Pete Dreissigacker
Pete Dreissigacker is a founder of Concept2, a manufacturer of rowing equipment and indoor rowers, also known as ergs. He founded Concept2 in 1976 with his brother, Dick Dreissigacker, who was an Olympic rower. Pete was introduced to the sport of rowing by his brother while at Stanford University. He trained for the US team for the 1976 Olympics, but he failed to be selected.
In 1977, the brothers invented the carbon fiber oar for rowing, which quickly replaced wooden oars due to the synthetic oars' lightness, durability, and uniformity. In 1981 the brothers released the Concept II Rowing Ergometer, a concept for which they hold multiple patents. In 1991, the brothers' asymmetric hatchet blades were first allowed in Olympic competition, which were so effective that one team switched to them between the semi-final and final races.
