Romania Tops Medal Table at 2026 European Rowing Championships

Adverse weather forced a last-minute change to the racing programme on the final day of the 2026 European Rowing Championships in Varese, Italy, with a delayed set of finals featuring a mix of defending and new European Champions.

Germany led the medal table after day two, but Romania won four more gold medals today and moved to the top. Their strong performance included victories in all three eights events.

Right after the Romanian men beat Germany to win the men’s eight, the women’s team matched their success. This was especially impressive for Simona Radis and Adriana Adam, who each earned their second gold medal of the Championships.

Romania also won the mixed eight, which was the last race of the Championships and the first time this event was held at a European Rowing Championships. Just before that, Romania became the first-ever European Champions in the mixed double scull.

In both the PR1 men’s and women’s single sculls, the reigning European Champions kept their titles. Benjamin Pritchard from Great Britain beat Italy’s Giacomo Perini to win the men’s race, while Ukraine’s Anna Sheremet led from the start and finished well ahead of Dutch sculler Eva Mol.

Mariia Zhovner, competing as a neutral athlete, improved on her bronze from last year to become European Champion in the lightweight women’s single sculls. In the men’s event, Paris 2024 bronze medallist Petros Gkaidatzis from Greece took the gold.

In the openweight single sculls, Lauren Henry from Great Britain defended her European Champion title. Germany’s Oliver Zeidler was the clear favorite and won the men’s single scull, finishing ahead of Greece’s Stefanos Ntouskous, who had beaten him at last year’s World Rowing Championships.

You can find full results, race reports, and photos from the European Rowing Championships here.

After the races, the European Rowing flag was passed from Varese to Bled, Slovenia, which will host next year’s Championships. Now, attention turns to the World Rowing Championships in Amsterdam from 24 to 30 August, where teams from around the world will compete. Entry lists are now available here.