The closing races of 2025 are well and truly behind us now, and crews have spent some serious time back at base putting in the winter miles. Three weeks out from the first race of the season, Dutch fans are getting excited as we move closer to the first flag drop. With a keener eye than most, the JRN team has put together our ones to watch: crews we expect to attract the most attention this season.
First Years
It was Nereus who led the way at the ergo championships, but more interestingly, Laga and Triton were separated by just over a second. Triton has been further down the standings in past years, but it seems that this year, they may be on the rise. All clubs will be heavily affected by the past weeks’ poor weather conditions, but coming into February, it will likely be Laga with the advantage on their home water at the Winter Wedstrijd.
Sculling
This winter, the Dutch Rowing Federation has invited several promising rowers to participate in a series of trials in the single scull and on the ergo, competing alongside members of the national team. Among these promising athletes are members of TalentTeamNL as well as new names, all eager to secure a place on the national team with the upcoming World Rowing Championships and Olympic Games in mind.
Names that stand out are Marieke Keijser and Hannah Heidevelt. Marieke stopped rowing after winning Olympic bronze in the lightweight women’s double sculls in Tokyo, but is now attempting to rejoin the national team as a heavyweight. Hannah has been rowing for the United States in recent years, but has now made the switch to the Netherlands.
Women’s Eight
Which club will come out on top this season? We will focus on the elite eights, since filling a whole eight implies having a broad and deep group within a rowing club. It is a clear indicator of the overall quality of a club’s women’s rowing. Since the post-Olympic season has ended, boats are now filled with rising talents rather than being supported by members of the national team.
One example of a club that focuses not on a single individual but on the strength of the whole team is G.S.R. Aegir. However, it will be noteworthy to see whether their eight can achieve the same results as last year, since the focus on winning the Varsity (which takes place mid-season) will be greater than last year.
Coxless four
A club placing less emphasis on this race is Orca from Utrecht. With the successful development of their four and a large women’s section, this club’s eight will likely lead the way this season and could progress all the way to Henley Royal Regatta this summer. Njord should also not be underestimated. Last season, the women from Leiden performed strongly in the first year’s competition. If they can maintain that energy and focus, and build on their seniors’ experience at Henley Women’s, they will be a formidable opponent.
