Crews to watch at the 2024 World Rowing Cup III in Poznan, Poland

The last World Rowing Cup of 2024 is set to take place in Poznan, Poland, between 14 and 16 June. For many crews it is the last chance to get racing experience before the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, while others are making their international debuts or testing under-23 combinations. World Rowing Cup leaders the Netherlands will be racing for the overall title with Great Britain just 10 points behind – with both nations among those sending development squads to Poland.

These are the crews to watch.

Women’s Pair (W2-)

Jessica Morrison and Annabelle McIntyre of Australia won women’s pair silver at World Rowing Cup II and have a good chance of improving to gold in Poznan, although they are likely to be pushed by Ireland’s Aifric Keogh and Fiona Murtagh. Both crews, along with Denmark’s Hedvig Rasmussen and Fie Udby Erichsen, are off to Paris. The two Australian crews are also racing the women’s eight in Poznan.

Men’s Pair (M2-)

Roman Roeosli and Andrin Gulich are reigning world champions in the men’s pair, but have not won an event this season. However, their great rivals Tom George and Oliver Wynne-Griffith of Great Britain are absent from Poznan, potentially opening the way for Swiss gold. Also looking for a solid result ahead of the Olympic Games are reigning champions Croatia, whose comeback in this event has so far resulted in fourth at the 2024 World Rowing Cup I and the European Rowing Championships; Australia; and Ireland.

Women’s Double Sculls (W2x)

There are three likely Olympic contenders among the women’s double sculls entrants – Australia, France and Norway. Norwegian European champions Thea Helseth and Inger Kavlie finished second to Amanda Bateman and Harriet Hudson of Australia at World Rowing Cup II; France’s Margaux Bailleul and Emma Lunatti were 12th in Lucerne, although since entries closed Bailleul has been replaced by Elodie Ravera-Scaramozzino, who has come out of the women’s quadruple sculls crew. Poznan is also a chance to end the season on a high for crews which missed out on Paris at the Final Olympic Qualification Regatta, including Germany and Switzerland 1.

Men’s Double Sculls (M2x)

After a period apart, French Olympic champions Hugo Boucheron and Matthieu Androdias have now reunited in a bid to reclaim their title on home water. They were fifth at World Rowing Cup II, and will definitely want to step up in Poznan. World bronze medallists Daire Lynch and Philip Doyle of Ireland added World Rowing Cup I in Varese and have not raced since, so finding out how they compare with the French double will be a key part of their Paris preparation.

Women’s Four (W4-)

The ‘Danish Sweephearts’ and New Zealand are the only crews competing in Poznan who are going to Paris – Great Britain, who won World Rowing Cups I and II and the European championships, have entered a development crew for World Rowing Cup III. Australia have not confirmed their Olympic crew yet and have tweaked their line-up from that which finished sixth in Lucerne.

Men’s Four (M4-)

Australia are reigning Olympic champions in this boat class but have a new combination for 2024, who were fourth at World Rowing Cup II. Their fellow Antipodeans, New Zealand, looked impressive at the same regatta, winning silver. Switzerland qualified for Paris at the Final Olympic Qualification Regatta. While France, Great Britain and Romania have men’s fours at the Olympic Games, the Poznan line-ups for these nations are development boats.

Women’s Single Sculls (W1x)

This is the biggest event at World Rowing Cup III and includes a number of scullers heading to Paris. Australian Tara Rigney has the best 2024 season result of the entrants, silver in Lucerne, and in the absence of world gold and silver medallists Karolien Florijn and Emma Twigg stands a good chance of winning her first gold in this boat class. Others who could challenge include 2024 European champion Jovana Arsic.

Men’s Single Sculls (M1x)

The men’s single sculls has attracted 19 entries for Poznan, with 12 scullers using the regatta as part of their Paris preparation. Several are racing their first World Rowing Cup this season. Hoping to stand on the podium will be the likes of New Zealand’s world bronze medallist Tom Mackintosh, who had to withdraw from the final at World Rowing Cup II for medical reasons, and Tokyo 2020 bronze medallist Damir Martin of Croatia, who had disappointing results in Varese and at the European Rowing Championships. But look out too for Japan’s Ryuta Arakawa and Denmark’s Sverri Nielsen, who are never to be underestimated.

Lightweight Women’s Double Sculls (LW2x)

Seven of the 16 nations that have qualified the lightweight women’s double sculls for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games have entered crews in Poznan, including Tokyo silver medallists Laura Tarantola and Claire Bove. The duo snatched a place at their home Olympic Games at the Final Olympic Qualification Regatta in Lucerne, ahead of Greece who are not in Poznan. France get to test their speed against Poland, who qualified at the European Olympic Qualification Regatta, and New Zealand, who won silver at World Rowing Cup II.

Lightweight Men’s Double Sculls (LM2x)

There are just four entrants in the lightweight men’s double sculls at World Rowing Cup III, but the line-up includes three crews preparing for Paris – Argentina, France and Mexico. They are joined by a second French crew. France 1, Hugo Beurey and Ferdinand Ludwig, won the Final Olympic Qualification Regatta in Lucerne.

Women’s Quadruple Sculls (W4x)

Four boats are entered in the women’s quadruple sculls. European and World Rowing Cup I bronze medallists Germany have had the best season so far, but Australia and Switzerland are also building towards Paris. Poland are the only non-Olympic crew in the line-up.

Men’s Quadruple Sculls (M4x)

Three of the nine men’s quadruple sculls entrants in Poznan are Paris-bound, and the pick of the field is probably Poland 1 – 2023 world and 2024 European bronze medallists and former world champions, with silver at World Rowing Cup II. Germany and Switzerland have both also looked good this season. Meanwhile Netherlands 1 will want to pick up some World Rowing Cup points in the absence of their world and Olympic champion teammates.

Women’s Eight (W8+)

Many of the rowers entered in the women’s eight are entered in more than one event in Poznan. The two Australian crews include most of the women who won World Championship bronze last year, but not all in one boat. The Dutch are the only boat focusing wholly on the eight – will this bring them a medal?

Men’s Eight (M8+)

It will be a five-boat race in the men’s eights in Poznan, likely to be headed by Olympic-qualified crews Australia and Germany. Germany have shaken up their crew again after fifth place in Lucerne, with Frederik Breuer and Mattes Schoenherr coming in while Marc Kamman and two-time Olympic silver medallist Hannes Ocik are out. They will be joined on the start line by a young Romanian crew, coxed by 15-year-old Maria-Antonia Iancu, and two Ukrainian entries.

Lightweight Women’s Single Sculls (LW1x)

A good entry in the lightweight women’s single sculls includes the silver and bronze medallists from World Rowing Cup I, Norway’s Maia Lund and Dutchwoman Tosca Kettler, as well as World Rowing Championships silver medallist Kenia Lechuga of Mexico. Lechuga, as well as Morocco’s Majdouline El Allaoui, is set to race the women’s single sculls in Paris. USA 2, Mary Jones, is also one to watch: she was the silver medallist in the lightweight women’s double sculls at the World Rowing Championships 2023.

Lightweight Men’s Single Sculls (LM1x)

Of the 12 scullers set to race the lightweight men’s single sculls in Poznan, just two have won World Rowing Cup medals this season so far – Frenchman Baptiste Savaete, who took silver in Lucerne to add to his European Rowing Championships bronze, and the young Slovakian Peter Strecansky, who finished third in Varese. The quality field also includes German Jonathan Rommelmann, also entered in the openweight single sculls for Poznan, stepping out of the lightweight men’s double sculls after just missing out on Olympic qualification, and Algerian Sid Ali Boudina, who is set to race the men’s single sculls in Paris.

PARA EVENTS

PR1 Women’s Single Sculls (PR1 W1x)

At World Rowing Cup II Paralympic, world and European champion Birgit Skarstein was beaten into third place in the PR1 women’s single sculls, her first loss in an international final since the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. Manuela Diening won in Lucerne, continuing a solid season for the German sculler which has seen her become a true contender. With Skarstein having withdrawn after the close of entries, Diening is joined in Poznan by Pole Zofia Seweryn, making her international debut.

PR1 Men’s Single Sculls (PR1 M1x)

A total of six boats are entered in the PR1 men’s single sculls for Poznan – a quality bunch, headlined by five-time world champion and Paralympic silver medallist Erik Horrie of Australia, world silver medallist Giacomo Perini of Italy, and world bronze medallist Benjamin Pritchard of Great Britain. Germany’s Marcus Klemp joins this trio in Paris later this year, and is a perennial contender in the boat class.

PR2 Mixed Double Sculls (PR2 Mix2x)

All four of the crews racing the PR2 mixed double sculls at World Rowing Cup III are qualified for the Paralympic Games, and the podium is a familiar place for many. Eyes will first turn to the British world champions Lauren Rowles and Gregg Stevenson, who have not lost a race since teaming up for the European Rowing Championships last year, but the field is closing up. German duo Jasmina Bier and Paul Umbach in particular will be hoping to maintain the form which took them to European silver behind Great Britain in Szeged at the end of April.

PR3 Mixed Double Sculls (PR3 Mix2x)

There are seven boats racing the PR3 mixed double sculls in Poznan. France’s world bronze medallist Elur Alberdi races World Rowing Cup III with PR3 mixed coxed four Paralympic bronze medallist Antoine Jesel, after qualifying last year for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games with Laurent Cadot. The French crew face a good test from the likes of world champions Australia and World Rowing Cup II winners Germany.

PR3 Mixed Coxed Four (PR3 Mix4+)

Great Britain are looking to maintain their lengthy winning streak in the PR3 mixed coxed four and have brought 2023 world champion Morgan Fice-Noyes back into the boat for Poznan, after Joshua O’Brien’s debut at the European Rowing Championships. Other nations have also tweaked their line-ups, with world silver medallists the USA bringing in Gemma Wollenschlaeger this year in place of Saige Harper. All six entrants are preparing for Paris.

PR2 Women’s Single Sculls (PR2 W1x)

Germany’s Jasmina Bier and Mexico’s Angeles Gutierrez go head-to-head in the PR2 women’s single sculls. Gutierrez was second at World Rowing Cup II in this event, while Bier has not raced it internationally before.

PR2 Men’s Single Sculls (PR2 M1x)

PR2 men’s single sculls world champion Corne de Koning of the Netherlands is one of three scullers doubling up in this event and the PR2 mixed double sculls in Poznan, alongside Germany’s Paul Umbach and Irishman Steven McGowan. Meanwhile Mexico’s Miguel Nieto is also racing the PR3 mixed double sculls, making for a packed schedule for this quartet.