Image Credit: robert_rowing_photos
The 30th NWRV Indoor Cup marks an important milestone in the transition from winter training to the regatta season. To mark this anniversary, the association is breaking new ground: for the first time, the event will be held on RP3 ergometers, which simulate rowing on water much more realistically thanks to their dynamic design. This provides a stage for North Rhine-Westphalia’s best talents to test their form on the water ahead of the coming season – and now offers a much more honest insight into each athlete’s rowing abilities.
This year’s Junior A category is proving to be extremely volatile and difficult to predict. We are seeing a field in transition, with many athletes developing rapidly physically, while the majority of starters did not compete in the German Indoor Championships last year. This lack of direct comparisons from the previous season creates a special tension: who has best coped with the jump from the 1500m course of the B juniors to the full 2000m distance of the A class? The mix of established lightweights and physically strong heavyweight newcomers promises a race in which race pacing will decide the winner.
Kaspar Schröder (RC Hamm)
The Hamm Rowing Club looks back on a proud tradition of promoting young talent and, with its latest talent, presents the man to beat. Kaspar Schröder goes into this competition as the big favourite. His basic speed, which he impressively demonstrated in the B class (third place at the DREM with a time of 04:46.5), is the highest in the entire field. Kaspar Schröder proved that he can do more than just pull on the chain at the 2025 German Junior Championships (DJM), where he won silver in the junior B coxless four and took a strong fourth place in the eight. The big question will be whether he has the necessary stamina to maintain this high split over the last quarter of the 2000m distance. If he succeeds, he will be almost unbeatable.
Julius Schmalor (RC Sorpesee)
Nestled in the Sauerland region, RC Sorpesee is known for producing physically robust athletes who can also shine abroad, e.g. at the Head of the River in London. Julius Schmalor is another hot contender for victory this coming weekend. With his sixth place at the DREM, he has shown that he can compete at the very top physically. His experience from the B-final in the double sculls at the DJM 2024 and his appearances in the eight give him the necessary competitive toughness. He has the physical presence to put pressure on the competition in the middle of the race and could be the one to benefit if the competition starts too fast.
Lukas Albrecht (RC Witten)
RC Witten is currently on an impressive rise, and while athletes such as Finn Wolter are making their mark internationally, the club is demonstrating a modern and innovative approach through its presence in formats such as the Rowing Bundesliga. Lukas Albrecht is also the absolute benchmark in this age group. With a solid best time of 06:45.3 over 2000m, he has the necessary experience over the full distance that many of the newcomers still lack. His sixth place at the DRV long-distance race in Dortmund in December (24:37 minutes) underlines his good winter form. Nevertheless, Lukas Albrecht will have to improve in order to keep the up-and-coming B-promoters at bay.
His clubmate Arsenii Hakmann, the third fastest B lightweight in Germany, is also waiting for his chance. With a split of 1:44 over 1500 metres, Arsenii Hakmann has shown that he has enormous power despite the weight limit.
Daniel Niedergethmann (RK am Baldeneyesee)
Exceptional talents such as Tassilo von Müller regularly emerge at Baldeneysee, and the club seems to have another diamond in the rough in its ranks this year. With an average of 1:39 over 1500m (05:08.5), Daniel Niedergethmann has the potential to significantly beat the magical seven-minute mark over the full 2000m. His successes on the water are already impressive: silver at the DJM in the coxed four and a commanding victory at the NRW state championships in the same combination. Daniel Niedergethmann knows how to win, and his physical data suggests that he is ready to outrun the established athletes.
Kosmo Killmann (Essen-Werdener Ruder-Club von 1896 eV)
This is a name to watch closely over the weekend. As runner-up in the Junior B coxed four at the last DJM, together with Daniel Niedergethmann, Kosmo Killman has already proven his competence in close racing situations. Their participation in the long-distance race in Dortmund, where the two finished eighth, also shows that they are aiming for the top.
Prediction
The race promises to be a highly surprising event. I think three athletes will battle it out for victory. Kaspar Schröder is the logical favourite due to his outstanding basic speed, but the switch to 2000 metres can sometimes be tricky. I expect Julius Schmalor to challenge him right up to the last stroke, as his physical consistency at the DREM was impressive. I see the ‘veteran’ Lukas Albrecht as the third favourite, who could have an advantage in the race distribution thanks to his 2000m experience and good results in December. So I reckon that Kaspar Schröder’s pure physical strength will prevail, closely followed by Julius Schmalor and a strong Lukas Albrecht.
