2024 World Rowing Coastal Champions Crowned in Genoa

A schedule change due to forecasted adverse weather meant that the A finals of the 2024 World Rowing Coastal Championships were run a day earlier than originally planned. All seven boat classes were raced over the 4k course and a new set of Coastal Champions were crowned!

Coastal women’s solo (CW1x)

They had raced their heats on the previous day so had a bit of chance to recover although some were doubling up. With lots of pleasure boats out on the water, conditions were starting to get a bit more challenging. Jessica Berra (FRA01) had the initial lead but Diana Dymchenko of Baku Rowing club (AZE01) was chasing her hard. The rest of the field was then quite far behind. Dymchenko had taken the lead by the first timing point and the reigning champion Monika Dukarska of Killorglin Rowing Club (IRL01) had moved into second place. Berra was holding on to bronze medal position while Eeva Karppinen of Neste Rowing Club Ry (FIN01) was sitting in fourth and challenging hard. A challenging leg saw all solos struggling a little but the top three continued to be AZE, IRL and FRA. It was that order that the boats crossed the finish line, however, it was announced after the race that Dymchenko had missed a turning marker and her result was therefore “Did Not Finish”.

2024 World Rowing Coastal Champion: Monika Dukarska (IRL01, Killorglin Rowing Club)

Silver: Jessica Berra (FRA01, Endaika Arraun Elkartea)

Bronze: Eeva Karppinen(FIN01, Neste Rowing Club Ry)

Coastal men’s double sculls (CM2x) 

France03 and Spain03 were the fastest off the start but the boats from the Ukraine soon made up lost ground and were leading the charge too. There were several boats jostling for positions at the front of the field. Ukraine01 were first at the first timing marker, closely followed by Finland01. Approaching turning point 3, the Finland boat still had overlap and was challenging the Ukraine crew, but they managed to respond. Sweden01 were sitting in third position with France02 and New Zealand02 currently out of the medal zone, but not far behind. Sweden were challenging Finland for the silver medal approaching the penultimate turning mark while Ukraine01 had started to extend their lead. It looked like it could be a photo finish for second and third place, but the gold medal was not in doubt! Sweden had managed to hold off Finland in the run to the line, and claimed the silver medal.

2024 World Rowing Coastal Champions: Central Sports Club of the army of Ukraine (UKR01)

Silver: Stockholm och Hoganas Roddforening (SWE01)

Bronze: Takon Soutajat ry (FIN01)

Coastal women’s quadruple sculls (CW4x+) 

Ireland03 were deemed to have false started so would be required to spend two minutes in the penalty box. Meanwhile, it was a relatively clear lead for Poland01 with Netherlands01 and New Zealand01 also still well in the mix. Poland01 continued to lead around the first turning marker, while the Dutch crew were holding on to second place narrowly ahead of the Kiwi boat with three Paris 2024 Olympic medallists on board. An interaction between Spain and the USA at turning point two meant that Spain were going to be joining Ireland03 in the penalty box. The Netherlands01 boat made a decisive move in the latter stages of the race and were able to overtake the Polish boat which had been leading all of the way so far. The Dutch crew which was stacked with talent including the recent Olympic Champion Karolien Florijn held on to the lead and it was to be another gold medal for this season.

2024 World Rowing Coastal Champions: Hollandia Roeiclub (NED01)

Silver: Stowarzyszenie Olimpijskie Wygrywamy (POL01)

Bronze: Hawkes Bay Rowing Club (NZL01)

Coastal women’s double sculls (CW2x)

One boat pulled out an early lead – it was Netherlands01, last year’s Champions with Austria01, last year’s silver medallists chasing them hard. Netherlands01 were the first around turning marker 1 with Austria01 still in second place and then Netherlands03. The Netherlands02 of Florijn and Keiser, who had just won gold in the quad were sat in fifth place, it would be interesting to see what they could do in later stages of the race. Austria01, the Lobnig sisters ceased the lead from Netherlands01 – they were looking for revenge from last year. Italy02 were awarded a sixty second penalty at turning marker 2 for causing a collision – they were sat in 15th so unlikely to affect the medals. The top three boats were continuing to look pretty comfortable; Austria01, Netherlands01 then Netherlands03. Nobody could catch the Lobnig sisters – Katharina and Magdalena had won silver last year and this year it was gold! Meanwhile, last year’s winners – Janneke Van Der Meulen and Karien Robbers took silver this year.

2024 World Rowing Coastal Champion: Austrian Rowing Team (AUT01)

Silver: Hollandia Roeiclub (NED01)

Bronze: Hollandia Roeiclub (NED03)

Coastal men’s solo (CM1x)

It was Gabriele Loconsole (ITA02) and Finlay Hamill (NZL01) fastest off the start, but the whole field was very close in the early stages. Hamill soon established the lead and had a length over Loconsole in the middle of the long first leg. Round the first turning marker, Hamill continued to lead and it was an Italy 1-2 behind him with Loconsole holding second place just ahead of Davide Mumolo (ITA01) who had won his heat earlier the same day. The top three places continued to look pretty set as the race progressed with the experienced coastal sculler Joel Naukkarinen of Finland sitting in fourth place, just outside the medal zone. Hamill was looking completely uncatchable and Italy was looking set to take the silver and bronze although the order of those two could still change! Hamill became the champion and the second position had indeed changed – Mumolo had taken the lead over his countryman and claimed the silver medal.

2024 World Rowing Coastal Champion: Finlay Hamill, New Zealand Rowing (NZL01)

Silver: Davide Mumolo, Gruppo Sportivo della Polizia di Stato “Fiamme Oro” (ITA01)

Bronze: Gabriele Loconsole, Canottieri Cernobbio 1901 ASD (ITA02)

Coastal men’s quadruple sculls (CM4x+) 

This race had six Italian crews in but it was Spain05 that had the fastest start. As the race started to open up and around the first turning marker, Ukraine01 took the lead ahead of Italy02 with Spain05 now in third place. There was a fair bit of shouting from the coxes around the next turning marker as several jostled for positions, going round the marker simultaneously. No change to the leaders though, Ukraine01 continued to lead. However, there was plenty of interest for the locals as Italy continued to hold positions 2 and 3. Could either of them put any pressure on Ukraine in the closing stages of the race? Nobody could catch them, but the rest of the positions did change! Spain05 had moved back into the medal zone and claimed the silver while an incredible sprint from the absolutely stacked Dutch crew had allowed Netherlands01 to come into bronze medal position!

2024 World Rowing Coastal Champions: Central Sports Club of the Army of Ukraine UKR01)

Silver: Club Remo Guadalquivir 1986 (ESP05)

Bronze: Hollandia Roeiclub (NED01)

Coastal mixed double sculls (CMix2x)

The last race got underway and Monaco01 took the initial lead but it was all very close at the front of the field. Monaco01 was in the lead at the first timing marker but only a few seconds ahead of New Zealand01 with Ukraine01 sitting in third place. This was going to be a close one! Italy02 was sitting in fourth place – what could they do in the later stages? Monaco01 was continuing to lead at the second timing point, and Italy02 had indeed moved into the medal zone – and was now sitting in second place ahead of New Zealand01 while Ukraine01 had slipped right back and looked to be out of medal contention. In the next leg, New Zealand01 not only regained second place, but were now starting to pile the pressure on Monaco01 also. However, New Zealand01 were called into the penalty box after causing a collision, that was going to cost them. It left the door open for Monaco to try and get back on the podium. But Spain03 had worked their way through the field in the closing stages and not just moved into the medal zone, but took the lead! Italy02 had held on to second place while NewZealand01 being in the penalty box had allowed their teammates NewZealand02 to move in to a podium position.

2024 World Rowing Coastal Champions: Real Circulo de Labradores de Sevilla (ESP03)

Silver: C.C.Saturnia -Trieste (ITA02)

Bronze: New Zealand Rowing (NZL02)