Image Credit: World Rowing
Entries: 7
World Rowing Cup I Winner: Great Britain
In this condensed racing season, the first phase is already almost over. After the European Rowing Championships and the Varese World Rowing Cup, the world rowing caravan makes its annual stop on the banks of the Rotsee in Lucerne, Switzerland.
In the two major events so far this season, the Great British eight have come out on top. This combination comprises several project LA athletes, plus Matthew Aldridge, a member of the bronze medal-winning four from Paris. The immediate strength of this lineup is a testament to the development programme in the powerhouse, with many of these athletes having previously won several medals at the under-23 level. Despite their wins, they have not been dominant, as both victories have been by less than a second.
In Varese, their closest competition came from Germany, closing the gap to the British from three seconds to half a second. This progress, from a crew essentially continuing from Paris, is a strong sign of a rebuilding Deutschland Achter programme that is seeking to return to its traditional strength. This result was their best in a strong field for some time, and if they can continue this growth, a first World Rowing Cup win since Poznan in 2022 could be on the cards.
The Australians have strengthened their eight this weekend with several new additions, which will likely have bolstered this outfit. McClean and Emmett add youth to the crew as the Yale graduates look to make a splash, while Widdecombe and Dawson are both double-Olympians and will bring experience into the crew. Ultimately, I expect this crew to be far better than the unit that was 11.81 seconds off the pace in Varese.
The only crew that will open their season this weekend is the United States, as the men’s eight is part of a squad of athletes exclusively doubling up. The first US men’s eight of the season combines the four and the quad. This race, the first back in the eight for bronze medallists Christian Tabash and Christopher Carlson, will return to where they qualified for Paris. This year, the new doubling-up strategy may compromise their race, but High-Performance Director Josy Verdonkschot has his eyes firmly focused on the home Games in just over three years.
Poland and Romania return their crews that finished fifth and sixth at the European Rowing Championships. The Romanian crew is similar to their Olympic crew, who finished fifth, though their first showing this cycle was rather underwhelming. This is a development crew for the Poles, with several athletes still eligible for U23 competition.
China again brings a development crew as their sixth place in Varese gives them something to build from. The governing body has once again opted to send a large squad, providing experience to the widest range of athletes possible.
Prediction
While the British may be the obvious shout, my pick for the win is the German crew. The British are often deep in a training cycle in Lucerne, and with the added complication of Henley Royal Regatta the following weekend, the green Empacher may get its bow ball in front.
