14 April 2022

By Göran R Buckhorn

The other day, USRowing announced that the Italian boatbuilder Filippi Lido had been named the official boat supplier for the U.S. Senior, Under-23 and Para-Rowing National Teams through 2024.

Under the new agreement, Filippi will provide USRowing a fleet of boats for international competitions, including the World Rowing Cup regattas, World Rowing Under-23 Championships, World Rowing Championships, Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. The Italian boat manufacture will also provide a training fleet for the U.S. Teams’ Training Center.

“We are excited to open this new chapter with Filippi as our official boat supplier,” said Josy Verdonkschot, USRowing Chief High Performance Officer. “Filippi boats have been synonymous with success at the World Championships, Olympics and Paralympics, and this partnership will allow our athletes to train and race in some of the best boats in the world.” Verdonkschot added: “In addition, Filippi has shown a great commitment to our athletes who compete in their shells. We look forward to rowing and racing in Filippi boats for years to come.”

Filippi will also offer its support to active U.S. National Team rowers, who compete in an Olympic or Paralympic boat class in a Filippi boat at the World Championships, Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.

“It’s a source of great pride for Filippi to have entered into this agreement with USRowing. An important commitment to both of our organization’s futures, it’s almost like a dream come true for us,” said David Filippi, head of the boatbuilding company. “At the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, we only had eight boats competing. These days, you’ll often see more than two out of three crews at international venues in Filippis. We’re honored by the confidence these crews have in our boats and are committed to making sure that this very special collaboration with USRowing brings an even greater appreciation for Filippis to North America.”

At the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Filippi boats won 33 of 54 total medals, including 10 gold, 13 silver and 10 bronze across the two regattas. Filippi won more than 50 per cent of the medals at the 2021 World Rowing Under-23 Championships and 2021 World Rowing Junior Championships, according to a press release sent out by USRowing.