Cover image: World Rowing / Benedict Tufnell
W1X
Predictions: NED, NZL, AUS
Actual medallists: NED, NZL, AUS
Qualified for Paris: NED, NZL, AUS, USA, BUL, LTU, AUT, GER, SRB
Blimey, I got another one right! The podium was an exact repeat of 2022 and the warm embrace that the three medalists gave each other before receiving their medals shows the deep respect they each have for each other. Florijn of the Netherlands has had an outstanding couple of years and she’s unbeaten since moving to the single after the Tokyo Olympics. She drew steadily away from her competition, ending up winning by a couple of lengths of clear water. Behind these three there was a great battle between the USA and Bulgaria for fourth and fifth which the American won. But it was a positive regatta for the Bulgarian and also the Lithuanian who finished sixth. For Angelova of Bulgaria it was the first A-Final W1X appearance since the legendary Rumyana Neykova took gold in 2003, and for Senkute of Lithuania it was even more special as she became the first Lithuanian to make a World Championship W1X A-Final. In the B-Final it was a battle to finish in the top three to secure Olympic qualification. Lobnig of Austria took an emotional win – she should have been racing with her sister in the double but the boat was forced to scratch due to injury. As the rules surrounding qualification at the FOQR state that athletes who qualify a boat have to race in that boat, the Austrians are faced with a conundrum if they continue with the double project.
W2X
Prediction: ROU, LTU, NZL
Actual medallists: ROU, LTU, USA
Qualified for Paris: ROU, LTU, USA, IRL, NZL, FRA, ITA, AUS, NOR, CHN, NED
The Romanian double of Bodnar and Radis are arguably the best crew in World Rowing at the moment. They have dominated the event since 2019 and 2023 was no exception. They led the Lithuanians by almost a second at the first marker and steadily pulled away leaving the Lithuanians, Americans and Irish to slug it out for the minor medals. On the line it was the Lithuanians who just managed to hold off a ferocious sprint from the Americans to take the silver by just 0.11sec. Unusually for Bodnar and Radis they weren’t doubling-up in the W8 this time, something they said they were a little disappointed about!
W2-
Prediction: AUS, USA, ROU
Actual medallists: NED, AUS, ROU
Qualified for Paris: NED, AUS, ROU, IRL, CHI, USA, GRE, ESP, GBR, LTU, CZE
This was one of the events that sprung the biggest surprise. The Aussies were the strong favourites coming into Belgrade – they’d set an unofficial World’s Best Time at the Holland Beker and had won at both the Varese and Lucerne World Cups. But, as with a number of Australian crews in Belgrade, they didn’t quite live up to their early season form. Instead it was the Dutch, Cleverling and Meester, from the unfavoured lane two, who blasted off the line and had clear water by 500m. Any doubts on whether they had gone too hard too soon were quickly forgotten as they continued to stretch their lead, crossing the line nearly 2.5 seconds to the good and without, seemingly, needing to go into sprint mode. This was the Netherlands’ first ever World Championship W2- gold medal. Another surprise in this event was the fifth place achieved by the Chilean Abraham twins. This was the best ever result for Chile in an Olympic class event at a World Championships and is also the first time that Chile has qualified a women’s crew boat for the Olympics.
W4-
Prediction: ROU, GBR, USA
Actual medallists: NED, ROU, GBR
Qualified for Paris: NED, ROU, GBR, USA, AUS, CHN, NZL
Yet another (surprise) win for the Netherlands – they did really nail their preparation for these championships. The British leapt out to a ¾ length lead and looked to have created a commanding lead over the rest of the field, but the Dutch refused to allow them to break clear, reeling them in as they went through the 1300m mark. The Romanians then launched their customary sprint which took them through the British but then just ran out of steam before they could catch the Dutch. The British tried to respond but couldn’t get back on terms with Romania. From a British perspective a bronze medal is a positive considering their early season performances, but as the defending champions they will be disappointed to lose their title. It’s going to be very interesting to see what happens with the line up of this boat in the lead up to Paris. For the Netherlands it was their first win in this event since 2010. For the Australians it was another disappointing race for their Olympic champion crew; fifth after being overhauled by the USA (who also had higher hopes for their crew which included two former W4- World Champions).
W4X
Prediction: NED, CHN, GBR
Actual medallists: GBR, NED, CHN
Qualified for Paris: GBR, NED, CHN, SUI, AUS, ROU, GER
This is one prediction I’m delighted to have got (slightly) wrong. The Chinese were the 2022 World Champions, and the Dutch were winners in Lucerne but the British had always been there or thereabouts with a bronze and two silvers from earlier in the season. But, in Belgrade they had the race of their lives. The Dutch got off to a good start and had a canvas lead ahead of China with GB in close pursuit as they came through the 500m mark, but the British never allowed the Dutch to extend their lead and as they came through the thousand the British were just 0.02 seconds down on the Dutch. They then went bowball to bowball for the next 900m before an epic sprint saw GB get their bows ahead to take the win by a canvas, winning GB’s first World Championship gold in this boat class since 2010. Behind the battle for the medals, it was something of a “nothing to lose” race for the Swiss who finished fourth, delivering not only their best ever result in the women’s quad at the World Championships but also Switzerland’s first ever Olympic qualification in a women’s crew boat.
W8
Predictions: GBR, ROU, CAN
Actual medallists: ROU, USA, AUS
Qualified for Paris: ROU, USA, AUS, GBR, CAN
OK, so I got this one pretty wrong but nobody’s perfect! Australia took the early lead and by the thousand metre mark they had built this lead to 1/3 length with the rest of the field all within half a length, but as the old rowing saying goes, “when you get to the thousand the race starts again” and the Romanians began a sustained sprint that saw them overhaul the Aussies with the Canadians, British and Americans all bowball to bowball in the fight for third. As they came into the final quarter the Americans launched a huge sprint which took them clear of the British and Canadians and then overhaul the tiring Australians to grab silver. The US W8 is similar to their men’s eight in many ways – they were put together late in the season and didn’t race at all on the world cup circuit, but unlike their men they were able to deliver a medal performance when it mattered. GB and Canada had their own battle for fourth and fifth but both were clear of the Italians and secured qualification for Paris.
LW2X
Predictions: GBR, ROU, USA
Actual medallists: GBR, USA, ROU
Qualified for Paris: GBR, USA, ROU, CAN, NZL, CHN, IRL
The British duo of Grant and Craig could probably give the Romanian W2x of Bodnar and Radis a good run for their money in the women’s crew of the year contest. They have been unbeaten since the Tokyo Olympics and are considered one of the best technical crews in the world. There had been a lot of discussion about the US crew; they had pushed the British incredibly hard at Lucerne but surprisingly changed the line-up for Belgrade. Whilst the Americans would end up taking silver, they never got close to the British who led by half a length at the first marker and steadily sculled away from the rest of the field, leading by clear water at the 1000. Behind the British the race developed into a fierce contest between the Americans, Romanians and Kiwis for the minor placings. The Americans managed to break clear at 1500 and from then on, the medal placings were set with GB winning by clear water ahead of the US who in turn had half a length on the Romanians. It’s going to be interesting to see what US Chief Coach, Josy Verdonkschot, does with this crew during the off season – he has four very talented lightweights (Sechser, Jones, Reckford and Luwis) vying for the two Olympic seats so can he find a combination that can defeat the all-conquering British?
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