Out of all of the endurance athletes at Belmont Hill, Christiaan Eikeboom ’21 comes to mind as one of the most hardworking and successful role models for young athletes looking to make their mark on Belmont Hill athletic history. Christiaan competes in Varsity Cross Country, Varsity Nordic Skiing, and Varsity Crew, and is the captain of the Nordic and Crew teams.
When asked about his first athletic experiences, Christiaan cites Philmont, a Boy Scout camp in New Mexico, as where he, “dropped 15lbs and in the following season I won a [cross country race].” Discovering how successful he was at endurance sports like running, Christiaan tried Nordic skiing after his dream of being a Hockey player was crushed, and he switched from sailing to crew after seeing the Harvard heavies row on the Charles.
Out of his three sports, Christiaan is sure that his favorite is crew because, according to him, “there is nothing better than flying across the water in a boat with guys that through the tough training have become your best friends.” His attraction to crew is reflected in his rowing career at Belmont Hill. He began rowing in Form III in the Middle School Crew Team finishing in the first boat as an accomplished rower. Then, Christiaan rowed at CRI for a summer with Tyler Forg ’21 and Nick Hebard ’21, returning the next spring to the BH Varsity 4v4 running a near undefeated season (except to the 3v4) and winning their NEIRA championship finals race. During the summer, he rowed at CBC; however, he would miss out on his Junior spring season because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Christiaan would continue his work in singles and doubles during the summer with CBC and the throughout the fall with the BH Crew team. Christiaan remembers winning NEIRA’s in 2019 as his greatest achievement so far, describing the moment: “The energy of the guys, our coaches, and the crowd was thrilling as we crossed the finish line. With 15 golds and 5 silver medals, we piled up on the podium dock. Every time I see that picture I smile.” Christiaan is looking to win another NEIRA’s championship as a senior and race for a USRowing Youth Nationals win.
Reflecting back on his years as a runner, skier, and rower, Christiaan remembers his favorite moments as times of connection with his teammates such as team dinners, Nordic bus rides, and night skiing at Craftsbury, the resort where the Nordic team trains every winter break. His advice to younger aspiring athletes is, “to commit to each team you are on and do your best . . . the memories you will build are well worth it.” The Panel thanks Christiaan for his time in answering our questions and hopes to see him successfully row as a recruit at Cornell University.
