FLORIN CURUEA
FOUNDER/ROWING DIRECTOR -  PITTSBURGH ROWING CLUB
AUGUST 2008 – PRESENT

Florin earned a Bachelor of Science Degree (2004) and a Master of Science degree (2006) in Physical Education and Sports from the University of Bacau (Romania).  In 2013, he received an Associate of Science degree from the National Institute for Specialized Sports Studies in Bucharest (Romania).

For the past 20 years, Florin has dedicated his time and talent to the sport of rowing as an athlete, coach and rowing director in both Romania and the United States.

His rowing career began in 1996 as a student athlete in Romania.  From 1997-1999, Florin was a member of the Romanian Junior National Team and continued his rowing career as a member of the Romanian Olympic Rowing team from 1999-2006.

In 2006, he came to the United States and coached junior and master rowers at Steel City Rowing Club until 2008 when he realized his goal of building Pittsburgh Rowing Club for junior and master rowers.

During the next 4 years under his training, Florin’s junior rowers were recruited by several colleges and universities, including Harvard, Tufts, Boston University, Indiana, Robert Morris, Mercyhurst and the U.S. Naval Academy. During the same time, his master rowers competed successfully in regattas in Pittsburgh, Columbus and Philadelphia.

In 2012, Florin returned to Romania to be reinstated as a member of the Romanian Olympic Rowing team in order to fulfill his dream of rowing in the 2012 Olympics.  After representing his country in the Olympics, Florin accepted a coaching position with the Romanian Rowing Federation and coached the Men’s Under 23 Rowing team thru 2016.

He has returned, permanently, to Pittsburgh Rowing Club to resume his duties as rowing director for junior and master rowers.

His many accomplishments, throughout an elite rowing career, for Romania, include:

  • Over 50 medals for Romania at the national and international levels

  • Romanian National Championships – 21 Gold Medals

  • 2002-2003 – Gold Medal at World Championships

  • 2012 Olympic Games – 12th Place Finish

  • 2012-2013 – Silver Medal at European Championships

His many accomplishments as a coach in Romania and the United States include:

  • 2016 - 5th Place World Championship U23 Men's 8+

  • 2014 – Bronze Medal at the World Championships Men's 4-

  • Gold Medal at the U.S. Regional Championships

  • Bronze Medals at the U.S. National Championship