Image Credit: World Rowing
In a truncated, post-Olympic year of World Rowing events – with only two World Rowing Cups and a World Rowing Championships months after racing finishes in Lucerne – results are scrutinised to an even greater degree. The narratives are swirling with several returning stars from last summer’s Paris Olympic Games and a litany of new names rising up through the ranks to stake their claim for senior representation throughout the Los Angeles Olympiad. Whispers are that many crews are also opting to pitch up at Henley Royal Regatta – whose entry window closes tomorrow – so we may see many of these boats in action three times before September’s Shanghai-based World Rowing Championships.
Singles
Lauren Henry continues to dominate the women’s single scull, winning her A-final by nearly eight seconds to build on the European title she won two weeks ago and claim GB’s first World Rowing Cup gold in the women’s single since Katherine Grainger in 2009. She was simply too good for a field not exactly lacking in class or experience. Germany’s Juliane Faralisch won silver here and spent last season in the single too, finishing second at the third World Rowing Cup, whilst Ruiqi Liu of China was last seen at the 2023 World Rowing Championships, where she placed second in the C-final of the women’s single. She also won The Princess Royal Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta last summer. Credit also to Katie Clark of Canada, who placed fourth in her first international outing in the single.
On the men’s side, everyone expected the showdown to be between Olympic single sculls bronze medallist Simon Van Dorp and former world champion in the double, Melvin Twellaar. Despite winning his semifinal in a quicker time than Van Dorp, Twellaar couldn’t make an impact on the A-final, finishing sixth and leaving Van Dorp to claim an impressive victory here. Jacob Plihal – who also raced at the Paris Olympic Games in the single for Team USA – finished second to record the USA’s best result in the men’s single since 1998 whilst Jonas Slettemark Juel of Norway was third (he raced in the quad at last year’s Olympic Games after winning the 2024 World Rowing Final Olympic and Paralympic Qualification Regatta).
Pairs
The standout result here was arguably New Zealand’s win in the men’s staging. They got their bows out in front early and withheld late charges from the Croatian Olympic champion pairing. As a new combination – featuring U23 world champion Oliver Welch – this duo is one to watch as the Olympiad unfolds. The Sinkovics won’t be too concerned, as they expect to jump back into the four for World Rowing Cup II and Henley Royal Regatta.
On the women’s side, JRN nearly nailed the podium as the European silver medallists from Italy took gold ahead of the Netherlands. The Czech Republic surprised everyone by finding a burst of speed since Plovdiv to go past GB and win bronze here. This field is shaping up nicely.
Doubles
The Swiss Olympic experienced paid dividends here, as they won gold narrowly ahead of fast-finishing boats from Italy and New Zealand, who could only be separated via a photo finish. It will be fascinating to see how the former lightweight combination of Niels Torre and Gabriel Soares of Italy adjust to the openweight division over the next few months.
China are back with a bang after a disappointing Paris Olympiad. This duo won gold together in the quad back in Tokyo and secured the win in Varese to set up what could be a tilt at world glory in this boat class. The Netherlands – featuring Olympic gold medallist Benthe Boonstra – were second, but I expect more to come from this pairing, as this was their first race together. New Zealand had an excellent run-out to win bronze and pitch themselves into contention for serious silverware in the next few months; they are, after all, the reigning Olympic champions in this boat class.
Coxless Fours
Whisper it quietly, but USRowing’s women’s squad might be back. After years of unparalleled dominance, the last few years have been slower by their immaculate standards, but Varese looks like a turn in the right direction. They were relatively comfortable winners of this event, beating out a potent Australian combination by two seconds. The Netherlands, who won the European Rowing Championships two weeks ago, could not live with the pace, settling for bronze, whilst Great Britain were pitched off the podium entirely (albeit their first crew withdrew before racing began). If a selection of these boats opt to compete for The Town Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta, that could be a real cracker.
On the men’s side, Australia found their way back to the top of the coxless four podium for the first time since Poznan in 2022. Whispers are that they will be prioritising The Grand Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta, so we may see these athletes jump into the eight for World Rowing Cup II, but this is an exceptionally strong start to their new campaign. The Netherlands banked positions two and three, with their top boat containing three of their Olympic silver-medallist eight from Paris.
Quads
Following the withdrawal of Great Britain’s European champion quad, the path was cleared for the Netherlands to take gold here. The inclusion of Tessa Dullemans, who won gold in the double in Plovdiv and was part of the quad that won two world and one Olympic silver medal, clearly enhanced the Dutch, who beat out the European silver medallists from Germany and a Czech Republic crew that has improved substantially since Plovdiv.
The men’s quad was one of the most highly anticipated races of the regatta and it did not disappoint, with the Olympic silver and bronze medallists from Italy and Poland taking on the current European champions from Great Britain. They finished in that order, with Italy’s impressive trio who took silver at the Paris Olympic Games powering this crew to a 1.5 second victory.
Eights
Great Britain took both titles here, just as they did in Plovdiv, but the field around them is tightening. On the women’s side, the USA were just two seconds back, whilst the men were pushed hard by Germany, whose historic claim on this boat class runs deep. With the Netherlands – who won silver at the 2025 European Rowing Championships – to come back into this division, it should mean for some exciting racing in the weeks to come.
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