The 2023 World Rowing Cup series starts in Zagreb, Croatia. Lake Jarun hosts the 2023 World Rowing Cup I from 5-7th May 2023. With the first shot at Paris 2024 Olympic qualification fast approaching a strong start to the 2023 season is critical.
Photo Chile’s Abraham sisters will hope to continue their run of success following the 2023 Pan American Games Qualification Regatta.
Credit Red Bull
Pairs
There are five entries in the women’s pairs including three from Spain. Spain’s two-time Olympic W2- finalist Aina Cid tries a new partnership with sculler Esther Briz Zamorano. Cid’s 2022 world championship pair’s partner Maria Fernanda Valencia Nunez races with Iria Jarama Diaz.
Locals will be cheering Croatia’s Jurkovic sisters. Josipia returns to the international circuit after her hip surgery in the off-season.
Ten men’s pair compete in the first world cup. Returning to the international stage is Denmark’s Tokyo 2020 Olympic bronze medallists Joachim Sutton and Fred Vystavel. The Danish duo will meet tough opposition such as Serbia’s Milos Vasic and Martin Mackovic. The Serbian Olympic duo are steadfast podium contenders. Likewise Spain’s 2022 world silver medallists Jaime Canalejo Pazos and Javier Garcia Ordonez. Croatian brothers Patrik and Anton Loncaric can expect the support of the crowd as they fight for another world cup medal on home waters.
Fours
Switzerland, South Africa and Ukraine will be eyeing podium positions in the men’s fours unless Austria, Hong Kong, or either of the two Indian crews muster a shock-upset.
Switzerland’s Head Coach Ian Wright has pedigree in developing gold-medal-winning fours but for Zagreb he has placed Roman Röösli and Andrin Gulich in the men’s pairs with a view to assessing their (rapid) form against international opposition. It means his four largely resembles last year’s Swiss quad.
Ukraine’s Sergii Gryn, 41, rallies against time as he embarks on his 21st international racing season. Gryn’s four is unchanged from the 2022 world championships line-up which finished sixth.
It was Ukraine that denied the South Africans a shot at the M4- medals last summer. South Africa’s Henry Torr and James Mitchell, who raced in the men’s pair at Racice, join incumbents Chris Baxter and Jake Green in a newlook crew. Baxter won the 2022 Under 23 Worlds and set a new world best time before joining the four last summer. Two-time Olympian Green brings bucket loads of experience and has enjoyed a successful domestic season in his single.
There are three women’s fours, Chile, Spain, and Hong Kong. Chile’s Abraham sisters will hope to continue their run of success following the 2023 Pan American Games Qualification Regatta.
There are no eights racing at the 2023 World Rowing Cup I in Zagreb, Croatia.
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