25 May 2022

This coming weekend, it is time for the first World Rowing Cup of the year. The regatta will take place on Sava Lake in Belgrade, Serbia, on 27-29 May. Thirty-six countries have announced that they will compete; The Netherlands, China and Great Britain have the biggest contingents racing.

As always, the men’s single sculls has the largest numbers of entries. Stefanos Ntouskos of Greece, the reigning Olympic Champion; Oliver Zeidler of Germany, World Champion and European Champion; and Emil Neykov of Bulgaria, the World U 23 Champion, are included in the field.

Martin and Valent Sinkovic of Croatia will return in the double sculls. The Sinkovic Brothers have managed to collect three Olympic medals: silver in the quadruple sculls in 2012, gold in the double sculls in 2016 and gold in the pairs in 2020. They are expected to medal in Belgrade.

In the women’s single sculls, Magdalena Lobnig of Austria, who won a bronze in the single sculls at the Tokyo Games, will meet Donata Karaliene of Lithuania, bronze medallist in the double sculls at the 2016 Olympic Games. Dutch Lisa Scheenaard, who won a bronze in the double at Tokyo, is having a go in the single sculls.

World Rowing writes in a statement that, “The women’s double sculls may turn into a Dutch showdown with Olympic silver medallists in the women’s four, Ymkje Clevering and Veronique Meester, facing off against bronze medallist from the women’s double sculls, Roos de Jong, who is teaming up with Laila Youssifou.”

In para-rowing, six PR1 men’s single scullers will line up, including Erik Horrie of Australia, silver medallist in Tokyo. In this boat class is also Benjamin Pritchard of Great Britain and Michel Munoz Malagon of Mexico.

World Rowing reports that racing will begin on Friday 27 May with heats and repechage rounds and will continue through to semi-finals, with finals on Sunday 29 May. Saturday and Sunday racing will be live streamed on www.worldrowing.com.

For the full list of entries, visit the 2022 World Rowing Cup I event page.

Last weekend, 400 rowers from 29 nations took part in the 2022 European Rowing Under 19 Championships at the Lago di Varese in Italy. With three gold medals, one silver and one bronze, Romania was at the top of the medal table followed by Greece and Italy. The host nation won the most medals overall, with two golds, five silvers and one bronze.

Marcus Chute of Great Britain won the gold medal in the men’s single sculls – a name to remember!

World Rowing wrote on its website:

Ukraine landed on the medals table with a silver and two bronzes – a great performance for the Ukrainian squad, who sent a great contingent of 32 rowers to Varese. The Under 19 team is currently training in Germany and Poland. All the costs related to accommodation and local transport were paid by the organising committee of Varese. A flame of solidarity was lit by an Italian and Ukrainian athlete at the opening ceremony.

For race reports, photos, race results and videos, visit www.worldrowing.com.