Star studded lineup completes podium at 2023 Challenge Prince Albert II

This year’s Challenge Prince Albert II featured an exceptional line-up of 22 teams, including the best rowers in Coastal rowing and Beach Sprint, as well as a number of Olympic medallists.

18 nations were represented in teams of 4 rowers and a coxswain, who should have competed in women’s solo, mixed doubles, men’s solo and mixed four, but the weather conditions decided otherwise.

On Saturday, the day of the 4km Coastal race, a wind gusting to almost 30 knots forced the organisers first to postpone the races and then to replace the solo events with an additional mixed doubles race.

It was the right decision, and what followed were some extremely intense races in the magnificent Bay of Monaco, with some buoy turns that will live long in the memory of the participants.

From the first race in four, the Filippi#1 team showed its mastery, while the Kanghua Alpha team, made up of the two 2023 world champions Janneke Van Der Meulen and Karien Robbers (NED) in association with Jack Beaumont (GBR) and Kealan Mannix (IRL), was caught up in a collision shortly after the start and was never able to make up the deficit. The Filippi#2 team took second place.

The first mixed doubles race saw Martino Goretti (ITA) and Sophie Souwer (NED) -Evergreen Coastal Racing Team- win ahead of Sam Scrimgeour and Laura MacKenzie (GBR) of Swift Racing UK. The second double race was won by Janneke Van der Meulen and Kealan Mannix ahead of Charles Cousins (GBR) and Jessica Berra (FRA) -Swift Racing International.

Sunday gave way to the 500m sprint duel races in the emblematic port of Monaco.

It was in the midst of the luxury yachts that the Filippi#1 team secured its victory ahead of the Kanghua Alpha team and consolidated its lead in the overall rankings to win the Challenge and put its name permanently on the list for 2023.

Photos thanks to Eric Marie / MagAviron