PLOVDIV, Bulgaria – The 2026 World Rowing Under 19 Championships came to a spectacular close in Plovdiv today, with four days of high-quality racing showcasing the talent and competitive spirit of the next generation of aspiring Olympic champions.

Between 6 and 9 August, 660 athletes, 367 men and 293 women, representing 55 nations, arrived in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, to race for world medals across 14 boat classes.

The 2026 World Rowing Under 19 Championships delivered no shortage of drama, with close finishes, surprise victories and dominant performances across the programme. Sixteen World Champion crews were crowned, with athletes from around the world producing memorable performances on the fast Plovdiv course.

Carolina Cassani (b), Letizia Martorana (s), Under 19 Women’s Pair, Italy, 2026 European Rowing Under 19 Championships, Brandenburg, Germany © Detlev Seyb / MyRowingPhoto.com

This included Italy’s Carolina Cassani and Letizia Martorana achieving a new Under 19s Women’s Pair World Best Time, stopping the clock at 7:10.77, almost five seconds faster than the previous record.

Among the highlights were Estonia’s Endrik Hansen and Riko Raimon Kubja producing a remarkable final 100 metres to win the Under 19 Men’s Double Sculls from Lane 6, while Italy’s Alizee Ribolzi dominated the Under 19 Women’s Single Sculls to claim World Championship gold.

Great Britain successfully defended their Under 19 Men’s Eight title for the fourth year in a row, while Romania grabbed gold in the Under 19 Women’s Four and Women’s Eight. New star Greece’s Iason Mouselimis also added a World title to his European gold in the Men’s Single Sculls.

The Championships also marked the introduction of the Under 19 Mixed Double Sculls and Eight, with Germany taking the inaugural World titles for both events. The mixed event added a new dimension to the programme and provided a fitting finale to four days of exciting racing.

Beyond the racing, the Championships showcased the passion of the hundreds of athletes, coaches, volunteers and spectators who came together in Plovdiv to celebrate the future of the sport.

Tristan Pierre Delacroix (b), Andrei-George Mitrea, Sebastian-Ionut Raileanu, Gabriel-Valentin Rusu, Ionut-Denis Ungureanu, Eduard Nicolaica, Silviu Gabriel State, Marian-Alexandru Mihali (s), Irina Lucia Andreea Despa (c), Under 19 Men’s Eight, Romania; 2026 World Rowing Under 19 Championships, Plovdiv, Bulgaria; © World Rowing / Benedict Tufnell

World Rowing President Jean-Christophe Rolland also recognised the contribution of those who helped make the Championships possible, presenting Medals of Honour to Vessela Letcheva, President of the Bulgarian Olympic Committee, and Mihail Vantchev, an Organising Committee volunteer for 15 years and Media Operations and Volunteer Manager.

With the Championships now concluded, the rowing world will not have to wait long to return to Plovdiv. The city will once again welcome the world’s best young rowers in 2027, when it hosts the World Rowing Under 23 and Under 19 Championships.

Plovdiv Showcases Future Olympians in Thrilling 2026 World Rowing Under 19 Championships; Races Include World’s Best Time And New Mixed Events

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