The 2024 World Rowing Cup series concluded this weekend at World Rowing Cup III in Poznan, Poland. The third day of racing at the 2024 World Rowing Cup III saw 19 Olympic and Paralympic finals. Headwind wind conditions did little to dent the Antipodean effort, Australia and New Zealand were the top two nations at this regatta.
Photo AUS W2-
Credit Benedict Tufnell
Australia dominated the medal table winning six golds and five minor medals. Standout performances came from their women’s squad who collected four gold medals, including emphatic performances from Tara Rigney in the single and Jessica Morrison and Annabelle McIntyre in the pair. The eights races were especially rewarding: two golds, one apiece from the men and the women, and a silver medal won by their second women’s eight.
Half the gold medals won by New Zealand came from their two fours, the other winning performances topped and tailed the morning’s racing, their lightweight women’s double started the gold rush and Tom Mackintosh, in the men’s single, ended it.
The men’s single sculls race saw an epic fight for silver with Tokyo 2020 bronze medallist Damir Martin (CRO) coming through the ever-dangerous Dane Sverri Nielsen in the final stages. Brit George Bourne was near the front of the field in the early stages but faded to allow Poland’s Piotr Plominski to take fourth place. Brazil came sixth.
Great Britain dominated the Paralympic events, winning three out of the five Sunday races. Lauren Rowles and Gregg Stevenson maintained their unbeaten record in the PR2 Mix2x, and their teammates in the PR3 Mix4+ extended their winning streak which dates back to 2011. For the first time Benjamin Pritchard took the top spot in the PR1 M1x. It was a bold execution in a remarkable race, he blasted out of the blocks and held on all the way to the finish. With Paris on the horizon the Welshman’s timing couldn’t be better.
“I’m elated! It hasn’t sunk in yet but it feels very special… and on Father’s Day too! There’s a bit of extra motivation with my wife and daughter at home, so this feels very cool,” said Pritchard. “I was trying to stick to my race plan and not get too distracted… This race has given me some learnings that hopefully I can work on before the Paralympic Games.” Italy’s Giacomo Perini won silver 5.79s ahead of Erik Horrie (AUS).
European champions Sam Murray and Annie Caddick (GBR) settled for silver behind the Australian World champions Niki Ayers and Jed Altschwager in the PR3 Mix2x.
There was another barnstormer of a race in the women’s double sculls. The Norwegians set light to this season’s form guide by beating the Romanian Olympic champions (who are not here at Poznan) at Szeged to be crowned European champions, and are now podium regulars too. This time they went bowball-to-bowball with the Aussies, eventually moving out to almost half a length, but Tokyo Olympians Amanda Bateman and Harriet Hudson (AUS) marched them down in the red buoys. Thea Helseth and Inger Seim Kavlie (NOR) settled for silver, 0.29s off first place, behind them France won bronze. On the men’s side Ireland looked dangerous in taking the men’s double sculls win – with reigning Olympic champions France pushed into fifth place.
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Switzerland enjoyed their third-best World Cup record in Swiss rowing history. Their two quads secured silver medals, close behind Germany in the case of the women and 5.29s adrift of Poland for the men, while their women’s single won a bronze medal. Adding to Jan Schäuble’s lightweight men’s single sculls gold from Saturday, the reigning men’s pair world champions Roman Röösli and Andrin Gulich won gold ahead of Croatia’s Sinkovic brothers and the two battling New Zealand crews.
“We are very happy about this victory,” said Röösli (SUI), who noted that not all his pair rivals were racing in Poznan. “We are aware that not all boats are here. But it was a very good race and an improvement on Lucerne.”
The men’s eights closed out the racing schedule. A stacked Aussie eight won gold but questions remain as to whether this crew will threaten the top spot at Paris, behind them Germany’s new line-up took silver ahead of Ukraine. Since Lucerne, Deutschland Achter coach Sabine Tschäge brought Frederik Breuer (GER) in at two and cut the stroke and Olympic silver medallist Hannes Ocik.
German selectors might be scratching their heads after their top men’s quad (tipped for Olympic-selection) were turned over for a second time this regatta by the youngsters in the second German quad, who won bronze to boot. Adding to the intrigue each boat contains a Finger brother, Anton in the bowseat of GER1 and Alexander at two in GER2.
The Netherlands ended the three-regatta series as overall winners, picking up a total of 143 points including 15 from Poznan. That was enough to push Great Britain into second place, with 138 points, including 20 in Poznan.
