OWNER/COACH

Iva is the owner of iROW Fitness Studio and teaches lessons as well. She started rowing at the age of 10, with the support of both of her parents, former rowers. At the age of 13, Iva won her first medal in a single scull - bronze - at the Bulgarian Nationals. From there, she went on to achieve more than 6 Bulgarian National wins before the age of 18.

In 1997 at the Junior Worlds Championship in Belgium, Iva was recruited to row in America for the University of Southern California. With the help of a translator, she accepted the chance to come to California and row for USC. Iva led the team to several USC victories including a win in the Cal Cup in the San Diego Crew Classic, as well as a win in the coxed four at the NCAA National Championships in 1998. In addition, Iva had some major individual accomplishments while at USC, including a world record setting win at the CRASH-B World Indoor Rowing Championships in Boston, where she won the open women’s race with a time of 6:37.9 at the age of 18.

Iva turned to coaching in 2002 as an assistant for the USC team and their coaching staff. Through coaching the novice women at USC she discovered a love and talent for teaching and ever since then coaching has become a permanent part her life, initially through coaching groups and private lessons for the former Lions Rowing Club in Marina Del Rey, then expanding to other clubs and teams such as the Marina Aquatic Center, California Yacht Club and Sports Club LA, to eventually opening iROW Fitness Studio in 2009 and establishing her own practice for private clients of all age groups and skill levels.