Rowers to watch: 2021 World Rowing Under 23 Championships

It’s been two years in the making and is finally here. The 2021 World Rowing Under 23 Championships is about to start in Racice, Czech Republic. After no under-23s happening in 2020, the field is full of talent new to the under-23 championships. Nearly 800 athletes from 55 countries are competing and expectations are high. Here are the rowers to watch out for.

Women’s Coxed Four (BW4+)

At the last under-23 championships Italy not only won this boat class, but they also set a new under-23 World Best Time of 7:02.22. Remaining in the boat from that 2019 crew is Laura Meriano.  A number of the crew raced this year at the European Rowing Championships in their nation’s wmen’s eight where they finished sixth. Italy will be up against Germany who have four members of their crew who know each other well. The crew were bronze medallists at the 2019 World Rowing Junior Championships.

Keep an eye out too for the United States. Although this is a new crew with no international experience, the US often does well in this boat class and in 2019 they finished sixth.

Men’s Coxed Four (BM4+)

This race could go Italy’s way. The Italians finished third at the 2019 under-23 championships and with the gold and silver countries missing (Australia and Great Britain respectively) the Italians may be able to step up the ranks. The coxswain, Wiesenfeld, and stroke seat, Di Colandrea, remain from the 2019 boat. Up with a medal chance may be Germany. Three of the crew raced at the 2019 under-23 championships and they are joined by a 2019 junior bronze medallist from the men’s pair, Tom Tewes.

Lightweight Women’s Pair (BLW2-)

Sitting in the German boat is Antonia Michaels who comes to Racice as the bronze medallist in this boat class from the 2019 World Rowing Under 23 Championships. But perhaps more experienced is Maria Zerboni of Italy. Zerboni won bronze in this boat class at the 2018 under-23 championships. They both have new partners for this year’s event. Keep and eye out too for the United States. Stroke seat Lindsey Rust was at the 2019 World Rowing Junior Championships where she finished fourth in the coxed four.

Lightweight Men’s Pair (BLM2-)

Earlier this season Moldova and Italy raced each other at the 2021 European Rowing Championships. The Italians took silver and Moldova were bronze medallists. Italy went on to earn a bronze medal at World Rowing Cup III. These two crews meet again in Racice and both of them look like they have medal prospects written all over them.

Keep an eye out for the United States. Stroke Collin Hay raced at the 2019 World Rowing Under 23 Championships and finished sixth. With new team mate Nathaniel Sass, they may be a medal chance. There’s also Uzbekistan who rowed together earlier this season in the pair at World Rowing Cup III. They also raced at the 2019 World Rowing Championships, but in the lightweight men’s double.

Women’s Pair (BW2-)

The pair is a popular boat class in many countries and this is reflected in the 12 nations entered. A whole bunch of them already have international racing experience including four athletes that raced at the 2019 World Rowing Under 23 Championships and two of them – France and Denmark – in the pair. But all eyes will be on the twins from Croatia. Ivana and Josipa Jurkovic have spent this season racing at the senior level in the pair and their results were impressive. They finished second at World Rowing Cup III last month and earlier in the season took gold at World Rowing Cup I. They also raced at the 2021 European Rowing Championships finishing fifth.

Watch out for the Czech Republic. Racing on their home course must be an advantage and in stoke seat is Eliska Podrazilova who took gold in the pair at the 2019 World Rowing Junior Championships. And also watch the French. Stroke seat Emma Cornelis earned a medal this season at World Rowing Cup I in the pair.

Men’s Pair (BM2-)

Great Britain and Croatia raced each other at World Rowing Cup III last month with the British pair of Douwe de Graaf and Calvin Tarczy taking silver and Croatia’s Patrik and Anton Loncaric earning bronze. They meet again in Racice and must be favourites to medal. But there is a lot of experience among these crews with some not having the opportunity to race since 2019. Fitting into this category is Spin and Denmark. The Spanish crew last raced in the four at the 2019 under-23 championships while Denmark was at the 2019 junior championships where they raced in the pair.

Keep an eye out too for Romania and Lithuania. Romania took gold in 2019 at the World Rowing Under 23 Championships and they have a new crew that have already made international competitions. Lithuania were the silver medallists in 2019 and their new crew for 2021 has spent the season racing at the elite level in the men’s four.

Lightweight Women’s Quadruple Sculls (BLW4x)

At the last under-23 championships Italy won and, in a time, just a second outside of the under-23 World Best Time. They are back with Martinelli still in the boat from the 2019 crew. She is joined by two former Italian junior team members. Three of them raced together at World Rowing Cup III last month and they secured gold. Italy must be the favourites to win in Racice when they face Germany and the United States.

Lightweight Men’s Quadruple Sculls (BM4x)

A solid entry of ten nations in this boat class means that competition will be tough. Italy won in 2019 but they have only one returning member from the crew. They will be up against the French who had two members of their boat racing at the 2019 under-23 championships – one in the silver medal winning lightweight quad. Watch out too for Turkey who have a crew with a mixture of international experience. All of the entered crews, however, are racing together internationally for the first time and this must mean that anything could happen when the final begins.

Women’s Quadruple Sculls (BW4x)

There are 13 nations racing in this boat class and there are two crews that have had 2021 racing experience together. Both the Czech Republic and Poland raced at World Rowing Cup III last month. They finished ninth and tenth respectively. They will need to keep an eye out for Germany who were the 2019 under-23 silver medallists and Romania who got bronze in 2019. Germany now has a new crew which includes two silver medallists from the 2019 junior championships quad. Romania has followed a similar path with two of their 2019 junior bronze medallists now in this under-23 crew.

Men’s Quadruple Sculls (BM4x)

The Czech Republic got a taste of racing together at the international level last month when they finished sixth at World Rowing Cup III. They are the only crew to have raced internationally together and that, along with being on their home course, may give them an advantage. But the Czechs are up against some strong competition with Germany’s boat including two gold medallists in the quad from the 2019 World Rowing Junior Championships. Italy also looks to have a strong crew as they have two junior bronze medallists from 2019 from the double and a 2019 junior silver medallist from the quad.

Keep an eye out too for the Dutch. They have brought into the quad two under-23 bronze medallists who raced in the men’s eight.

Lightweight Women’s Single Sculls (BLW1x)

At the 2019 World Rowing Under 23 Championships Lara Tiefenthaler of Austria took bronze. What has she been able to do in the last two years to improve her boat speed? If training has been on Tiefenthaler’s side, she will be looking good to medal again especially after taking bronze earlier this season at World Rowing Cup I.

But hot on Tiefenthaler’s tail must be Brigid Kennedy of the United States. Kennedy finished in fourth, just behind Tiefenthaler two years ago.

Watch out too for Italy’s Silvia Crosio. The Italian won gold in the lightweight quad at the 2019 under-23 championships. Crosio then medalled in the lightweight double last month at World Rowing Cup III. And Eline Rol of Switzerland also has a good shot at the medals. Rol has raced at two World Cups this season and back at the 2019 under-23 championships she took gold in the lightweight double.

Lightweight Men’s Single Sculls (BLM1x)

A full line-up of 22 countries will contest this boat class and there’s little doubt that all eyes will be on Niels Torre of Italy. Torre has had a great run so far this season. He took gold in the lightweight single at World Rowing Cup II and III and he became a European Champion earlier in the season with a win in the Italian lightweight quad. Back at the 2019 World Rowing Under 23 Championships, Torre was the silver medallist in the lightweight double.

There are definitely other medal prospects though with Switzerland’s Jan Schaeuble coming to Racice having a good amount of international racing under his belt. Schaeuble also has a bronze medal from the 2019 under-23 championships. Then there’s Antonios Papakonstantinou of Greece who has been racing in the lightweight double but has also had single success with an A-final finish at the 2020 European Rowing Championships.

Women’s Double Sculls (BW2x)

It looks like Lisa Bruijnincx and Fien van Westreenen of the Netherlands will be the boat to watch out for. Bruijnincx and van Westreenen are the 2019 junior champions in the women’s double. But right with them could be Ugne Juzenaite and Dovile Rimkute of Lithuania. The duo were the 2019 junior bronze medallists.

And there’s plenty more experience coming through from the junior ranks. The Romanian crew raced in the women’s four at the 2019 World Rowing Junior Championships with a fourth-place finish. There’s also Canada who have junior experience.

Men’s Double Sculls (BM2x)

A large field of 21 boats is lining up in this boat class and judging by past results there’s a fair number of athletes that are at their second World Rowing Under 23 Championships and some at their third. The talent definitely runs deep. Keep an eye out for Moldova’s boat of Alexandru Masnic and Alexandr Bulat who have competed together at both the 2018 and 2019 under-23 championships. This time, however, they have switched from the quad to the double.

Denmark’s Oliver Christensen has raced at both the 2018 and 2018 under-23 championships. He is partnered with Magnus Timm who is on his first national team. Greece may have a solid chance as both rowers have competed previously internationally. But it could be France that comes through in Racice. The duo of Harat and Haguenauer finished fourth at the 2019 junior championships and they have been spending this season racing internationally in the quad.

Women’s Four (BW4-)

Great Britain won this boat class at the last World Rowing Under 23 Championships, but they have a completely new line up for Racice. It does, however, include Holly Dunford who won silver in 2019 in the women’s eight. And also in the boat is Daisy Bellamy who finished fourth at World Rowing Cup III in the four. Like Great Britain, the United States is consistently strong in this boat class. They have retained one member of the 2019 bronze-medal winning crew.

Keep an eye out too for Russia. They have built their crew around their 2019 junior women’s eight.

Men’s Four (BM4-)

A large field of 17 nations are competing in this boat class and there is a whole bunch of athletes that have come through from racing at the 2019 World Rowing Junior Championships. Germany is looking strong with two of the crew junior world champions from the men’s eight. But sitting alongside them will be Great Britain who have two members of the crew that won gold in the men’s eight at the 2019 World Rowing Under 23 Championships. They also have Iwan Hadfield in stroke seat. Hadfield was a bronze medallist at the 2019 junior championships. Great Britain will be defending their 2019 under-23 silver medal.

Watch out for Italy. The Italians finished third at the 2019 World Rowing Under 23 Championships and although they have not retained anyone from this bronze medal crew, they have added two members of the bronze medal 2019 junior championships crew. And keep an eye on Switzerland. They have been racing together internationally throughout this season and they also have the experience from competing in different boats at the 2019 under-23 championships.

Lightweight Women’s Double Sculls (BLW2x)

This race could go the way of Turkey. Mrve Uslu and Elis Ozbay of Turkey raced at World Rowing Cup I and finished with a silver. If it isn’t Turkey stepping up it could be Switzerland. The duo of Cantoni and Nacht may be new as a crew but they have the legacy of this boat class being won by the Swiss in 2019. Stroke seat Nacht also has the experience of racing in the lightweight single at the 2019 under-23 championships.

Germany regularly does well in this boat class and in 2019 they were the bronze medallists. For Racice they have included Pauline Sauter in the boat. Sauter was the silver medallist in the quad at the 2019 under-23 championships. And there’s also the Italians. Stroke seat Greta Parravicini was the gold medallist in the eight at the 2019 World Rowing Under 23 Championships.

Lightweight Men’s Double Sculls (BM2x)

A line-up of 13 countries will race in this boat class and it included Marlon Colpaert and Tibo Vyvey of Belgium who raced in this same boat class together in 2019 where they finished fifth. They also got some further experience by racing at World Rowing Cup II this season. They finished sixth. Belgium will be up against Switzerland who have been racing internationally this season at two of the World Cups.

Don’t underestimate France. The crew of Ferdinand Ludwig and Victor Marcelot were second when they raced in the lightweight quad at the 2021 European Rowing Championships. And then there’s the new German crew who will be wanting to defend their country’s 2019 title.

Men’s Eight (BM8+)

Great Britain won this boat class at the 2019 World Rowing Under 23 Championships. They have two members of that winning boat returning for 2021 as well as two 2019 junior medallists. Much of the boat, however, like most of the boats, is new to international racing. The United States regularly medal in this boat class and despite being an untried crew internationally, they are likely to do well judging by past statistics.

But perhaps the most experienced crew is that of Romania. They have four members of their fourth-placed 2019 crew returning to the boat along with Alexandru Gherasim sitting in stroke seat. Gherasim took gold in the pair at the 2019 World Rowing Junior Championships.

Men’s Single Sculls (BM1x)

A full field of 30 countries is lining up in this boat class and there is a fleet of new names in single sculling. Perhaps leading the way will be Belgium’s Tristan Vandenbussche. The Belgian was second at the 2019 World Rowing Junior Championships. He then raced at this season’s World Rowing Cup II where he finished eleventh. Back that the 2019 juniors, Emil Neykov of Bulgaria, Piotr Plominski of Poland and Rares-Andrei Nechita of Cyprus also raced in the single. They finished fifth, sixth and seventh respectively. It will be interesting to see how they have come through the difficult 2020 year and developed into under-23 rowers.

Judging by the 2019 under-23 results, Germany will have a strong rower. Jonas Gelsen of Germany is just 19 years old and will be racing internationally for the first time.

Women’s Single Sculls (BW1x)

All eyes will be on Germany’s Alexandra Foester. She finished first in the single at the 2019 junior championships and since then has been racing at the senior level. Foester was seventh in the 2021 European Rowing Championships and she also raced to sixth at the Final Olympic Qualification Regatta.

Finishing second to Germany at the junior’s was Anastasiia Liubich of Russia. Since then she has raced internationally in the women’s quad including the 2020 and 2021 European Rowing Championships. Keep an eye out too for Benthe Boonstra of the Netherland. Boonstra was first in the women’s eight at the 2019 World Rowing Under 23 Championships.

Women’s Eight (BW8+)

Defending their 2019 title in this boat class will be the Dutch. The have retained one rower from that gold medal eight and will go up against the United States. The Americans regularly medal in this boat class. The colour is usually gold but in 2019 they came away with bronze. The US crew is new for Racice with just one internationally experienced rower in the crew. Teal Cohen raced in the women’s four at the 2019 under-23 championships and finished with bronze. Half of this crew will double up and also race in the women’s four in Racice.

Watch out too for Romania who are used to medalling in this boat class. They finished fourth in 2019 and have retained two rowers from that 2019 boat.