Daily Digest: it's lights out and away we go for the 2025 WRICH

The 2025 World Rowing Indoor Championships, presented by Concept2, got underway today with the Continental Knockout Heats, where the top 50 athletes secured their spots in Sunday’s Elimination Semifinals. With fast times, unexpected results, and standout performances, the day had a bit of everything.

Loerwald sets the pace

With top contenders Joel Naukkarinen and Tom Wilson absent, the Men’s 500m field is wide open. While reigning World Champion Joonas Kuivalainen and other favourites safely advanced, it was Germany’s Hannes Loerwald who made the biggest statement. Clocking the fastest time of all Continental Knockout Heats at 1:14.6, Loerwald, who entered with the 13th fastest qualifying time, is now a strong contender not just for a top-20 finish but for a medal.

Racing over 500m is always tight—just 0.9 seconds separate the 2nd and 11th fastest times overall. In fact, the 50th qualifying time was 1:20.6… and four athletes clocked that exact mark! As a result, the top 50 expanded to 53, with all of them moving on to the Elimination Semifinals. However, it was heartbreak for Finland’s Eetu Lehtiö and Italy’s Daniele Muttini, who both missed out by just 0.1 seconds.

The Elimination Semifinals take place Sunday at 17:37 CET, with the Grand Final at 20:00 CET—it’s set to be fast and furious.

Former relay teammates advance

At last year’s WRICH in Prague, the “International Men of Mystery” relay team won gold in the 2000m team relay. Three of the four members—Loïc Schalbetter (SUI), Spyridon Kalentzis (GRE), and Jeremy Weaver (USA)—are back in action this year, and all three have qualified for the Elimination Semifinals. Remarkably, their times were almost identical, separated by just 0.5 seconds. Expect them to be in the mix for medals once again.

Zafer makes a statement

Egypt’s Sara Zafer is no stranger to indoor rowing success. A silver medallist in last year’s W21-22 500m race, she’s back with a vengeance. Today, she delivered the fastest time of the Continental Knockout Heats with an impressive 1:29.5, firmly establishing herself as a contender for the top 20—and beyond.

Behind her, top names including former Versa Athletes Lina Bélanger, Morgan McGrath, and Ella Fox also secured their spots in the next round. Qualification was razor-thin once again, with Egypt’s Alia Mohamed Ali clinching the final spot, while Canada’s Cat Fraser was the unlucky athlete to miss out by just 0.1 seconds.

Olympic Champion leads his relay team

A few months ago, Rory Gibbs stood atop the Olympic podium as part of Great Britain’s gold-medal-winning Men’s Eight at Paris 2024. Now, he’s bringing that same dominance to WRICH, leading his “Newwave CrossFit” team to a commanding win in the Endurance Relay heats. Alongside teammates Elliot Awin, Frazer Brent, and Rhys Westall, Gibbs helped execute flawless transitions en route to victory. However, the real test comes in tomorrow’s final at 19:02 CET.

Indoor love from Down Under

The most heartwarming story of the day came from Australia, where 80-year-old Peter and Margaret Sheean took part in the lightweight men’s and women’s categories. While they didn’t advance to the next round, they embraced the experience of competing virtually, sharing their passion for indoor rowing. A testament to the sport’s inclusivity, their participation proves that age is just a number—and that indoor rowing is for everyone!

The competition continues tomorrow with the Elimination Semifinals, followed by the Grand Finals. Racing will start at 17:00 CET and will be livestreamed on worldrowing.com.