The World Rowing Cup series for 2021 is about to begin. Jarun Lake in Zagreb, Croatia is the venue for World Rowing Cup I – the first World Cup since 2019. Join World Rowing at the event from your place, wherever you are in the world. Find out who the top rowers will be. Here’s the Rowers to Watch.

Lightweight men’s double sculls

With ten boats entered, the lightweight men’s double is one of the largest categories at the World Rowing Cup I in Zagreb, Croatia. The frontrunners must be the European silver medallists from Germany, Jonathan Rommelmann and Jason Osborne. This duo finished second at the 2020 and 2021 European Rowing Championships, and third at the 2019 World Rowing Championships.

Jonathan Rommelmann (b), Jason Osborne (s), Lightweight Men’s Double Sculls, Germany, 2021 European Rowing Championships, Varese, Italy / Benedict Tufnell

Hot on their tails might be the new combination from France of Pierre Houin and Ferdinand Ludwig. France has been searching for the fastest combination and they are trying two different line-ups in Zagreb. Watch out too for Switzerland, they finished fifth at the 2021 European Rowing Championships.

Lightweight women’s double sculls

The lightweight women’s double sees the return of the duos from Belarus and France. Both countries competed with just half of their lightweight women’s double at the 2021 European Rowing Championships, finishing first and third respectively in the lightweight women’s single sculls. Now back together, it will be interesting to see if they land on the podium again.

Watch out too for Switzerland. They finished seventh at last year’s European Rowing Championships, but have several medals from the 2019 racing season.

Men’s pair

There is no doubt about the favourites in this boatclass – Martin and Valent Sinkovic will be competing at home and surely, they cannot be beaten. They are reigning European and World Champions and look to be on course for another Olympic gold.

But the competition will still be fierce. Watch out for the Serbian combination of Martin Mackovic and Milos Vasic. They finished third at the European Championships and have several medals from the 2019 World Rowing Cups. And look out for France – the Turlan twins pulled off an A-final finish just a few weeks ago in Varese.

Women’s pair

Following the withdrawal of the European bronze medallists from Spain, the frontrunners are likely to be the young Croatian combination of the Jurkovic twins. Ivana and Josipa Jurkovic finished fifth at the 2021 European Rowing Championships and are making an impressive step up from the under-23 level. Keep an eye too on the Czech Republic who are also boating a young combination.

Men’s double sculls

The French are probably the crew to beat in the men’s double sculls. Hugo Boucheron and Matthieu Androdias became European Champions just a few weeks ago in Varese. But their results in the last few years have not been consistent – so can they do it again in Zagreb?

They will face a tough challenge from Switzerland’s Barnabe Delarze and Roman Roeoesli. The Swiss were knocked off the podium in an intense sprint at the European Championships, but they hold several medals from the 2019 season. Keep an eye too on Poland. They were fifth at the European Championships, but have a bronze medal from the 2019 World Rowing Championships.

Women’s double sculls

Lithuania have put their Olympic bronze-medal crew back together and Milda Valciukaite and Donata Karaliene have not lost any speed. They finished second at the 2021 European Rowing Championships. They are definitely favourites for the podium again in Zagreb.

Donata Karaliene (b), Milda Valciukaite (s), Women’s Double Sculls, Lithuania, 2021 European Rowing Championships, Varese, Italy / Benedict Tufnell

Keep an eye too on France. They put their bronze-medal winning crew from the 2020 European Rowing Championships back together.

Women’s four

Following the withdrawal of Italy, it will be a two-boat race in the women’s four. Poland struggled to find their rhythm at the 2021 European Championships in Varese, but were fourth-place finishers at the 2019 World Rowing Championships. They probably have the upper-hand against the crew from France.

Men’s four

Poland has entered their 2019 World Champion line-up and they might just be the crew to beat. A few weeks ago, they raced with a spare on board and finished fifth at the European Rowing Championships.

They will go up against some strong crews from France, Switzerland and the Czech Republic. It’s anyone’s guess as to who will come out on top.

Women’s quadruple sculls

In the absence of the Dutch and the Chinese, all eyes will probably be on Germany at the first World Cup of the season. Germany finished third at the 2021 European Rowing Championships and have kept the same line-up. It will also be interesting to see if Poland is back on form. They are world silver-medallists, but fell short of the A-final at the European Championships. If they are back on form they might just top the podium in Zagreb.

Men’s quadruple sculls

The men’s quadruple sculls always provides fantastic racing and in Zagreb, it shouldn’t be any different. The third and fourth place finishers from the 2021 European Rowing Championships are set to compete: Estonia and Poland respectively.

These two crews are on paper likely to be on the podium, but watch out for Germany, they come with a line-up that finished sixth at the 2020 European Rowing Championships. And keep an eye too on a new line-up from the United States.

Women’s single sculls

Magdalena Lobnig from Austria is definitely the athlete to beat in Zagreb, but with just seven crews competing, the field is likely to be tight.

Keep an eye too on Josana Arsic of Serbia and Lovisa Claesson of Sweden. Both recently competed at the European Olympic Qualification Regatta and finished third and fourth respectively.

Men’s single sculls

The men’s single sculls has the largest field at the event with 24 athletes competing. It also boasts big names with the entry of reigning World and European Champion Oliver Zeidler from Germany.

Oliver Zeidler, Men’s Single Sculls, Germany, 2021 European Rowing Championships, Varese, Italy / Benedict Tufnell

Zeidler’s biggest challenge may come from 2018 World Champion Kjetil Borch of Norway. Borch finished sixth at the 2021 European Rowing Championships, but is likely to fare better in Zagreb. Watch out too for Ondrej Synek of the Czech Republic. Synek has had mixed results in recent years, but finished sixth at the 2019 World Rowing Championships.

And don’t count out either of the scullers from Lithuania. Mindaugas Griskonis had a fourth-place finish at the 2019 World Rowing Championships and Salius Ritter has several medals to his name from the men’s double sculls.

Lightweight men’s single sculls

There are eight crews entered in the lightweight men’s single, including the reigning European Champion Peter Galambos of Hungary. Galambos has had a successful few years, after finishing second at the 2019 World Rowing Championships. Watch out too for Germany’s Joachim Agne, who came fifth just a few weeks ago in Varese.

Lightweight women’s single sculls

The lightweight women’s single sees many athletes who are stepping up from the under-23 level. Lara Tiefenthaler from Austria finished third at the 2019 World Rowing Under 23 Championships and is set to compete. Watch out too for the two athletes from Switzerland, Sofia Meakin and Eline Rol. They finished first in the lightweight women’s double at the 2019 under-23 championships.

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