a sign of their victory and superiority.

He is also an unofficial rowing captain of the club. Of course, he rows, and is a national champion. “I row in every boat, from single sculls to eights either bowside or strokeside”, he explains. He recently won in the coxless pairs at the Borås Head of the River. He tends to row a bit less now since the birth of his second daughter, in October 2010.

In Sweden, he appreciates the quality of life, and the care for the well-being of everyone in the society.

The photograph on top is signed by Peter Petersson, who is a member of Philippe’s crew in the 4- and 8+. “When Peter doesn’t row, he takes photos’, Philippe says. Have a look at Peter’s website.

Hélène – thank you for an interesting article. I would also like to wish Philippe Romé good luck in Mölndal both with his family and his rowing – keep those oars wet!