Strong entries for the 2019 World Rowing Under 23 Championships

For immediate release
Lausanne, 17 July 2019

The 2019 World Rowing Under 23 Championships has attracted nearly 700 rowers from 53 nations. The regatta will take place from 24 to 28 July 2019 at Nathan Benderson Park hosted by two cities in Florida, United States; Sarasota and Bradenton.

The United States is sending the largest team with an entry in all 22 boat classes. Germany is next with 21 entries, then Great Britain with 14 boats entered.

There has been great interest in the men’s single sculls. Twenty-four countries have entered. Cormac Kennedy-Leverett of Australia finished second at last year’s World Rowing Junior Championships and then went on to take bronze at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games. Kennedy-Leverett steps up to the under-23 level and will face the under-23 silver medallist, Marc Weber of Germany. Lucas Ferreira of Brazil was sixth last year and is back for his third under-23 championships.

The women’s single sculls sees the return of last year’s silver medallist Emily Kallfelz of the United States and Clara Guerra of Italy. Guerra finished third in the lightweight single at the 2018 under-23s and she went on to medal at the World Rowing Championships. Now Guerra will test herself in the open-weight class.

In the blue ribband men’s eight the defending champions are the United States. They recently raced at the World Rowing Cup III in Rotterdam and they now go to the under-23s with five members of the crew that won gold in 2018. The British took silver in 2018 and they return with four of the same crew.

Two years ago the events offered for the championships became gender equal and the lightweight women’s single sculls has attracted the most entries with 15 countries lining up including Uruguay, Moldova and Japan.

Nathan Benderson Park has become a regular host of international events most recently host the 2018 World Rowing Masters Regatta and the 2017 World Rowing Championships.

The World Rowing Under 23 Championships is raced in 22 boat classes and is open to all World Rowing Federation (FISA) member nations. Rowers must be under the age of 23. The under-23s began in 1976 and was called the ‘Seniors Match’. The name was then changed to the ‘Nations Cup’ before becoming the World Rowing Under 23 Championships in 2005.

For entries, timetable, full race reports, live race tracker and commentary, live blog and live video streaming for some of the races please go to www.worldrowing.com

For the complete entry list click here.