Para rowing's season opener: The 2022 International Para-Rowing Regatta

Lago di Varese, nestled in the foothills of the Italian Alps, provided its usual stunning back drop to a weekend of intense racing as some of the world’s best rowers flocked to the 2022 Gavirate International Para-Rowing regatta.

As the season opener for many international para rowers, Gavirate’s two-in-one regatta format sets it apart as an exceptional experience-builder for crews preparing for World Cups and Championships through the northern spring and summer. First, a draw places crews in Friday heats to race through to Saturday morning finals; then, the draw happens all over again for a new round of heats Saturday afternoon and a second round of finals Sunday morning where racers might face off against completely different opponents.

The successful format has shown over the years that – in this case at least – two really can be better than one. It also provides an incredible challenge for any seeking to win gold twice in the same weekend. Athletes will also sometimes race in more than one event, but it is a trade off, where a gain of more valuable experience on an international start line comes at the expense of fatigue and wearing down in the face of fresher competition.

Eighteen countries in all sent national teams: Australia, Austria, Brazil, France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, Poland, South Africa, Thailand, Tunisia, the United States, and Uzbekistan. As well as top club crews from Italy and France.

RESULTS HIGHLIGHTS

The PR1 Women’s Single finals proved an exciting back and forth between German scullers Manuela Diening (GER) and Sylvia Pille-Steppat (GER2). Diening finished 13 second ahead of Pille-Steppat on Saturday, but on Sunday the order was flipped when the two met again in the final. This time Pille-Steppat was victorious, finishing in top spot almost 9 seconds ahead of Diening.

The PR1 Men’s Single was an even closer finish on Saturday’s final with Britain’s Benjamin Pritchard crossing the line under 3 seconds a head of Giacomo Perini of Italy. The two went bow to bow again in Sunday’s final where this time Perini took the lead and finished seven seconds ahead of Pritchard.
Dutch sculler and Tokyo 2020 silver medalist Corne de Koning was a standout performer at this regatta. Having capturing gold in the PR2 Men’s Single on Saturday, he teamed up with Australian sculler Kathryn Ross as a composite international crew to win Sunday’s PR2 Mixed Double. That race started at 10h00 in the morning and at 10h50 de Koning was back at the start line on the way to win his third gold medal, this time once again in the PR2 Men’s Single. Ross, who had earned silver on Saturday in the PR2 Women’s Single under than 3 seconds behind Britain’s Lauren Rowles, had even less recovery time, lining up again at 10h40 Sunday, yet powerfully claiming silver once again to Rowles’ gold.

Like Rowles, Britain’s PR3 Mixed Four of Francesca Allen (bow), Geidre Rakauskaite, Edward Fuller, Ollie Stanhope (stroke), and Erin Kennedy (coxswain) won both Saturday and Sunday finals. American’s Todd Vogt (bow) and Pearl Outlaw (stroke) similarly won gold in the PR3 Mixed Double on both days.

A-FINAL RESULTS SUMMARY AT THE 2022 INTERNATIONAL PARA-ROWING REGATTA

PR1 W1x
Saturday: GER, GER2, FRA Club, JPN, THA
Sunday: GER2, GER, FRA Club, JPN, ITA

PR1 M1x
Saturday: GBR, ITA, AUS, ISR, ITA2, UZB
Saturday: ITA, GBR, GBR2, ISR, JPN

PR2 Mix2x
Saturday: UZB, BRA, ITA, IRL, MEX, THA
Sunday: AUS-NED, BRA, ITA, IRL, MEX

PR3 Mix4+
Saturday: GBR, AUS, ITA, GER, ISR, UZB
Sunday: GBR, AUS, FRA, ITA, GER

PR2W1x
Saturday: GBR, AUS, POL, ISR
Sunday: GBR, AUS, POL, ISR

PR2 M1x
Saturday: NED, ITA, ITA Club, GER2, ISR, FRA Club2
Sunday: NED, ITA, GER2, ITA Club, ISR, FRA Club2

PR3 Mix2x
Saturday: USA, GBR, AUT, GER, THA
Sunday: USA, GBR, AUT, ISR, GER

PR3 M2-
Saturday: FRA, ITA, AUS, ITA, AUT, JPN
Sunday: ITA, AUS, AUT, JPN

PR3 M1x
Saturday only: AUT, MEX, ITA, FRA

Full results are available here

More information about the International Para-Rowing Regatta can be found at the official website here

For photos from the International Para-Rowing Regatta, visit World Rowing’s gallery page.