Fast times and tight racing on day 2 in Poznan

Drier weather and a strengthening tailwind produced a day of close, fast racing at the 2025 World Rowing Under 23 Championships on Thursday, as the heats in another eight events took place.

The stage is now set for semifinals, quarterfinals and minor finals on Friday, with the hunt for medals intensifying.

2024 silver medallists safely through in singles

With the 2024 under 23 single sculls champions not competing in Poznan, the path is open for last year’s silver medallists to look for a step up the podium. In the men’s event, Sweden’s Erik Kallstrom had a slightly slow start but was able to row into first place by 1000m to claim the win in his heat – however, Türkiye’s Cevdet Ege Mutlu, who was seventh at the 2025 European Rowing Championships, posted the fastest time. Malaysia’s Kheng Aik Ong and Somalia’s Abdirahman Hassan made history as their nations’ first under 23 rowers, but were off the pace and will race the E-final on Saturday.

Swiss sculler Aurelia-Maxima Janzen, racing in her fifth World Rowing Under 23 Championships, looked good in her bid to reclaim the title she won in 2023, posting comfortably the fastest time of the 12 competitors to claim top spot in the final. Romy Cantwell of Australia was the second-quickest, some five seconds back.

USA eliminated in lightweight double sculls

The lightweight men’s double sculls had seven entries, so it was a race not to be the slowest crew and avoid elimination. While Norway’s Vincent Wang-Norderud and Mads Reite were the fastest in winning heat 1, it was the USA who miss out after finishing third in heat 2. Germany won heat 2, but Austria and Italy were both faster behind Norway.

Greece’s Paschalina Mouratidou and Gavriela Lioliou won the lightweight women’s double sculls preliminary race. Mouratidou is still just 16 years old and is the youngest competitor at the World Rowing Under 23 Championships.

Close battles in quads

The field is tightly clustered in both the men’s and women’s quadruple sculls. On the women’s side, Great Britain posted the fastest time (6:26.67) to win heat 1, but just 0.2 seconds split second-placed Germany, heat 2 winners Poland and Italy, second in heat 2.

Great Britain were also the fastest crew in the men’s quadruple sculls heats, only 5.62 seconds off the under 23 world best time set last year in St Catharine’s, Canada, by champions Poland. But another six crews went under 5:50 in the heats and the semifinals are set up to be extremely close. The AIN crew and Germany were the other heat winners.

Eights finish day in style

Great Britain and the USA positioned themselves as the favourites for the men’s and women’s eights. In the women’s event, Great Britain were slightly quicker in winning heat 2 than heat 1 winners the USA. Canada pipped Czechia on the line for second in heat 1, but both progress alongside France, whose time finishing fourth in heat 1 was 0.31 seconds quicker than the Netherlands in heat 2.

The USA outsprinted Australia to win heat 1 of the men’s eights, while New Zealand kept the pressure on Great Britain in heat 2 – and in fact, the Kiwis are the second quickest boat into the semifinals. Germany won heat 3, more comfortably ahead of Czechia. Denmark’s first-ever under 23 men’s eight will contest the C-final alongside Ukraine.