Daily Digest: Day 1 in Duisburg Delights

Day 1 of the 2026 World Rowing Under 23 Championships saw every boat, except for the Mixed Double and the Mixed Eight, take to the water in a series of exciting races to determine semifinals and finals for the days to come.

Australia dominate para preliminaries

Both the preliminary races in the PR3 under 23 single sculls were won by Australia. Susannah Lutze and Sam Stunell were untroubled in their races. Rocio Fraguela (ESP) took second in the women’s race, while Italy’s Igor Zappa was second in the men’s.

Germany and Portugal in pole position in light singles

Nathalie Sendjuk (GER) got the host nation’s championships off to a great start by posting by far the fastest time in the under 23 lightweight women’s single sculls heats, suggesting she has a chance of defeating reigning champion Melissa Schincariol (ITA) in the final. In the men’s event, Joao Veloso (POR) was the fastest qualifier to the semifinals.

Moldova were eliminated in the under 23 lightweight men’s double sculls heats, while reigning champions Greece dominated the women’s preliminary race.

Close racing in single sculls

The under 23 men’s and women’s single sculls saw some fierce racing as scullers looked for one of the 12 semifinal spots. Sophia Young (IRL), who has been racing the senior double scull at the World Rowing Cups this season, was the fastest qualifier in the women’s event, ahead of junior world champion Vavara Lykomitrou (GRE). Reigning under 23 men’s single sculls champion Cevdet Ege Mutlu (TUR) progressed safely to the semifinals, but it was August Wisholm (DEN), sixth in Poznan last year, who posted the fastest qualifying time.

Australia and Great Britain shine in pairs

Lucy Searle and Imogen Grey (AUS) have spent the whole season rowing together, and were stern pair in the Texas first eight which won the NCAA Women’s Rowing Championship in May. That experience paid off as they won their heat of the under 23 women’s pair, a length ahead of Great Britain. Both nations also qualified their under 23 men’s pairs for the semifinals; Great Britain won their heat after rowing through Romania to post the fastest time, while the established Greek pair also looked good in their heat.

Lots at stake in double sculls

The under 23 men’s double sculls field was halved through the heats, with 12 of the 24 entries missing out on the semifinals. Portugal’s Pedro Rodrigues and Tomas Neves made their World Rowing Cup experience pay off with a heat win and the fastest time, but 2025 junior world champions Ireland were impressive in their heat, and Germany beat 2025 under 23 champions Italy in their race. Greece’s under 23 women’s double sculls world champion Dimitra Kontou, this year racing with Eleni Diavati, cruised to victory in their heat, while there was an impressive heat win too from the 16-year-old duo of neutral athletes, Tatiana Cherkosova and Aleksandra Grigoreva.

British champions cruise to semifinals

Great Britain won medals in both the under 23 men’s and women’s fours in 2025 and their 2026 crews progressed serenely to the semifinals, both able to take their rate down in the second half of the race. The women’s event had a close heat 3, with just over 2.5 seconds separating winners Spain from third-placed Austria – Ireland taking second. Australia posted the fastest time in the men’s event, while Romania outsprinted Germany for the second automatic qualifying spot in heat 1.

USA, Great Britain impress in quadruple sculls

The USA posted by far the quickest time to the finish in the heats of the under 23 women’s quadruple sculls, but the split times to halfway suggest they will face stern competition from defending champions Great Britain in the final – the British were able to control the race from 1000m. Germany had a blistering start in the under 23 men’s quadruple sculls, but Great Britain set a slightly quicker time to qualify first for the semifinals. The two neutral athletes’ crews and Switzerland also seem to be in the mix.

Britain set out stall for seventh title

Great Britain are on the hunt for an incredible seventh title in a row in the under 23 men’s eights, but New Zealand showed they will put pressure on the British boat. After a slow start the Kiwis put out a very quick second 1000m to finish with a small amount of overlap on the reigning champions. The USA won heat 2 ahead of Australia. In the under 23 women’s eight preliminaries, the USA beat Great Britain for first place, with Germany some way back in third.

Rewatch today’s racing here: 

Morning Session (Singles, Pairs, Doubles)

Afternoon Session (Fours, Quads, Eights)