On Saturday, 13 crews were crowned European champions, as warm water and a tailwind made the opening finals day at the 2026 European Rowing Championships a quick one.
Several European Championships Best Times fell on Lago di Varese, led by record-setting performances from Romania’s women’s pair and two British fours. The second day of racing also produced titles for Germany, Serbia, Switzerland, Italy and Individual Neutral Athletes (AIN).
The first medal race of the championships was the five-boat PR2 mixed doubles sculls final, won by Germany. Ukraine attacked hard in the closing stages but ran out of course, taking silver ahead of Israel.
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Photograph: Benedict Tufnell
Romania Controls the Pairs
Adriana Adam and Simona Radis secured Romania’s first gold after recovering from Lithuania’s rapid opening in the women’s pair. The Lithuanians held a canvas early, but Romania moved ahead before halfway and established control through the third quarter.
Czechia took silver, while Italy gave the home support a boost by winning bronze. Adam and Radis also established a new European Championships Best Time (06:49.04).
Photograph: Benedict Tufnell
Stefan Constantin Berariu and Florin Sorin Lehaci completed Romania’s sweep of the open pairs. They led early, extended their advantage by 1,000 metres and remained beyond Lithuania’s reach. Italy finished third, while Great Britain’s Tom Digby and Jake Wincomb placed sixth.
Late Speed Settles the Doubles
The women’s double remained compressed until the final 500 metres. Lithuania led through the first marker after Greece made the quickest start, while Germany ramped the rate up to 40 strokes per minute but were unable to break clear.
Tatsiana Klimovich and Alena Furman (AIN) then moved into pole position with a decisive closing sprint. Greece secured silver and Lithuania took bronze. Cam Nyland and Sarah McKay of Great Britain finished fifth despite catching a crab with 600 metres left to race.
Photograph: Benedict Tufnell
Serbia controlled the men’s double. Martin Mackovic and Nikolaj Pimenov led at 500 metres and stretched their advantage through halfway before resisting Spain’s finish. The Sinkovic brothers, Martin and Valent, charged through the last quarter to earn bronze for Croatia.
Britain’s Three-Race Gold Run
Great Britain won three consecutive finals, beginning with the PR3 mixed coxed four. Italy led through 500 metres, but Frankie Allen, Charlotte Coburn, Josh O’Brien and Jonty Ridley, coxed by Omar Al-Miqdadi, moved ahead approaching halfway and won by nearly six seconds. Their 6:47.80 cut 4.7 seconds from Britain’s previous European Best Time. Successful international debuts then for Coburn, Ridley and Al-Miqdadi.
Photograph: Benedict Tufnell
Holly Youd, Angharad Broughton, Sarah Marshall and Eleanor Brinkhoff followed with victory in the women’s four, holding their advantage as Germany advanced into silver. AIN completed the podium. It was a first senior title for Youd, Broughton and Marshall, while Brinkhoff added a second European gold.
The development men’s four of Theo Bell, Sam Ford, Josh Brangan and Tom O’Sullivan completed the sequence on their senior debuts. They held off Romania to win in 5:43.38, lowering the championship best by 0.7 seconds.
Switzerland Strikes in the Quad
Switzerland won the women’s quadruple sculls, moving from third to first as Germany claimed silver. Romania took bronze and the British Olympic champions finished fourth during a heavy pre-World Championships training block.
Photograph: Benedict Tufnell
Germany won the men’s quad ahead of Poland, with Croatia third. Italy swept both the men’s and women’s lightweight double sculls. Germany’s Patrick Erdmann and Johannes Ursprung closed the 13-final programme by winning the lightweight men’s pair.
Sunday settles the remaining 11 medal races. We can’t wait!
