In 1923 a newspaper called “Novi List”, published an article about the development of a rowing club in Šibenik, (Jadrija Sport Club). This club harnessed all of its energy so it could be prepared for the following spring. The club got a hold of a shed, and it just needed a couple of boats and paddles.
The first few years.
On the 1 st of November 1923 , in the building of the once Peoples Café, the “Krka” rowing club was founded. The first president was Dr. Julij Gazzari, and it had 300 members. The first coach was Filip Babić, who was also the club's secretary. The first boat they purchased was a four-oar shell, in which the state championship was won in 1924 ( Split ). The champions in the four-oar shell with coxswain (novice discipline) were: Mirko Cvitković, Vinko Kačić, Petar Iljadica, Ljubomir Montana and coxswain Ivo Belamarić.
Eights-boat “Ruža”
In 1926 Dr Juraj Dominis was elected president. It was in his mandate the club achieved the most significant results, and the coach was Petar Ivanov. Petar came from the Zadar club “Diadora”. In 1927 in Šibenik the Krka rowers were state champions in the double scull, four-seated scull, and eights-boat. In 1928 they were champions in the four-seated with coxswain and in 1929 champions without coxswain.
State champions in 1926.
In 1930, the rowing club Krka left the Yugoslavian Rowing Association, because of the controversy around the eights-boat before the European championship in Belgium that year.
In 1932 the club achieved its first major international victory. The four-seated scull without coxswain (Ivo Luketa, Ante Baljkas, Ante Jurić, and Stipe Krnčević) won the bronze medal at the European Championship in Belgrade .
1933, was a year to remember. This is what the press wrote about after the State Championship held in Split :” The entire town is in awe because of the magnificent victory the Krka rowers achieved yesterday. They are the talk of the town. The rowers showed their strength determination and persistence. Six races, six victories! If there were more races, they would have been the winners. This is what amazes thrills and excites thousands and thousands of Šibenik fans, because a victory for Krka is a victory for Šibenik.
Congratulations to winners, because they carried out their task without protest. Congratulations to the rowers, coach Ivan and the management of Krka. Today the young and the old, the male and female in Šibenik are celebrating these victories”.
“Šibenik this morning welcomed its champions, covered with flowers the champions made their way through the delirious mass.”Krka” is victorious- long live the champions!”
Budapest 1933
In 1933 the club's eights-boat wins bronze at the European Championship in Budapest .
The rowers were: Linardo Bujas, Špiro Grubišić, Josip Turk, Slavko Roša, Stipe Krnčević, Vice Jurišić, Brankom Alujević, Mile Blaće, and coxswain Frane Adum. At the welcome home party, the crowd cheered: “Hail to KRKA, long live our brave rowers, long live president Domini!” This was the year that Šibenik was the center of the Yugoslavian Rowing Association. At the head of the association was Dr Juraj Dominis.
In the 1936 our eights-boat and four-seated scull without coxswain were to appear at the Olympic games in Berlin , but that same year… “At 3 o'clock in the morning on Sunday the Krka's boat shed burnt down to the ground. All of the boats were in the shed except two, which were at the Adriatic regatta in Sušak. The boats went up in flames as well as the clubs' furniture and trophies”. That's how the newspaper “Tribuna” reported it, on the 19 th of September 1936 .
Krka’s boat shed.
In 1939 on the 27 th of October a newspaper article was published titled: “Dalmatian rowers are ready to join the Croatian Rowing Association”, “All rowing experts should enter the association. The idea of forming a Croatian Rowing Association in Zagreb has mainly found support in Dalmatian rowing clubs. Many of the best clubs have previously decided that they will become members of the association. Krka from Šibenik has already agreed, they are one of the first clubs to do so. Our rowing clubs cannot normally function because of the Yugoslav Rowing Association's centralistic politics. This intolerance has manifested because of the decisions that have been made these past years. The Association's management has ignored their finest members-clubs, and their decisions have frequently restricted the clubs development. Many things could be said about the Ministry of Sports policy they have practiced this past decade. The Ministry's policy is not inspired by equality. Support was channeled to those who didn't deserve it, and those who did, were deprived of it. Because of this Croatia 's rowers require an association that would look after their needs and their future. The management should accept people who are knowledgeable and who appreciate the sport and its values. Otherwise nothing will change”.
The Second World War devastated rowing in Šibenik. Like all other patriots, Krka's rowers were victims of the occupying forces. Their boats were destroyed and the main building was turned into a military warehouse. Nevertheless, immediately after the war Krka's rowers were winning again: Vinko Guberina, Šime Bujas, Ante Marenci, MarinkoVrčić, and coxswain Serđo Bujas won at the regatta in Zagreb , in the four-seated scull.
1953 in Šibenik.
In 1955, the four-seated scull won fourth place at the European Championship in Gent . The crew was Zdravko Lambaš, Nikola Živklović, Stanko Despot, and Uroš Radečić. Paško Škarica and three other members from the “Mladost” rowing club won third place at the European Championship in Poznan , Poland . At the European Championship in Prague 1961 the same crew won fourth place after a neck and neck race with the Italian crew. The Yugoslav crew was formed of “ Krka” rowers: Paško Škarica, Neven Guberina, and Ante Vrčić. The other crew members were Nikola Čupin from “Mladost” and Nikola Stipanićev from “Mornar”.
In the 1960s a very talented sculler named Damir Trlaja had great potential but unfortunately didn't win any significant races. Nevertheless he managed to reach the finals at the European Championship in Duisburg 1965. Everyone who is familiar with rowing, know that the single scull is one of the most demanding disciplines, that's why Damir's achievements should be considered as more valuable.
At the beginning of the 1970s, a new generation of rowers grew up. The rowers were: Despot, Magazin, Jakoljević, Gotovac, Gracin, Cvitan, Macura, Huljev, Juras, Paić, Ninić, Grbelja, bujas, Štrkalj, Jurković, Radečić, Čaleta-Car….coxswains Radovčić, Baljkas, Ban, and Trzina. Their coaches were Petar Kčerić and Milivoj Boranić, and the president was Mr. Čedo Polak who had the longest mandate. This generation especially Ivo Despot, Janez Grbelja, Zdravko Huljev, Stevo Macura and Zdravko Gracin were responsible for Krka's achievements on domestic and international tracks. In 1983 Krka won its last senior state Championship in the eight-oared shell. This crew with coxswain Ante Ban won 6 th place at the World Championship in Amsterdam 1977, on the well-known track Bobsaan.
Cambridge, Oxford, and Krka in Šibenik 1973.
This was a brief reminder of some of the events and names who left an erasable trace in the history of this club. Here the notorious race between Oxford , Cambridge and Krka in 1973 isn't mentioned, also the appearances at the Olympic and Mediterranean games. The fact still remains that the club never changed its name, its jersey color nor did the Krka management give in to the pressure to place a red star on the club's emblem.
State Champions in 1983. Zaton – Šibenik.
Today the Club's management is struggling to rejuvenate their team, under the motto:” Everyday something for Krka”. Namely the club's management is seeking to create a minimal financial basis that is essential for the club, so that rowers can develop their full potential. Today we can safely say that “Krka” is a stable rowing organization with firm foundations materially speaking, and it has a well structured staff. The objectives are always the same: material continuity (purchasing new equipment and boats) and to restore the club's main building, so it could remain a gathering place for all “rowing lovers”. It is necessary to educate coaches, so that they can properly train rowers. Slowly results are starting to appear. In the past five years R.C.”Krka” has had more junior appearances at world championships, than in last 75 years. At the World Championship for younger seniors in Belgrade 2003, two members of the club (Niko Bujas and Krešo Vudrag) were crew members of the Croatian eight-oared shell. The eights-boat team who made to the finals was coached by professor Krasić, the main coach of the club. Šibenik male rowers and recently female rowers have in the past eighty years won over 60 State Championships (once Yugoslavia and today Croatia ). They have represented their country at 4 Olympic Games ( Berlin , 1936. London , 1948. Rome , 1960. Munich , 1972.), 12 European Championships and 10 World Championships!
The most significant achievements are three bronze medals from European championships.
-1932, Belgrade – four-seated scull without coxswain (Ivo Luketa, Ante Baljkas, Ante Jurinić, and Stipe Krnčević.)
-1933, Budapest – eights-boat (Linardo Bujas, Špiro Grubišić, Josip Turk, Slavko Roša, Stipe Krnčević, Vice Jurišić, Branko Alujević, Mile Blaće and coxswain Frane Ardum.)
-1958- Poznan – four-seated scull with coxswain (Paško Škarica and coxswain Ante Butković combined with three other crewmembers from “Mladost” rowing club).
Krka” members
More about us and our club you can find on our web site www.vkkrka.hr
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Rowing club "Krka" 
