Daily digest: Bumper Day of Racing Kicks Off World Rowing Cup III

The weather gods brought blisteringly hot temperatures – but otherwise perfect conditions – to the Rotsee in Lucerne on Friday as the first day of 2026 World Rowing Cup III got underway.

Pritchard again sets the standard

The PR1 men’s single sculls was the only para-rowing event with a heat, and the results followed the seeding. World bronze medallist Erik Horrie (AUS) won heat 1, with world, Paralympic and European champion Benjamin Pritchard (GBR1) winning heat 2 in a fractionally faster time, setting up a good final.

Claire Ghiringhelli (SUI) looked comfortable out in front of the PR1 women’s single sculls, Australia won the PR3 women’s pairs preliminary, and world champions Germany the PR3 mixed double sculls preliminary. The USA finished off the day of para-rowing with a comfortable win in the PR3 mixed coxed fours preliminary race.

Heat rises for single sculls

While the heat winners in the women’s single sculls were fairly clear, there was good racing for third and fourth in every race with everyone conscious that only four scullers would progress to the semifinals based on time. In the event, it was Annabelle McIntyre (AUS2), Zoltana Gadanyi (HUN), Alice Prokesova (CZE) and Sophie Souwer (ITA) who made it. World champion Fiona Murtagh (IRL) posted the fastest time.

On the men’s side, photofinishes in the heats paved the way for the afternoon’s quarterfinals. And for some of the faster scullers from the morning, the afternoon was less successful, while others had successfully conserved their energy. The four quarterfinal winners were Oliver Zeidler (GER), Simon van Dorp (NED1), Yauheni Zalaty (AIN) and Melvin Twellaar (NED2). Zalaty had the fastest time of the four races.

Surprises in double sculls

After the withdrawal of France 1 in the men’s double sculls the event progression changed, with quarterfinals cancelled. That raised the stakes in the heats and perhaps caused a few surprises. France 2 (Victor Marcelot and Samuel Arque), who were ninth in Seville, beat Belgium, who were second; the new top British crew beat world silver medallists Serbia in heat 1; and Spain and the USA were close throughout heat 3.

Ireland and the USA both qualified both their boats to the women’s double sculls semifinals, with Ireland 2 and USA 1 winning their heats and Ireland 1 and USA 2 coming in second. But the Dutch world champions Roos de Jong and Benthe Boonstra had the quickest heat time and look like they are back on form.

Fierce racing in pairs

There was something for the Nordic countries to celebrate in the men’s pairs, with both Norway and Sweden progressing by right after coming second in their heats. Switzerland beat Norway to the win in heat 1. Greece’s new boat also looked good winning their heat, and both Australian boats will race the semifinals.

On the women’s side, both USA crews won their heats. World Rowing Cup leaders Czechia were second to USA2, and rivals Chile looked solid in taking heat 3.

Close racing promised in fours

The regatta should produce some tight racing in both the men’s and women’s fours. In the men’s fours, heat winners France, the Netherlands, Great Britain and Romania all produced very similar times as they raced for semifinal spots.

In the women’s fours, the USA and Australia were out in front both in winning their heats and in the times they set. Second-placed the Netherlands and Great Britain look like they will be racing for bronze when it comes to Sunday’s final.

Great Britain and Netherlands lead quads

Great Britain posted the fastest time in the heats of both women’s and men’s quadruple sculls. In the women’s race, the rejigged crew – now with Olympic lightweight women’s double sculls champion Imogen Grant at stroke – came home three seconds up on Seville World Rowing Cup winners Germany. The Netherlands won heat 2.

The British have also changed around their men’s quad and that proved successful too, with a win in heat 2 in the fastest time of the three races. The Netherlands and Germany were the other heat winners, but there is only five seconds between all 12 semifinalists.

Eights turn on speed

With a slightly stronger breeze, the eights produced some fairly fast times. Great Britain and Australia 1 won the two heats of the women’s eights, with Great Britain just 0.12 seconds quicker than Australia.

Great Britain also posted the fastest time in the men’s eights (5:25.10), after overhauling the fast-starting Australians in heat 2. The Netherlands won heat 1, half a length ahead of Germany.

Birthday girl celebrates with victory

On her 32nd birthday, Mexico’s Kenia Lechuga won her heat of the lightweight women’s single sculls at a canter, afterwards saying she was celebrating by “winning and shining”. Femke van de Vliet (NED1) was the other heat winner.

Justin Schmidt and Sean Richardson had an all-USA clash in heat 1 of the lightweight men’s single sculls, with Schmidt coming out on top. But Chiu Hin Chun (HKG) looked in form winning heat 2 in a faster time.

The day’s racing concluded with preliminary races for the lightweight men’s and women’s double sculls. The Palacios twins of Peru won the women’s race, while India’s Lakshay and Ujiwal Kumar Singh took the win in the men’s preliminary.