Entries are in for the 2023 World Rowing Under 23 Championships, taking place from 19 to 23 July in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. More than 750 rowers from 52 countries will participate in the event.
Germany, the United States, and Italy are sending the biggest teams with entries in almost all of the 22 boat classes. In 2022, Italy topped the medal table on home waters, and sending a nearly full team means they will be looking to repeat the medal haul this year.
The men’s single sculls has the most entries with 25 boats entered, and all eyes will be on the battle between the silver and bronze medallists from last year’s event, Emil Neykov of Bulgaria and Isaiah Harrison of the United States. Piotr Plominski of Poland will also look to capitalise on his racing at senior level this year to sneak into the favorites.
The women’s single sculls has 24 entries and the top name has to be Aurelia-Maxima Janzen of Switzerland, who won a silver medal at the European Championships in Bled earlier this year. She already won two silver medals at this event (in 2021 and 2022) and will be looking for nothing else but gold. Who can challenge her? Certainly Alison Bergin of Ireland, who finished third last year behind Janzen, and will be looking to improve on her performance. Don’t count out Anna Santruckova of the Czech Republic and Evangelia Fragkou of Greece either.
The men’s and women’s double sculls have both attracted a good number of entries. On the women’s side, the reigning World Under 23 Champions of Romania, Iulia-Liliana Balauca and Andrada-Maria Morosanu will look to defend their title, with their main competition being the combination from Great Britain, who won bronze last year. The men’s double sculls will see the former World Under 19 Champions of Germany, Timo Strache and Sydney Garbers, take on last years’ bronze medallists, Brian Colsh and Konan Pazzaia of Ireland.
The blue ribband men’s eight event has nine entries and fireworks are expected between Great Britain, the USA, Romania and Australia in this hotly contested event. The women’s eight sees seven entries with multiple athletes from last year returning to the biggest stage.
Racing will be held at Plovdiv’s international regatta venue which has previously hosted the World Rowing Under 23 Championships in 2015 and 2017. Plovdiv also played host to the 2018 World Rowing Championships and more recently, the 2021 World Rowing Under 19 Championships.
The World Rowing Under 23 Championships are raced in 22 boat classes and are open to all World Rowing Federation member federations. Rowers must be under the age of 23. The Under 23s began in 1976 and was called the ‘Match des Seniors’. The name was then changed to the ‘Nations Cup’ before becoming the World Rowing Under 23 Championships in 2005.
