World Rowing Cup III heads to Racice and Duisburg for 2027 and 2028

World Rowing has named the hosts for the third stop of the 2027 and 2028 World Rowing Cup series: Racice, Czechia, will host the event for the first time, while Duisburg, Germany, marks a return to the calendar after more than three decades.

The two venues are among the most storied on the international rowing calendar, continuing a tradition of bringing the World Rowing Cup to some of the sport’s most well-established hubs.

“The World Rowing Cup is where the world’s best crews test themselves against each other year after year, and its place in our sport’s calendar depends on the quality of the hosts who bring it to life,” said World Rowing President Jean-Christophe Rolland. “Racice and Duisburg are two venues with a deep understanding of what it takes to deliver elite competition, and with their experience and passion for our sport, I have no doubt they will once again provide the standard our athletes and fans expect from a World Rowing Cup.”

2027 and 2028 World Rowing Cup III

• 2027: Racice, Czechia
• 2028: Duisburg, Germany

Czechia to Host First-Ever World Rowing Cup in 2027

The 2027 World Rowing Cup III in Racice will mark the first time that Czechia has hosted a World Rowing Cup event.

The Labe Arena Racice course, part of the Roudnice nad Labem/Racice complex, is no stranger to major regattas. The venue has hosted the World Rowing Championships on two occasions (1993, 2022), the World Rowing Under-23 Championships in 2009, and the World Rowing Under-19 Championships twice (1986, 2010).

“This is a historic moment for Czech rowing,” said David Kyncl, President of the Czechia Rowing Association. “We have hosted World Championships and continental events on this course, but never a World Rowing Cup. Welcoming the world’s best crews to Racice in 2027 is a tremendous honour and a reflection of the hard work our federation, our clubs, and our volunteers have put in over many years. We can’t wait to show the rowing world what this venue, and this country, can do.”

The announcement was warmly received by Czechia’s rowing community, including Anna Santruckova, who races in the women’s pair with Pavlina Flamikova.

“Racing a World Cup at home means everything to us,” said Santruckova. “This is the course where so many of us grew up learning to row, and where we’ve watched the best in the world compete. Getting the chance to race in front of our own family and fans, in our own country, at this level – it’s incredibly special, and it gives us something extra special to look forward to.”

The news also comes days after Czechia rowing legend Ondrej Synek received World Rowing’s highest individual honour, the Thomas Keller Medal, presented to him during the 2026 World Rowing Cup III in Lucerne. Synek, a five-time world champion in the single sculls and three-time Olympic silver medallist, is only the second Czech athlete to receive the award.

“To be recognised with the Thomas Keller Medal was one of the proudest moments of my career, and now to see a World Rowing Cup coming to Czechia so soon after is the perfect way to follow it,” said Synek. “Our country has given so much to this sport over the decades, and our fans deserve the chance to see world-class racing at home. I hope this event inspires the next generation of Czech rowers the same way watching international competition once inspired me.”

Duisburg Returns to the Rowing World Cup in 2028

Duisburg will host the third Rowing World Cup (World Rowing Cup III) in 2028, marking its return to the regatta series for the first time since the early 1990s.

The Duisburg regatta course boasts a long history in international rowing: it has previously hosted the Rowing World Cup three times (1991, 1993, 1994) as well as the 1983 World Rowing Championships and the 2001 World Rowing Junior Championships. Furthermore, Duisburg is set to host the World Rowing Under 23 Championships from July 23 to 26, 2026—an important test event ahead of the 2028 World Cup.

Germany has a long-standing tradition with the Rowing World Cup, having hosted the series 20 times, including 13 events between 2000 and 2012. The World Rowing Championships have also been held in Germany four times, most recently in 2007.

“I am thrilled that the 2028 Rowing World Cup will be held at our regatta course. Athletes will find perfect conditions for peak athletic performance at Sportpark Duisburg. Whether in the boat or in the stands, we will deliver an unforgettable experience on the water,” says Mayor Sören Link.

Among those looking ahead to racing in Duisburg is Germany’s Oliver Zeidler, the three-time world champion and 2024 Olympic gold medallist in the men’s single sculls.

“Having a World Rowing Cup back in Germany, in Duisburg, is something our fans have wanted for a long time,” said Zeidler. “Wedau is a fantastic course with a lot of rowing history, and I know our home crowd will make it a special atmosphere. There’s still a lot of racing between now and then, but it’s incredibly exciting to see the World Cup come back to Germany again.”

Zeidler enters the second half of the 2026 season in outstanding form, having gone a perfect 3-for-3 in the men’s single sculls across this year’s World Rowing Cup series. He now heads into the 2026 World Rowing Championships in Amsterdam as a leading contender for a fourth world title in the event.

With the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games on the horizon, the 2028 World Rowing Cup III in Duisburg will be held after all Olympic and Paralympic qualification places have been decided on the standard 2000m distance, giving athletes an opportunity to compete on the distance they will race in Los Angeles. As a result, the event will be contested over 1500m rather than 2000m. On an exceptional basis, the LA28 Olympic Rowing Regatta will be held on a 1500m course at the Marine Stadium in Long Beach, California, the venue for the 1932 Olympic Games.

Looking Ahead

The full 2027 and 2028 World Rowing Cup calendars are expected to be announced at the 2026 World Rowing Congress, to be held in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, in late August.