Allar Raja (born 22 June 1983) is an Estonian rower. He is a member of rowing club SK Kalev located in Pärnu.

Rowing career 2000–2008 Raja competed in the World Rowing Junior Championships in 2000 in the quadruple sculls event (19th) and in 2001 in the double sculls event (13th). In 2004 he competed in the U-23 World Regatta in the single sculls event achieving 8th position.

His first appearance in the World Rowing Championships was in 2005 in Gifu, Japan in the double sculls event with Silver Sonntak. They were second in Final C, achieving 14th position overall. Raja won his first World Championships medal in 2006 in Eton, Great Britain, where he was a member of the bronze-winning quadruple sculls team with Andrei Jämsä, Tõnu Endrekson and Igor Kuzmin. 2007 in Munich, Germany he competed in the quadruple sculls event with Kuzmin, Latin and Taimsoo earning 8th position. The same team was 5th at the 2007 European Rowing Championships held in Poznań, Poland. At the 2008 European Rowing Championships in Marathon, Greece he won a gold medal in the quadruple sculls event with Jüri Jaanson, Tõnu Endrekson and Andrei Jämsä.

Allar Raja made his first appearance at the Olympics in Beijing 2008 competing in the quadruple sculls event with Igor Kuzmin, Vladimir Latin and Kaspar Taimsoo. The men were 4th in their preliminary heat and won the repechage. In the semifinals they finished fourth and did not get to Final A. The final place was 9th as they finished third in Final B.

2009–2012 Raja won his second World Championships bronze medal in Poznań in 2009, where he competed in the double sculls event with Kaspar Taimsoo."Tears for Redgrave, World Best Time for Drysdale at rowing champs". World Rowing (29 August 2009). Retrieved on 7 September 2009 Raja and Taimsoo finished 8th at the 2010 World Rowing Championships held at Lake Karapiro, New Zealand."2010 World Championships – Karapiro Lake, New Zealand – Race 152 : M2x / FB". World Rowing. Retrieved on 13 July 2011 The same crew finished 7th at the 2011 World Rowing Championships.

At the 2009 European Championships, held in Brest, Belarus, Raja won his second European title. This time in the double sculls event with Kaspar Taimsoo."Greece off to good start at European Champs ". World Rowing (20 September 2009). Retrieved on 30 May 2010 The same crew finished second at the 2010 European Championships. For the 2011 European Championships Raja and Taimsoo formed a new quad scull team with Tõnu Endrekson and Andrei Jämsä. The crew finished second after Russia and won the silver medals."Gold medal haul for Greece at the European Championships". World Rowing (18 September 2011). Retrieved on 7 May 2012 The same crew finished won a gold medal at the 2012 European Championships.

At the 2012 Summer Olympics, held in London, Raja also represented Estonia in the quadruple sculls event. This time with Kaspar Taimsoo, Tõnu Endrekson and Andrei Jämsä. The crew finished second in their preliminary heat and also in the semifinal, thus earning a place in Final A. In the final they finished just outside the medals in 4th place behind crews from Germany, Croatia and Australia, respectively.

2013–2016

In summer of 2013 Raja and Taimsoo formed a new quadruple scull crew with young prospects Sten-Erik Anderson and Kaur Kuslap. They also finished 5th at the 2013 World Rowing Championships held at Tangeum Lake, Chungju in South Korea. The same team repeated their 5th place at the 2014 World Rowing Championships held in Amsterdam. At the 2013 European Championships, held in Seville, Spain Raja competed in the double sculls event with Kaspar Taimsoo. The result was a disappointment as the men did not reach Final A and finished in 7th place overall.

In the summer of 2015 Raja and Taimsoo reunited with Tõnu Endrekson and Andrei Jämsä in preparation for the 2016 Olympic Games. The crew went on to win a bronze medal at the 2015 World Rowing Championships held in France. In the spring of 2016 they also won a gold medal at the 2016 European Championships. At the 2016 Summer Olympics, held in Rio de Janeiro, Taimsoo made his third olympic appearance in the quadruple sculls event, with Raja, Endrekson and Jämsä. The crew won their preliminary heat, thus earning a place in Final A. In the final they finished third winning the bronze medals, behind crews from Germany and Australia, respectively.

Achievements Olympic Games Medals: 1 Bronze World Championship Medals: 4 Bronze European Championship Medals: 4 Gold, 2 Silver, 1 Bronze

Olympic Games 2008 – 9th, Quadruple sculls (with Kaspar Taimsoo, Igor Kuzmin, Vladimir Latin) 2012 – 4th, Quadruple sculls (with Kaspar Taimsoo, Tõnu Endrekson, Andrei Jämsä) 2016 – Bronze , Quadruple sculls (with Kaspar Taimsoo, Tõnu Endrekson, Andrei Jämsä) 2020 – 6th, Quadruple sculls (with Kaspar Taimsoo, Tõnu Endrekson, Jüri-Mikk Udam)

World Rowing Championships 2005 – 14th, Double sculls (with Silver Sonntak) 2006 – Bronze , Quadruple sculls (with Andrei Jämsä, Tõnu Endrekson, Igor Kuzmin) 2007 – 8th, Quadruple sculls (with Kaspar Taimsoo, Igor Kuzmin, Vladimir Latin) 2009 – Bronze , Double sculls (Kaspar Taimsoo) 2010 – 8th, Double sculls (with Kaspar Taimsoo) 2011 – 7th, Double sculls (with Kaspar Taimsoo) 2013 – 5th, Quadruple sculls (with Allar Raja, Sten-Erik Anderson, Kaur Kuslap) 2014 – 5th, Quadruple sculls (with Allar Raja, Sten-Erik Anderson, Kaur Kuslap) 2015 – Bronze , Quadruple sculls (with Kaspar Taimsoo, Tõnu Endrekson, Andrei Jämsä) 2017 – Bronze , Quadruple sculls (with Kaspar Taimsoo, Tõnu Endrekson, Kaur Kuslap) 2019 – 12th, Quadruple sculls (with Kaspar Taimsoo, Tõnu Endrekson, Kaur Kuslap) 2022 – 5th, Quadruple sculls (with Mikhail Kushteyn, Tõnu Endrekson, Johann Poolak)

European Rowing Championships 2007 – 5th, Quadruple sculls (with Kaspar Taimsoo, Igor Kuzmin, Vladimir Latin) 2008 – Gold , Quadruple sculls (with Jüri Jaanson, Tõnu Endrekson, Andrei Jämsä) 2009 – Gold , Double sculls (with Kaspar Taimsoo) 2010 – Silver , Double sculls (with Kaspar Taimsoo) 2011 – Silver , Quadruple sculls (with Kaspar Taimsoo, Tõnu Endrekson, Andrei Jämsä) 2012 – Gold , Quadruple sculls (with Kaspar Taimsoo, Tõnu Endrekson, Andrei Jämsä) 2013 – 7th, Double sculls (with Kaspar Taimsoo) 2014 – 6th, Quadruple sculls (with Kaspar Taimsoo, Sten-Erik Anderson, Kaur Kuslap) 2015 – 8th, Quadruple sculls (with Kaspar Taimsoo, Sten-Erik Anderson, Tõnu Endrekson) 2016 – Gold , Quadruple sculls (with Kaspar Taimsoo, Tõnu Endrekson, Andrei Jämsä) 2017 – 7th, Quadruple sculls (with Kaspar Taimsoo, Sten-Erik Anderson, Kaur Kuslap) 2018 – 9th, Quadruple sculls (with Kaspar Taimsoo, Sten-Erik Anderson, Kaur Kuslap) 2019 – 15th, Double sculls (with Kaur Kuslap) 2020 – 4th, Quadruple sculls (with Kaspar Taimsoo, Tõnu Endrekson, Jüri-Mikk Udam) 2021 – Bronze , Quadruple sculls (with Kaspar Taimsoo, Tõnu Endrekson, Jüri-Mikk Udam) 2022 – 5th, Quadruple sculls (with Mikhail Kushteyn, Tõnu Endrekson, Johann Poolak)

U23 World Rowing Championships 2004 – 8th, Single sculls

Junior World Rowing Championships 2000 – 19th, Quadruple sculls 2001 – 13th, Double sculls

Henley Royal Regatta 2008 – Queen Mother Challenge Cup"Kuzmin, Raja, Latin and Taimsoo celebrating the Queen Mother Challenge Cup victory ". Henley Royal Regatta. Retrieved on 7 September 2009

Rowing World Cup Allar Raja Rowing World Cup appearances # Date Venue Country Result Event Crew2004 1. 7–9 May 2004 Lake Malta, Poznań Poland FE 27th Single scull Allar Raja 2. 18–20 June 2004 Rotsee, Lucerne Switzerland FB 12th Double scull (b) Allar Raja, (s) Silver Sonntak2005 3. 26–28 May 2005 Dorney Lake, Eton Great Britain FB 9th Double scull (b) Allar Raja, (s) Silver Sonntak 4. 8–10 July 2005 Rotsee, Lucerne Switzerland FC 14th Double scull (b) Allar Raja, (s) Silver Sonntak2006 5. 25–27 May 2006 Oberschleissheim, Munich Germany FB 7th Double scull (b) Allar Raja, (s) Igor Kuzmin 6. 7–9 July 2006 Rotsee, Lucerne Switzerland FA 6th Double scull (b) Allar Raja, (s) Igor Kuzmin2007 7. 1–3 June 2007 Danube, Linz / Ottensheim Austria FA 3rd Double scull (b) Allar Raja, (s) Igor Kuzmin 8. 22–24 June 2007 Bosbaan, Amsterdam Netherlands FE 25th Single scull Allar Raja 9. 13–15 July 2007 Rotsee, Lucerne Switzerland FB 11th Quad scull (b) Kaspar Taimsoo, Vladimir Latin, Igor Kuzmin, (s) Allar Raja2008 10. 8–11 May 2008 Oberschleissheim, Munich Germany FB 7th Quad scull (b) Kaspar Taimsoo, Vladimir Latin, Igor Kuzmin, (s) Allar Raja 11. 20–22 June 2008 Lake Malta, Poznań Poland FB 7th Quad scull (b) Kaspar Taimsoo, Vladimir Latin, Igor Kuzmin, (s) Allar Raja2009 12. 19–21 June 2009 Oberschleissheim, Munich Germany FA 5th Double scull (b) Kaspar Taimsoo, (s) Allar Raja 13. 10–12 July 2009 Rotsee, Lucerne Switzerland FA 3rd Double scull (b) Allar Raja, (s) Kaspar Taimsoo2010 14. 28–30 May 2010 Lake Bled, Bled Slovenia FA 3rd Double scull (b) Allar Raja, (s) Kaspar Taimsoo 15. 9–11 July 2010 Rotsee, Lucerne Switzerland FA 4th Double scull (b) Allar Raja, (s) Kaspar Taimsoo2011 16. 27–29 May 2011 Oberschleissheim, Munich Germany FA 4th Double scull (b) Allar Raja, (s) Kaspar Taimsoo 17. 17–19 June 2011 Allermöhe, Hamburg Germany FA 4th Double scull (b) Allar Raja, (s) Kaspar Taimsoo 18. 8–10 July 2011 Rotsee, Lucerne Switzerland FA 6th Double scull (b) Allar Raja, (s) Kaspar Taimsoo2012 19. 4–6 May 2012 Sava, Belgrade Serbia FA 3rd Quad scull (b) Andrei Jämsä, Allar Raja, Tõnu Endrekson, (s) Kaspar Taimsoo 20. 25–27 May 2012 Rotsee, Lucerne Switzerland FA 4th Quad scull (b) Andrei Jämsä, Allar Raja, Tõnu Endrekson, (s) Kaspar Taimsoo 21. 15–17 June 2012 Oberschleissheim, Munich Germany FA 6th Quad scull (b) Andrei Jämsä, Allar Raja, Tõnu Endrekson, (s) Kaspar Taimsoo2013 22. 22–24 March 2013 Penrith, Sydney Australia FA 2nd Double scull (b) Allar Raja, (s) Kaspar Taimsoo 23. 21–23 June 2013 Dorney Lake, Eton Great Britain FA 3rd Quad scull (b) Kaur Kuslap, Allar Raja, Sten-Erik Anderson, (s) Kaspar Taimsoo 24. 12–14 July 2013 Rotsee, Lucerne Switzerland FA 3rd Quad scull (b) Kaur Kuslap, Allar Raja, Sten-Erik Anderson, (s) Kaspar Taimsoo2014 25. 20–22 June 2014 Lac d'Aiguebelette, Aiguebelette France FA 5th Quad scull (b) Allar Raja, Kaspar Taimsoo, Sten-Erik Anderson, (s) Kaur Kuslap 26. 11–13 July 2014 Rotsee, Lucerne Switzerland FA 2nd Quad scull (b) Kaur Kuslap, Allar Raja, Sten-Erik Anderson, (s) Kaspar Taimsoo2015 27. 9–10 May 2015 Lake Bled, Bled Slovenia FB 7th Quad scull (b) Allar Raja, Sten-Erik Anderson, Tõnu Endrekson, (s) Kaspar Taimsoo 28. 10–12 July 2015 Rotsee, Lucerne Switzerland FA 3rd Quad scull (b) Andrei Jämsä, Allar Raja, Tõnu Endrekson, (s) Kaspar Taimsoo2016 29. 15–17 April 2016 Lake Varese, Varese Italy FA 4th Quad scull (b) Andrei Jämsä, Allar Raja, Tõnu Endrekson, (s) Kaspar Taimsoo 30. 17–19 June 2016 Lake Malta, Poznań Poland R1 DNS Quad scull (b) Andrei Jämsä, Allar Raja, Tõnu Endrekson, (s) Kaspar Taimsoo2017 31. 5–7 May 2017 Sava, Belgrade Serbia FB 7th Double scull (b) Allar Raja, (s) Tõnu Endrekson 32. 7–9 July 2017 Rotsee, Lucerne Switzerland FB 10th Quad scull (b) Allar Raja, Sten-Erik Anderson, Tõnu Endrekson, (s) Kaspar Taimsoo2018 33. 1–3 June 2018 Sava, Belgrade Serbia FB 7th Quad scull (b) Andrei Jämsä, Allar Raja, Tõnu Endrekson, (s) Kaur Kuslap 34. 13–15 July 2018 Rotsee, Lucerne Switzerland FB 9th Quad scull (b) Andrei Jämsä, Allar Raja, Tõnu Endrekson, (s) Kaur Kuslap2019 35. 12–14 July 2019 Willem-Alexander Baan, Rotterdam Netherlands FB 10th Quad scull (b) Allar Raja, Sten-Erik Anderson, Tõnu Endrekson, (s) Kaspar Taimsoo2021 36. 30 April–1 May 2021 Lake Jarun, Zagreb Croatia FA 1st Quad scull (b) Jüri-Mikk Udam, Allar Raja, Tõnu Endrekson, (s) Kaspar Taimsoo2022 37. 16–19 June 2022 Lake Malta, Poznań Poland FA 2nd Quad scull (b) Mikhail Kushteyn, Allar Raja, Tõnu Endrekson, (s) Johann Poolak 38. 8–10 July 2022 Rotsee, Lucerne Switzerland FB 7th Quad scull (b) Mikhail Kushteyn, Allar Raja, Tõnu Endrekson, (s) Johann Poolak

References