The 2021 international rowing season will open with the European Rowing Championships in Varese, Italy. This is the first chance for athletes to test their speed since last October at the 2020 European Rowing Championships.

The Championships goes from 9-11 April with many teams racing in the line-ups they expect to send to the Tokyo Olympics. A field of 35 nations are attending.

Women’s pair (W2-)

Eleven crews are set to compete in the women’s pair, including the defending champions from Romania Adriana Ailincai and Iuliana Buhus. But all eyes are on the return of Great Britain’s Helen Glover, who last raced to gold at the Rio Olympics. Glover has teamed up with Polly Swann. The duo won the 2013 World Rowing Championships when Glover’s regular partner, Heather Stanning was away on military duty.

Watch out too for the Spanish duo of Aina Cid and Virginia Diaz Rivas. They won silver at the 2020 European Rowing Championships. And the 2020 bronze medallists from Greece, Maria Kyridou and Christina Bourmpou are also ones to watch. They have made a successful transition from the under-23 level and are likely to have made even more progress over the winter.

Men’s pair (M2-)

With 14 entries, the men’s pair category is almost a copy of the 2020 European Rowing Championships. All three medal winners are back to test each other again. The Romanian crew of Marius-Vasile Cozmiuc and Ciprian Tudosa surprised the world when the beat the defending champions Martin and Valent Sinkovic of Croatia at the 2020 event. Can they do it again?

And both crews will have to contend with the fast Italian pair of Giuseppe Vicino and Matteo Lodo. The duo finished third in 2020, and fourth at the 2019 World Rowing Championships. Watch out too for the Dutch, they came fourth at the 2020 European Championships and now have had more time together.

Marius-Vasile Cozmiuc (b), Ciprian Tudosa (s), Men’s Pair, Romania, 2020 European Rowing Championships, Poznan, Poland

Lightweight men’s double sculls (LM2x)

With 18 crews entered it is one of the largest boat classes at the European Championships. It also sees the return of gold, silver and bronze medallists from the 2020 European Championships – Italy, Germany and Belgium respectively. Italy has the advantage of being on their home course, but the Germans and the Belgians are both a force to be reckoned with.

And there is one more crew thrown into the mix – Ireland. The Irish combination of Fintan McCarthy and Paul O’Donovan are defending World Champions. Watch out too for Poland and Switzerland. They both raced the final at the 2020 European Champs.

Lightweight women’s double sculls (LW2x)

The favourites for this race have to be the Dutch. Marieke Keijser and Ilse Paulis are defending European Champions and world silver medallists. But they will not have it easy. Italy’s young combination of Valentina Rodini and Federica Cesarini finished second at the 2020 European Championships and are likely to be in medal contention again.

Watch out too for Switzerland’s duo of Frederique Rol and Patricia Mertz. They have a bronze medal from the 2019 European Championships and finished seventh at the 2020 event. Then there’s the new combination from Romania. Ionela-Livia Cozmiuc finished third at the 2020 European Championships and has a new partner Elena-Iuliana Mihai. Mihai recently moved up from the under-23 level.

Women’s quadruple sculls (W4x)

At the 2020 European Rowing Championships the Dutch finished on the top of the podium followed by Germany, Poland and Ukraine. The Dutch have entered exactly the same line-up in Varese, as have the Germans. But Poland has had a slight change. Stroke seat Katarzyna Zillman is not entered. Instead Agnieszka Kobus-Zawojska has been moved to stroke and Katarzyna Boruch joins the line-up. Boruch has moved up from the under-23 level.

The Netherlands, Poland and Germany have the best chance at making the podium, but it is anybody’s guess in what order. Watch out too for Ukraine. They finished just shy of the medals in 2020.

Men’s quadruple sculls (M4x)

There is no question that the Dutch are the crew to beat in Varese. They are defending European and World Champions and come to Varese with the same line-up. They will be up against 13 other crews including the Italians who have entered with three of the four-man crew that finished just behind the Dutch last year. And Lithuania is back with their bronze-medal winning line-up. Keep an eye too on Estonia and Poland. Estonia finished fourth last year and have held the very experienced Tonu Endrekson in the crew.

Men’s double sculls (M2x)

Twenty-five crews are competing, making it one of the best represented boat classes. Defending European Champions, Stef Broenink and Melvin Twellaar from the Netherlands will be looking for a repeat performance. They will face a challenge from the Swiss combination of Barnabe Delarze and Roman Roeoesli. Delarze and Roeoesli finished second at the 2020 event.

Watch out too for the return of Philip Doyle and Ronan Byrne of Ireland. Byrne picked up a bronze medal at the 2020 European Championships together with Daire Lynch. But together with Doyle, he won an unexpected silver at the 2019 World Rowing Championships. There is also an interesting new combination entered for the Czech Republic. Single sculler Ondrej Synek is racing with Jakub Podrazil. Synek is a multi-Olympic-medal winner, but has struggled with injuries recently. Podrazil is known for his success in the men’s pair.

Women’s double sculls (W2x)

This has been an interesting boat class to follow over the last Olympic cycle due to its unpredictability. There have been shifts in line-ups, new crews and many different podium finishers. In Varese, the crew to beat is probably Romania. Nicoleta-Ancuta Bodnar and Simona Geanina Radis are the defending European Champions and they won silver together at the 2019 World Rowing Championships.

Nicoleta-Ancuta Bodnar (b), Simona Geanina Radis (s), Women’s Double Sculls, Romania, 2020 European Rowing Championships, Poznan, Poland

Their closest challenger is likely to be the Dutch duo of Lisa Scheenaard and Roos de Jong. The duo finished just behind the Romanians at the 2020 European Championships and the 2019 World Championships to take silver and bronze respectively. Watch out too for France. Bronze medallist from the 2020 Europeans, Helene Lefebvre has teamed up with Margaux Bailleul out of the French women’s quadruple sculls. Watch out too for Italy and Germany who both raced in the final at last year’s European Champs.

Men’s single sculls (M1x)

This blue riband event has attracted 26 entries, the largest field at Varese, and the big European names are back. All eyes will be on defending European Champion Sverri Nielsen of Denmark. Nielsen has found his stride in the last two years, finishing second at the 2019 World Rowing Championships and showing that he still had it by claiming the 2020 European title.

Just getting into the final is going to be tough with the high calibre in this field. European silver medallist Natan Wegrzycki-Szymczyk of Poland will be looking to retain his podium finish, as will bronze medallist Kjetil Borch of Norway. And definitely don’t rule out the 2019 World Rowing Champion, Oliver Zeidler of Germany. Zeidler was pushed off the podium during a cracking sprint at the 2020 European Championships. Keep an eye too on the young Greek sculler Stefanos Ntouskos, he finished fifth last year.

Women’s single sculls (W1x)

In the absence of the defending European and World Champion Sanita Puspure of Ireland, the top of the podium is open for the taking. And there’s many ready to do so. Austria’s Magdalena Lobnig is the one to beat on paper. Lobnig finished second at the 2020 European Championships and has a long pedigree of podium finishes.

But she’ll face a big challenge from Switzerland and Denmark. Denmark’s Fie Udby Erichsen has posted mixed results over the last few years and was fourth in 2020. Switzerland’s Jeannine Gmelin will be looking to reclaim her spot on the podium after a fifth-place finish in 2020. Watch out too for the newcomer Anneta Kyridou of Greece. She finished with a bronze medal at the 2020 European Championships and is warming up by racing at the European Olympic Qualification Regatta.

Anneta Kyridou, Women’s Single Sculls, Greece, Heats, 2021 World Rowing European Olympic and Paralympic Qualification Regatta, Varese, Italy – photo Detlev Seyb / Myrowingphoto.com

Women’s Four (W4-)

The defending gold, silver and bronze crews from the 2020 European Championships are all lining up and the Dutch are probably the crew to beat. They are defending European Champions and won silver at the 2019 World Rowing Championships. But Italy, silver medallists from 2020, will be on their home course and surely looking to move a step up on the podium.

Watch out too for the 2020 bronze medallists from Ireland. They’ve made one change to their line-up, with Emily Hegarty joining them in the stroke seat. Keep an eye too on Denmark. They have had impressive results, but finished just off the podium at last year’s European Championships. Then there’s the new British line-up. They come out of the British women’s eight that finished fifth at the 2019 World Rowing Championships.

Ellen Hogerwerf (b), Karolien Florijn, Ymkje Clevering, Veronique Meester (s), Women’s Four, Netherlands, 2020 European Rowing Championships, Poznan, Poland

Men’s four (M4-)

The Dutch surprised the world when they claimed the gold medal at the 2020 European Championships. They return to Varese with the same line-up. Hot on their tails will be the Italians. Italy finished second last year and have the advantage of being on their home course. They also have a pedigree of medals and experience together. Watch out too for Poland. They are defending World Champions and finished with bronze at the 2020 European Championships. Keep an eye too on Great Britain. They were bronze medallists at the 2019 World Championships and although they did not compete in 2020, they will surely put up a good fight in Varese.

Women’s eight (W8+)

Romania is defending European Champions and they’ve managed to keep the same line-up. Germany finished second at the 2020 event and the Netherlands were third. The young Dutch crew is likely to have profited from a few extra months of training and they may be able to take one step up on the podium.

Men’s eight (M8+)

Can anyone beat the Germans in the men’s eight? The answer is probably not. The Germans are back with the same line-up they had at the 2020 European Championships and they are ready to win gold again. Their biggest challenge might come from the British who were 2019 world bronze medallists. But watch out too for Romania and the Netherlands. They finished second and third respectively at the 2020 European Championships and are likely to put up a good fight in Varese.

Johannes Weissenfeld (b), Laurits Follert, Olaf Roggensack, Torben Johannesen, Jakob Schneider, Malte Jakschik, Richard Schmidt, Hannes Ocik (s), Martin Sauer (c), Men’s Eight, Germany, 2020 European Rowing Championships, Poznan, Poland

Para rowing boat classes

In the PR1 women’s single sculls all eyes will be on the defending World Champion from Norway, Birgit Skarstein. She will have to contend with world silver medallist and defending European Champion, Nathalie Benoit of France. Keep an eye too on Moran Samuel from Israel, who won bronze at the 2019 World Rowing Championships and Anna Sheremet from Ukraine who picked up a silver medal at the 2020 European Rowing Championships.

There is no denying the front-runner in the PR1 men’s single sculls. Roman Polianskyi from Ukraine is the defending World and European Champion. Keep an eye on Germany’s Marcus Klemp who finished with a bronze medal at the 2020 European Championships and Great Britain’s Benjamin Pritchard who finished fourth at the 2019

Roman Polianskyi, PR1 Men’s Single Sculls, Ukraine, 2020 European Rowing Championships, Poznan, Poland

World Championships. Watch out too for the newcomer from Spain, Javier Reja Munoz, who raced at the European Paralympic Qualification Regatta.

The PR2 mixed double sculls sees the return of the gold, silver and bronze medal winning crews from the 2020 European Championships; the Netherlands, Ukraine and Poland respectively. But the 2019 World Rowing Champions from Great Britain are back. Keep an eye out too for the French duo who finished with a bronze medal at the 2019 World Rowing Championships, although were pushed off the podium at the 2020 European Championships.

In the PR3 mixed coxed four all eyes will be on the British combination. They return with their gold medal winning line-up from the 2019 World Rowing Championships. Hot on their heels will be the defending European Champions from Italy. Keep an eye on Ukraine and France. They both have medals from the 2020 European Championships and will be looking for a repeat performance.

The lightweight men’s single sculls has eight boats entered and the crew to beat might be Peter Galambos of Hungary. Galambos finished second at the 2019 World Rowing Championships and more recently took fifth place at the 2020 European Championships. Keep an eye too on the young Italian sculler, Gabriel Soares. And don’t rule out Ireland’s Gary O’Donovan.

The lightweight women’s single sculls boasts a field of ten nations. All eyes will be on defending European Champion Martine Veldhuis from the Netherlands. She will have to watch out for challenges from silver medallist Sofia Meakin of Switzerland and bronze medallist Gianina-Elena Beleaga from Romania. Watch out too for Italy and Belarus – both scullers have a stack of medals to their names.

Martine Veldhuis, Lightweight Women’s Single Sculls, Netherlands, 2020 European Rowing Championships, Poznan, Poland

The lightweight men’s quadruple sculls is a five-boat field, but it will be a tough one to call. Italy is probably the crew to beat. They have the talented Niels Torre in stroke seat and the defending World Champion in the lightweight men’s single Martino Goretti in bow. Watch out too for Austria, they finished third at the 2020 European Rowing Championships.

And the international events are rounded off with a two-boat race in the lightweight men’s pair. Italy and Hungary will be competing for the top spot and they have both entered young line-ups.

Who to Watch : 2021 European Rowing Championships

Strong performances at the European Olympic and Paralympic Qualification Regatta

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