Nine weeks out from the start of the Paris 2024 Olympic rowing regatta at Vaires-sur-Marne, the last World Rowing Cup II finalists were decided at the Rotsee in Lucerne for the Olympic and Paralympic boat class with finals scheduled for Sunday, 26 May. The day also saw the first medals awarded in five international boat classes, including three Para boat classes, with para events premiering at the World Rowing Cup in Lucerne.
Ukraine’s Svitlana Bohuslavska took home the first gold medal of the day in the PR2 women’s single sculls, while Italy’s Daniele Stefanoni won the PR2 men’s single sculls. Another gold went to Ukraine in the PR3 men’s pair.
The women’s and men’s lightweight single sculls wrapped up Saturday’s finals with an historic win by Hin Chun Chiu in the men’s event, taking home the first ever gold medal for Hong Kong China at a senior World Rowing event. Reigning World Champion in the lightweight women’s single sculls, Siobhan McCrohan of Ireland won her final ahead of USA and Great Britain.
Earlier in the day, racing in Saturday’s semi-finals and repechages gave the large crowd of spectators a first taste of what to expect in tomorrow’s Olympic and Paralympic boat class finals and a good indication of what to see at the Games in Paris in a few weeks’ time.
A battle of the champions is to be expected in Sunday’s A-final of the women’s single sculls, when Olympic champion Emma Twigg and World Cup series leader and reigning World Champion Karolien Florijn will go head-to-head in the final after winning their respective heats. They will be joined by Australia, Germany, Lithuania, and AIN in the final, who all progressed to the final round after taking the top three spots in Saturday’s semis.
Reigning World and European Champion Oliver Zeidler will also be one to watch after continuing his strong 2024 season with a win in the men’s single sculls semifinals, while the AIN sculler Yauheni Zalaty won the second semi-final.
In the women’s pair, reigning World Champions from the Netherlands overhauled Australia in the closing stages of the first semifinal, while Ireland won the second semifinal comfortably, also securing a place in the A-final.
In the men’s pair and much to the delight of the Swiss home crowd, Switzerland qualified for the final in second place, behind Great Britain1 and ahead of the pair from South Africa. The second semifinal saw a battle to the line with Spain, Great Britain2 and Ireland securing places for the final and the USA just missing out.
The women’s double sculls made for some surprises with neither the World Cup I winners from the Netherlands, nor the Lithuanian silver medallists from last year’s World Championships getting through to the final. The top three spots and thus the qualification for the final were taken by Ireland, Norway and New Zealand, as well as Australia, the USA, and China.
In the men’s double sculls, the last four qualifying spots were decided in the repechage with Italy, France, New Zealand, and Norway to join Friday’s heat winners Spain and the Netherlands in the final. The biggest cheer from the crowd went to Jan Schaeuble and Raphael Ahumada Ireland of Switzerland, who beat the Irish Olympic champions in the lightweight men’s double sculls’ semifinals and will be looking to win for the first-time on the Rotsee on Sunday.
The World Rowing Cup II will wrap up tomorrow Sunday 26 May, with racing to resume at 09:00 CET with the Finals B (place 6 – 12). The medal events, A-finals, will commence from 10:05 CET. All A-Finals will be livestreamed on worldrowing.com.
The World Rowing Cup II follows just days after the conclusion of the Final Olympic and Paralympic Qualification Regatta, which concluded on Tuesday with the final Olympic and Paralympic spots decided. See race report HERE.
