In a city traditionally ruled by its own, students are never far behind. Student life flourished, with C.S.H.H. Pallas-Athene as the oldest and largest of the Hofstedelijke associations and corps. However, what was lacking was a rowing association for students in The Hague. Our founders, at the time still members of Pallas-Athene, recognized this gap and began exploring the possibilities of establishing a student rowing association.

Thus, in 2000, conversations were initiated by Peter in den Bosch. That year, the discussions were primarily exploratory, with the further goal of developing an operational plan. The process went smoothly, and by the summer of 2001, we had moved to the next stage. It was decided that we would start as a sister association of C.S.H.H. Pallas-Athene under the name H.S.R.V. Pelargos, the Greek word for “Stork.” Rowing would take place at the civilian association R.V. de Laak.

Now it was time to put the carefully developed plan into action. The discussion group became a working group, task areas were assigned, and the number of meetings increased. On the practical side, changes were also made; the rowing instruction classes offered by the Bureau Hogeschoolsport were taken over by Pelargos, social events were organized, and the first teams were formed. These teams participated for the first time in national competitive rowing races during the 2001-2002 rowing season. The contours of a distinctive student rowing association began to take shape within Pelargos.