It’s been a bonza season for British eights. They are reigning champions at Europeans, U19s, U23s, FISU, and the Coupe de la Jeunesse. Can the senior crews complete the clean sweep? No pressure.
Women’s Eights
Shanghai is set to be a tantalising showdown between two decorated rivals in the women’s eights, Great Britain and Romania.
Tokyo was confounding for the Romanian women’s eight, they set the world best time in the repechage but finished last in the final. Since then Romania have made the women’s eights event their own, winning every major championships on route to a podium-topping performance in Paris.
It was a shock, then, to finally see Great Britain – who finished last in Tokyo – take charge at the start of this cycle. The British, who have stolen a leaf from Romania’s playbook by doubling up between boats, have delivered consistent speed throughout the 2025 season. They launched their Los Angeles Olympiad with a clinical precision in Plovdiv, securing the European title two weeks before winning gold in Varese.
Yet, the Romanians arrive in China buoyed by a winning performance at the last world cup in Lucerne. (Great Britain did not enter a women’s eight in Lucerne.) It could be a key confidence booster for the defending Olympic champions before the season finale.
The Americans also showed speed in Switzerland, they claimed a second world cup silver medal ahead of bronze medallists Australia. A podium performance in China is possible for the stars and stripes oarswomen. On the road to their Home Games, a medal would be a welcome bump to morale following their disappointing fifth place finish in Paris.
The Dutch, who won silver at the Europeans, will also be targeting the medals. They are certainly capable of providing a plot twist.
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Drag
Men’s Eights
Open season in the men’s eights? Of the ten nations competing crews six have made the podium this season.
On paper Great Britain are heavy favourites. The defending Olympic, European, and world champions, have won every Europeans since 2021. The last time they didn’t win the world title was in 2019, when they finished third. The caveat? There’s been a wholesale recast post-Paris. Alongside established champion rowers (Matt Aldridge, Will Stewart, David Bewicke-Copley, and Sam Nunn) are up-and-coming oarsmen and former under 23 world medallists. This newlook crew is still coalescing – albeit under the expert guidance of Paris M8+ coach and Sydney M8+ Olympic champion Steve Trapmore.
Despite early success in Plovdiv, Great Britain have not had it all their own way. The Varese world cup winners were forced to withdraw from Lucerne due to illness. A week later they were outmatched on home waters, by the hastily put together Aussie eight that went on to win the Grand Challenge Cup.
Victory in Henley somewhat flatters the Australians. Not that it wasn’t an impressive win – it was, the green and gold rowers demolished the Dutch and set a new course record in the final – but Australia’s Grand eight has already been disbanded. For one regatta only the Aussie coaches merged their superstar four with the eight.
Stick or twist? Twist.
Why break-up their latest world-beating line-up? Rowing Australia are still smarting from their decision to stack the eights in Paris; it spectacularly back-fired, yielding just one bronze medal (W2-). They returned home to a hostile media, nursing a 36-year record-worst Olympic medal haul. Prioritising the men’s four feels like the safer bet.
The Australian eight destined for China are not to be underestimated though. The Lucerne medallists have gumption, a point to prove, and their line-up includes Olympic finalists. A podium performance in Shanghai would be a significant step forward for this crew.
Photo Steve Trapmore is the high performance coach who led Great Britain’s men’s eight to victory in Paris.
Traditionally Deutschland Achter are a dominant force in this boat class – they were undefeated in the London 2012 Olympiad and remained consistent medal winners and sometime world champions for nearly a decade after. Germany are still world best time holders (5:18.68 set in Poznan, Poland, in 2017).
More recently the German men’s eight has struggled. A protracted re-building phase post-Tokyo culminated in a fourth place finish in Paris. German fans have had more to celebrate this season – a gold medal wining performance in Lucerne followed a credible silver in Varese. They’ll be eyeing the top step of the podium, but returning home without any medal would be a big blow.
The Netherlands are another proud rowing nation with a strong history in the men’s eights. This season saw a revolving door of Dutch leaders – almost as chopped and changed as their crew formations. Olympic M4x champion Finn Florijn is a good example. By Shanghai he’ll have rowed the full set of sweep boats this summer. The Dutch eight two-seat raced Plovdiv in the four and Varese in the pair. Not bad for a sculler.
The Dutch won silver in Plovdiv, producing one of the quickest times we’ve seen from any eight this year, bar Great Britain’s golden boys. The Dutch have three Paris M8+ Olympic silver medallists on board in Shanghai: they will be looking to go one better this time.
Italy and Romania are the other two nations who medalled in the men’s eights this season. The former won two bronze medals, one in Plovdiv and the other at home in Varese, while the latter beat Poland to bronze in Lucerne.
Mixed Eights
Mixed eights will make their world rowing championships debut in Shanghai, China.
Our first glimpse came courtesy of the test event at the first world cup in Varese, Italy. The Americans won, but were pushed hard by Germany, who finished 0.33 seconds adrift having nearly seized gold, further back Italy finished in last place.
Numbers have swollen for Shanghai there are ten mixed eights entered. The Romania and the Netherlands will provide stiff opposition for the de-facto American favourites.
