Race Report: the best in Indoor Rowing crowned at the WRICH

The second weekend of the 2025 World Rowing Indoor Championships, presented by Concept2 concluded in blistering fashion as the world’s top Indoor Rowers battled for supremacy in the Elimination Semifinals, and later on in the Grand Finals. With fierce competition across all categories, the event showcased exceptional performances from elite and amateur competitors alike.

Men’s Open 2000m Grand Final

On Saturday, when both Marcus Lorgen and Jakub Podrazil clocked 5:40 in the Continental Knockout Heats, we knew we were going to have fantastic races in the Semifinals, and in the Finals. We weren’t disappointed! In the Elimination Semifinals, and despite his brother withdrawing from the race because of an injury, Finn Lorgen clocked the fastest time and all the favourites went through safely – it was unfortunately James Hudson of Great Britain who missed out on the Grand Finals by 0.1 seconds.

Then came the Grand Final. The Lemmelijn brothers, racing in front of a large crowed in Belgium, started very fast, although it was Anton Grassl of Slovakia who was leading after 500m. Both hitting at 37 strokes per minute, Ward Lemmelijn and Jakub Podrazil of Czechia started to claw their way back. The Belgian athlete took the lead for good, and was on pace for a sub 5:40 time at the 1000m. Pushed by the crowd, pulling 1:26 all the way, Ward Lemmelijn finished in a 5:39.2 – such an impressive performance after having to race three times in the last 24 hours.

Behind him, two of the medallists from the inaugural World Rowing Indoor Championships in 2018 are back in the podium. After breaking his national record yesterday, Jakub Podrazil won silver, and a few minutes after winning gold in the relay, Joel Naukkarinen of Finland won bronze. What a race!

Women’s Open 2000m Grand Final

She really kept her best race for last. Elizabeth Gilmore, the two-time Versa Challenge winner, is the new World Rowing Indoor Champion on the Women’s 2000m race. After cruising through the Continental Knockout Heats, and the Elimination Semifinals, she confirmed her status of favourite in the Grand Final. She took the lead halfway through the race and never looked back – winning in 6:46.4!

Behind her, Louise Lefebvre of France managed to hold off a late charge from Maria Angeles Macian of Spain and won a hard-fought, well-deserved silver medal, by 0.4 seconds. It was a very fast final – with six athletes breaking the 7:00 mark. Blistering times!

Men’s and Women’s Lightweight 2000m Grand Finals

After controlling very well his Elimination Semifinal, Afonso Duarte Costa of Portugal left no doubt about his superiority on the Lightweight Men category, clocking a very fast 6:08.6. It was double delight for Portugal, with the silver medal going to João Santos, while the bronze medal went to Alvaro Alvedro of Spain, just pipping Luca Britten on the line. Great performance as well for Jesus Gonzalez Alvarez of Spain, who broke the World Record in the LM50-54 age group by 0.2 seconds.

In the Lightweight Women 2000m race, the reigning Indoor Champion and Paris 2024 Olympian Martyna Radosz of Poland retained her title with a well-paced, well-controlled race, in a time of 7:10.8. Silver medal went to Bruna Parente of Portugal, who overtook Nourelhoda Arafa of Egypt in the last five strokes.

Para Rowing Grand Finals

Talk about a fast race – five World Records were broken in the different para categories during the Grand Final yesterday! Franck Oberdorff (M PR1 50-54 : 7:24.9), Yigit Dogukan Bozkurt (M PR2 17-18 : 7:34.1), Rene Skafte Schmidt (M PR2 60-64 : 7:38.8), Marco Frank (M PR3 40-49 : 6:19.3) and Sylvia Pille-Steppat (W PR1 55-59 : 8:42.6) all became World Record holders yesterday.

Marco Frank did it again! The PR3 rower from Italy not only set a World Record in his age category, he also became World Rowing Indoor Champion for the second time in two weeks, after his great final on the 500m distance last week.

Franck Oberdorff of France won the PR1 Men’s 2000m, while Josef Duchan of Czechia won gold in the PR2 Men’s 2000m and Sebastian Stuart of Germany, in the PR3-II. On the women’s side, it was gold for Tara Leroux of France in the W PR3-II and Sylvia Pille-Steppat in the PR1 Women’s 2000m.

Sprint Relays Grand Finals

Deja vu? Last week, on the 500m, Team Finland won both the Men and Women’s Relays. They did it again on Sunday, bringing home two gold medals. A great performance from Joel Naukkarinen – who raced an hour before in the Elimination Semifinal for the Men’s 2000m, and ahead of his Grand Final in the Men’s 2000m.

The composite crew of Rudn Rowing Club had smooth transitions and great chemistry, and took home the Mixed Relay University. American University in Cairo won silver, and the bronze medal went to Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. Ukraine won three gold medals in the U17 Men and Women, and the U19 Women’s Relays.

For full race results, visit the event page here.

Photo thanks to Branko Minnart