Paris 2024 Olympic Games Preview: The Quadruple Sculls

Eight oars, four people. Rowing’s quadruple sculls boat is complex. The teamwork needed to get down the rowing course in perfect synchronicity is a thing of beauty and when it all comes together the boats move fast, very fast, almost as fast as a rowing eight. For a time, Germany dominated this boat class in both the women’s and men’s race. But there have been many other nations up at the top of the ranks. Poland’s men with Adam Korol, China’s women at the 2008 and 2020 Olympic Games, Croatia’s Sinkovic brothers as part of their country’s quad, Italy at the 2000 Olympics to name a few. And through a chunk of these times has been Tonu Endrekson. The 45-year-old Estonian is back for Olympics number six.

Olympic quota places: 9 each for men’s and women’s quad
Total number of athletes: 72
Qualification pathways for men and women:
7 quota places each at the 2023 World Rowing Championships: Men: NED, ITA, POL, GBR, GER, SUI, ROU. Women: GBR, NED, CHN, SUI, AUS, ROU, GER.
2 quota places each at the 2024 Final Olympic qualification regatta: Men: NOR, EST. Women: USA, UKR.

Men’s quad

Reigning Olympic Champions: Netherlands
Reigning World Champions: Netherlands
Overall World Rowing Cup winner: Netherlands

When the Netherlands won at the Tokyo Olympics it was their first Olympic medal in this boat class since silver in Sydney 2000. Remaining in the boat is Tone Wieten and Koen Metsemakers making up the stern pair. They go to the Olympics unbeaten since last year’s World Championships. This bodes extremely well for the Dutch as medal contenders.

But the Dutch are not the only ones in fine form. Both Italy and Poland have been regularly medalling and with winning margins being tight these three countries will be keeping a close eye on each other. The British too will be ones to watch out for. At the Tokyo Olympics their quad produced the best result for their nation – a silver medal. Since then the quad has remained a high priority boat.

A special mention must go to Estonia. They are the very last qualifying boat having finished second at the Final Olympic Qualification Regatta. The great Tonu Endrekson sits in bow as he takes on his sixth Olympic Games. At the other end of the boat is 41-year-old Allar Raja at his fourth Olympic Games. If you count the years of rowing experience in this boat, it’s phenomenal.

Women’s quad

Reigning Olympic Champions: China
Reigning World Champions: Great Britain
Overall World Rowing Cup winner: Germany

As the reigning Olympic Champions China has something to prove. The women’s quad has been China’s most successful Olympic rowing event with gold at both Tokyo and Beijing. Their crew, however, hasn’t always been on the medals podium in this last Olympiad. Great Britain has been sitting consistently near the top winning at last year’s World Rowing Championships and then winning their final race before the Olympics at World Cup II in May the British, however, can not be complacent as China have been known to pull it out when the stakes are high.

Also looking good is the Netherlands with Laila Youssifou the mainstay in the boat. Youssifou raced in the quad at Tokyo and since then, as part of the quad, the crew has regularly medalled.

Keep an eye on Switzerland as they continue to keep themselves in an A-final position and although rarely in the medals, they may feel like their time has come.