Swiss Rowing name their early-season team formations. Ten crews have been selected to race at the 2023 World Rowing Cup I, in Zagreb, Croatia. The announcement was made by Swiss Rowing, at the National Rowing Centre in Sarnen, Switzerland.
A second round of testing will finalise team selection after the European Championships. This year Swiss Rowing hope to secure at least three Olympic qualification spots via the 2023 World Rowing Championships in Belgrade, Serbia.
Who fills the vacant W1x after Jeannine Gmelin’s retirement?
Two single scullers have been selected to race for Switzerland at the first world cup, Pascale Walker and Aurelia-Maxima Janzen.
Walker, 27, was a mainstay in the women’s quad last year and stroked her crew to a silver medal behind the Chinese quad at the 2022 World Rowing Cup II. She last featured internationally in the single in 2019, and twice medalled at the Under 23 World Rowing Championships (in 2015 and 2017).
Janzen, 19, is an up-and-coming talent with a promising track record. As a dual citizen of Switzerland and Germany, she has options! She recently won the 2023 German Championships in Brandenburg. To date, she has medalled at every major international rowing event in which she has competed. Her medal haul includes two silvers at Under 23 worlds, a gold at the 2022 Under 23 Euros, and a gold from the 2021 World Rowing Junior Championships, all in the single scull. She raced her first Under 23 champs aged 17 but despite her youth has an old-school penchant for Macon blades.
Mended Meakin makes return but in which boat?
Former lightweight and indoor world record holder Sofia Meakin returns to the water after an arm injury put paid to her 2022 season. She joins the openweight women’s quad who hope to build on last season’s run of A-Final finishes. The Swiss quad secured a silver medal at the 2022 World Rowing Cup II in Poznan, Poland.
Fiercely fought lightweight selection. Who came out on top?
Two lightweight women’s doubles have been selected to race in Zagreb. It is expected the world cup result will determine who races at the European Championships in Bled, Slovenia.
No change in the lineups of the lightweight men. Three stand out athletes earn their berth Raphaël Ahumada, Jan Schäuble and Andri Struzina. They each won a bronze medal at last year’s Euros, and Ahumada and Schäuble placed fourth at the 2022 World Rowing Championships. Despite fierce internal competition Ahumada and Schäuble remain in the lightweight men’s double and Struzina in the single.
Will Röösli and Gulich remain in their newly formed pair?
Roman Röösli and Andrin Gulich have shown impressive speed right from the get-go in their newly formed pair. Head Coach Wright wants to test this combination against international opposition before deciding on the final formations of his men’s four and pair. In Zagreb, the four starts out with Patrick Brunner, Kai Schätzle, Joel Schürch and Dominic Condrau.
Swiss Rowing Team at the 2023 World Rowing Cup I in Zagreb, Croatia
W1x Pascale Walker (RC Zurich); Aurelia-Maxima Janzen (SC Caslano e Malcantone)
W4x Sofia Meakin (CA Vésenaz), Lisa Lötscher, Fabienne Schweizer, Salome Ulrich (all SC Luzern)
LW2x Frédérique Rol (Lausanne Sports Aviron), Patricia Merz (SC Zug) and Olivia Nacht (RC Baden), Eline Rol (SN Genève Aviron)
M2- Andrin Gulich (SC Küsnacht), Roman Röösli (SC Sempach)
M4- Patrick Brunner (SC Sempach), Kai Schätzle (SC Luzern), Joel Schürch (SC Sursee), Dominic Condrau (RC Rapperswil-Jona)
M4x Maurin Lange (SC Luzern), Nils Schneider (SC Biel), Jonah Plock (RC Rapperswil-Jona), Scott Bärlocher (RC Baden)
LM2x Raphaël Ahumada (FW RC Morges), Jan Schäuble (SC Stansstad)
LM1x Andri Struzina (SC Zug)
