A third and final sunny day welcomed crowds and athletes alike for the A-Finals in the World Rowing Cup boat classes at the 2023 World Rowing Cup III in Lucerne, Regatta. Fifteen nations won medals today, with another two nations in the international boat classes.

Women’s Pair

Results: AUS, ROU, GRE, DEN, ESP1, IRL

World Rowing Cup winner: Australia

The first A-Final of the day was the women’s pair. Aina Cid and Esther Briz Zamorano of Spain, the World Rowing Cup leaders, were off to a fast start, but being chased by the Greeks. By the 250m, the Australians, winners at the 2023 World Rowing Cup II, got their bow in front, with the Danes following shortly behind. Despite their fast start, the Spanish had fallen back into 6th. The Romanians, who were doubling up in the eight, crept up into second by the 500m, slowly gaining on the leading crew from Australia, and matching their boat speed, but rating 2 beats above. With the two leading crews having open water over the rest, the battle for bronze was on.

Making a move through the 1250m, the Australians got away from the Romanians, who started to feel the pressure. Back in third, the Greeks had pushed past the Danes to lead them by a length. Through the 1500m, the positions only seemed to solidify themselves moving into the finish. Australia pushed away from Romania, both with open water on the Greeks, who managed to hold off Denmark over the line.

Men’s Pair

Results: GBR, ROU, SUI, SRB, ESP, IRL

World Rowing Cup winner: Switzerland

Off the blocks, the British, Romanians, and Irish got their bows out in front, but it was the new Irish crew who were leading by 350m. Falling back through the 500m, the World Champions from Romania took the lead, followed by the British and World Rowing Cup leaders from Switzerland. The British made their move through the third quarter being the fastest moving boat, the Romanians trying to respond to the pressure. The Swiss were also gaining speed, but still not ahead of the Romanians through the 1750. As the cowbells started ringing and the sounds of ‘Hop Schwiiz’ echoed in the grandstands, all crews brought it up, the Romanians with a fantastic sprint, but unable to beat the British to the line. The Swiss crossed the line in third, just a length down on the leading two crews.

Lightweight Women’s Double Sculls

Results: GBR, ROU, GRE, FRA, IRL, NZL

World Rowing Cup winner: Great Britain

Unbeaten since the Tokyo Olympics, it was the British the fastest off the start, alongside the Greeks. The Greeks were the fastest moving boat through the 250m, and got half a length over the British, but the British took it back heading into the 500m. After setting a new World Best Time at the last World Rowing Cup, Craig and Grant must have felt confident. Back in third, it was a battle between France and the new combination from Romania. These two crews were eating into the early race leaders from Greece, who were slowly falling back from the British. The Romanians changed gears, moving up half a length on France. But through the 500m, France, clearly feeling the pressure, picked it up and moved back ahead of the Romanians. No one could touch the British out in front, but with the French and Romanians threatening the Greeks into the finish, the pace picked up. The Romanians, famous for their sprint finishes, moved into second through the line, with France and the Greeks neck-and-neck. With a difference of 0.09 seconds, Greece took the bronze.

Lightweight Men’s Double Sculls

Results: FRA, IRL, SUI, MEX, ESP, GRE

World Rowing Cup winner: Switzerland

The Swiss were guaranteed the World Rowing Cup in this boat class, coming into the event with a 10 point lead, but the question remained – where would they finish in the last event? It was the Mexicans who surged ahead through the start, after winning their semifinal yesterday. But going through the 250m, it was the French who had nearly a length on the field, clearly wanting to get ahead and stay ahead. They set a new World Cup Best Time in Varese, and beat the Swiss in the semifinal at that same regatta. At the 500m, it was France, Switzerland, Mexico. The reigning Olympic and World Champions from Ireland were sitting back in fourth, but slowly moving on the field. The Swiss were the fastest moving crew at the 1000m, just 0.13 down on the French. Ireland, charging down the two leaders, were half a length down on the two crews, already having breezed past Mexico. At the 1500m, Ireland were now the fastest moving crew, but would the Swiss be able to counter them? Putting the hammer down, the Irish went up to 40, getting their bow ahead and into the leading position. Into the last 250, the Irish with half a length lead, but it was the French who were countering them, moving very fast. The Swiss were back in third, but it would be a photo finish for the gold and silver! What a move from the French, who take gold by 0.09seconds, and put the Irish McCarthy/O’Donovan winning streak to an end.

Women’s Quadruple Sculls

Results: NED, GBR, SUI, CHN, UKR, GER

World Rowing Cup winner: Switzerland

Four of the crews in the A-Final came through the repechage yesterday: Switzerland, Great Britain, Ukraine, and Germany. But it was the new combination from the Netherlands who got out first, ahead of the Olympic and World Champions from China. The Dutch, leading by a deck over a chasing China, were also being pursued by the British, who were the fastest moving crew. The Swiss, World Rowing Cup leaders were down in fourth, but would need to beat the Chinese to win the World Rowing Cup. At the 1000m, it was still Netherlands, China, Great Britain, but the Swiss threatening the British. The Dutch were moving on the Chinese, growing that gap through the 500m to go. The Swiss were now just a metre ahead the British, but would have to work hard to keep that spot. The Chinese were fading and fell back into fourth. Unbeaten since 2019, the Chinese Olympic combination missed out on the podium.

Men’s Four

Results: GBR1, AUS, NZL, GBR2, NED, FRA

World Rowing Cup winner: Great Britain

Reigning World Champs – Great Britain. Reigning Olympic Champs – Australia. But it was the Netherlands out front off the line, leading into the 250 and moving the fastest. GBR1 just a metre down on them, with the Australians another metre back. That order held through the 500m. The new New Zealand crew, back in fourth, were up at a 40, wanting to break into that top three. At the 1000m, it was the Dutch who were still leading, but that’s when the British made their move, along with the Australians. The Kiwis, sensing their chance, started to move on the Netherlands, who were now in third. The British and the Australians were moving the the rest of the field, growing their lead. New Zealand pushed through the Dutch, but were under threat from GBR2, who had moved up from fifth. The Kiwis were able to hold off the British surge, to finish with the bronze.

Women’s Single Sculls

Results: NED, AUS, NZL, BUL, UZB, GER1

World Rowing Cup winner: Australia

Unbeaten since she switched to this boat class after the Tokyo Olympic Games, Karolien Florijn of the Netherlands was the fastest moving boat off the start, closely followed by Tara Rigney of Australia and Olympic Champion Emma Twigg of New Zealand. The Tokyo Olympic silver medallist, Ana Prakaten of Uzbekistan, was back in a battle for fourth with Desislava Angelova of Bulgaria. By the 500m, Florijn had clear water over Rigney and Twigg, and was only growing that gap as the fastest moving boat. These three were the podium at last year’s World Rowing Championships. Positions were unchanged at the 1500m, Rigney still with a 2metre lead on Twigg. As they headed into the finish, the medal finishers looked to be confirmed.

Men’s Single Sculls

Results: GER, DEN, NZL, JPN, BUL, GRE

World Rowing Cup winner: Germany

Going for the Hat Trick this year – winning all three World Rowing Cup events in the same boat class in the same year, Olli Zeidler was the quickest out of the blocks. Up at 43 strokes per minute, he was being followed by the Danish sculler Sverri Nielsen. He was the leader at 500m, followed by Nielsen, with the Olympic Champion from Greece, Stefanos Ntouskos, back in third. They were all being tracked by the other Olympic Champion, Tom Mackintosh, who won gold in Tokyo in the men’s eight. Mackintosh is only eight weeks into his career in this boat class. Ryuta Arakawa, Japan’s first ever men’s single to make an A-Final, was back in fifth followed by the Bulgarian Kristian Vasilev. Zeidler and Nielsen held the lead going through the thousand, but only 0.01 separated Ntouskos and Mackintosh. The German, Dane, and New Zealander were all moving at the same speed, but the Greek sculler was starting to fade, slipping back into fifth behind Arakawa. The Japanese brought out a sprint into the finish, but he would not have enough to move through Mackintosh.

Women’s Four

Results: ROU, AUS, GBR, NED, NZL, IRL

World Rowing Cup winner: Australia

It was the Australian bow that was the first to lead, as the crews crossed into the 250m mark. The Romanians and Dutch had overlap, the Australians only a bow deck ahead. The other three crews – Great Britain, Ireland, and New Zealand, were level behind. With nothing to choose between the Romanians, Dutch, and Australians at the 500m, the Australians made a move, pushing ahead once again. The British went with the, passing ahead of the Romanians, but with all six crews having overlap. The Romanians, having made a push at the 1000m, were even with the British for the silver, the Aussies still in the lead. The Dutch stand to fall back. As we have seen all weekend from the Romanians, they went for a sprint coming into the last 500m, drawing even with the Aussies. The Dutch started to come back, trying to close the gap with the British. Once again, the rate went up for the Romanians in the last 250, making them the fastest boat on the water, and the first across the line.

Men’s Quadruple Sculls

Results: NED, GBR, ROU, AUS, GER, EST

World Rowing Cup winner: Great Britain

The British fell behind in the first few strokes as the rest of the field was pretty much even off the start, but it was the Dutch who started to make their mark, with a bow deck over the other crews by the 500m. The Germans, who finished second in yesterday’s repechage, were the second boat through the first quarter, closely followed by Great Britain. As the Germans started to fade back, it was the Romanians who were trying to move up into third. At the front, the Dutch not had open water at the 1200m. Great Britain still sat in second, with the Germans and Romanians in a battle for third on their stern deck. The Australians were the fastest moving boat on course through the 1500m, but had they left it too late? The Romanians took the bronze by 0.11seconds behind the Dutch and the British.

Men’s Double Sculls

Results: NED, CRO, IRL, ROU, ESP, NZL

World Rowing Cup winner: Croatia

It was a smooth start from all crews, with the Croatian Sinkovic Brothers getting out ahead, but being tracked by the Olympic silver medallists from the Netherlands and the Spaniards. By the 400m, the Dutch and the Croatians were switching leaders on the surge of each stroke, but the Dutch had the fastest moving boat. The Spanish, back in third, had the new double from New Zealand hot on their heels. At the thousand, the Dutch had extended their lead over the Croatians, but it was still a battle from bronze behind them. Those positions only seemed to solidify themselves in the third quarter, but as the crews crossed the 1500m, it was the Irish and Romanians who were up with the Spanish, forcing them down into fifth with the Kiwis. The Irish, now in third, were fighting off a charge from Romania to cross the line in third. Up front, the Dutch won, and the Sinkovics had to settle for silver – their 52nd international medal.

Women’s Eight

Results: GBR, CAN, AUS, ROU

World Rowing Cup winner: Great Britain

Romania were the first crew to get their bow ball out in front, followed by the Australians and Canadians. By 200m, it was the Australians with a canvas lead over Romania and Canada, who were even. The British, another canvas down on those crews, were trying to make a move to get into medal contention. In the second quarter, Canada was slowly moving ahead of Romania, with the British crew only a metre down. Going through the 1000m, it was the Romanias, the World Champions, who were down in fourth, but just barely. It was clear this was going to be a race to the line. with Canada and Great Britain working back on the Australians, gaining a seat at a time. Through the 1500, Great Britain was the fastest moving boat, but Canada responded, taking the lead. In the last 50m, Great Britain just pushed ahead to get the gold over Canada. What a race!

Women’s Double Sculls

Results: ROU, LTU, CHN, AUS, NED, NOR

World Rowing Cup winner: People’s Republic of China

The World Rowing Cup leaders from China were the first to get their bow in front, but were quickly overtaken by the Olympic and World Champions from Romania. The Romanians, who have been undefeated in this boat class since the 2019 World Championships, had nearly half a length on China and Lithuania by the 500m marker. The Lithuanians held even with the Chinese, both trying to keep the remainder of the field at bay. The Romanians had a length over those two crews at the 1000m. Karaliene and Rimkute of Lithuania were slightly ahead of China, trying to solidify that silver medal for themselves. Through the 1500m, those positions held, with the Romanians only growing that lead.

Men’s Eight

Results: AUS, GBR, NED, ROU, GER, CAN

World Rowing Cup winner: Australia

The Romanians blasted out of the blocks, immediately getting a canvas lead. But Great Britain and Australia quickly reacted, with Australia leading for a few strokes before the British took charge at 500m. The British are used to leading, but were having to fight harder to get that lead that they are used to. Coming into the 1000m, it’s the Australians who take the lead by 0.05! Could they hold off the British for the second half? At a 39, the Australians increased their lead! Back in third, it was the Romanians, with the Dutch just a metre back on them. At 1500m, the Australians grab the initiative, growing on their lead. The British were down 6 metres, with the Romanians and Dutch closing in on them. Over the line, it was Australia, Great Britain, and the Dutch who just hold off Romania on the line.