Day three of the 2026 World Rowing Championships in Amsterdam, Netherlands. A head of a rainy end forecast to this week, on Wednesday the famous Bosbaan wind dropped a bit, then a lot, just in time for the singles to take to the water and make the most of quick conditions. The Sinkovic brothers’ 2026 campaign for metalware hit a roadblock, but for the most part the expected crews progressed smoothly, and the semi-finals in the late afternoon sun delivered some juicy racing to the appreciative crowds.
Singles superstars shine
The men’s singles stars — Germany’s Zeidler, Greece’s Ntouskos and AIN athlete Zalaty — won their heats by a combined 12 seconds, all winding down as they approached the line. Jokers in their various packs included Bendeguz Petervari Molnar (HUN), who came in a strong second to Ntouskos, Kai Schaetzle (SUI) who kept allcomers at bay in heat six, including the rampaging Belgian Tristan Vandenbussche, and Irishman Fintan McCarthy, coming in a solid second behind Yank Sam Melvin at his first outing in the openweight singles. In fact McCarthy was quickest off the start, but ceded the lead after a five-way battle for the first 750 metres, and then stayed close to Melvin.
Jonas Juel (NOR) came good in heat two, which looked like it might be the quickest of the day, but the wind dropped for heat seven, just in time to help out the shorter and punchier Spaniard Alexei Garcia I Pujolar, who rated 37 for about ten strokes but otherwise was up above 40 for most of the way. It was a classic duel, France’s Victor Marcelot looking like marginally the best of an unconfident field for 1950 metres, until Garcia I Pujolar suddenly bashed past him in the closing strokes, rating 47 to clinch the win. Marcelot clearly felt it was better to let him do it, and dropped his own rate to 30 for the last few strokes, unconcerned a safe eight seconds ahead of Slovenia’s Fillip-Matej Pfeifer.
The women’s singles had all the expected leaders winning — first Frida Sanggaard Nielsen (DEN), then an extremely leisurely and well-supported Karolien Florijn (NED), the Paris Olympic champion, and next Viktorija Senkute (LTU). It was great to see Florijn, whose father won gold in the men’s eight at the Atlanta Olympics exactly thirty years ago, looking strong and confident after a year away from serious racing and some wobbles in her preparation this summer. Heat four was bossed by British contender Lauren Henry, unbeaten since her heatstroke-affected silver at last year’s worlds, and she logged the quickest time of the event, partly thanks to the dropping wind, with the USA’s Lauren O’Connor behind her.
In the last of the five heats, South Africa’s Paige Badenhorst covered herself with glory, beating defending world champion Fiona Murtagh (IRL) by a fifth of a second after the Irishwoman rowed what looked like a cautiously solid race as if easing back into competition for the first time since Lucerne, because the Irish team skipped the Europeans in Varese. Close behind both of them was Aurelia-Maxima Janzen (SUI) who was the fastest third-placed qualifier.
Peerless pairs
The pairs and doubles rowed semi-finals, the W2- races dividing into one clean run by perennial deliverers Romania, and one close scramble between four crews. The latter featured France’s Emma Cornelis and Hezekia Peron doing all the hard work to lead the field to the last few buoys, only to be overtaken (just like Marcelot) by a quicker-finishing crew, this time feisty Americans Regina Salmons and Mia Levy, who scooped the win off them. Behind this tussle the Czechs took a steady third, fortunately for them well ahead of a scuffle between Australia and Germany which the Germans won, but not close enough to challenge for an A-final slot.
The other semi was a demonstration of pure talent by Simona Radis and Adriana Adam, several lengths clear of nearest rivals Melita and Antonia Abraham (CHI) and Laura Meriano and Alice Codato (ITA). They had quite a battle to the line, won by the steadily improving Chileans, who are having their best season this year.
The two M2- semis were won by New Zealand’s excellent Oliver Welch and Ben Taylor, and Italy’s Matteo Lodo and Giovanni Codato, both closely hounded to the line. The Italians got a grasp of the lead early, defending it as Lithuania and Spain battled for position, but were never really threatened. New Zealand were similarly in control, having to wrench the lead off Romania, but able to then cope as Australia chased and overtook the fading Romanians, both well clear of the rest of the pack.
Dangerous doubles
The double sculls has been a brilliant event for the last two years, and nothing has changed this week. The top men in the semi-finals were separated by no more than six seconds across the qualifiers, with both fourth places in close contention, and in the women’s the gap was a mere three seconds, likewise with fourth-placed crews unlucky not to get through.
In increasingly calm conditions the two W2x races belted down the course at ferocious speeds, Ireland’s Zoe Hyde and Margaret Cremen leading the way as the quickest of the lot with Poland shadowing them. Behind a three-way scramble was developing between Britain, Italy and France, then Italy started pressing the accelerator, passing France soon after the third timing point and Britain 100 metres later. Ireland were able to relax and Poland remained securely in second.
The other semi started with Lithuania holding the cosh over the pack for 400 metres after an all-crew scuffle at the start, but being challenged again by Canada at halfway. This saw the Canadians take over the lead, which looked good for them until the Swiss and Dutch started stepping up the rate as the grandstand got excited. Lithuania briefly profited, but just after the buoys changed colour it became a four-way sprint to the line, three different crews having the advantage over three successive strokes. As Lithuania folded under the pressure, the Swiss held on until the finish tower, the Dutch responded to their supporters to claim second, and Canada nosed past the Lithuanians just before the beep. Unbelievable stuff.
