Cover image: World Rowing / Benedict Tufnell
You may notice that the author of this particular piece is not FatSculler. He’s taking a well-earned break after a deluge of Henley Royal Regatta-related content.
We didn’t want to leave the third and final World Cup of the year without some JRN coverage though. So, I’m taking the temporary reigns and will try my best to do some justice to the magic that Dan creates every year.
Men’s Single Scull
46 Entries
World Cup Two Winner: Oliver Zeidler, Germany
A large entry, with eight more on the starting grid than in Varese for the second world cup. Let’s dive right in.
The big German Oliver Zeidler has to come into this race as favourite. He’s the reigning world champion and won the second world cup by three seconds. He also arrives in Lucerne off the back of his third Diamond Challenge Sculls victory at Henley Royal Regatta. Hard to argue with that sort of pedigree.
Denmark’s Sverri Nielsen was second in Varese and also finished fourth at the European Championships in May. He’s not beaten Ziedler yet this season in open competition but did place fourth at the Tokyo Olympics in a race that Zeidler did not even feature in. He’ll be hoping to close the gap on Zeidler ahead of the world championships.
Ryuta Arakawa of Japan was third at the second world cup, which is probably a result that shocked a lot of people. He won the ‘B’ final at the 2022 world championships and finished fifth in the ‘B’ final at his home Olympics. He briefly flirted with the men’s pair at two of the three world cups in 2022 but third represents his best-ever return at an international event. He’ll be eyeing another podium finish.
Graeme Thomas returns to competition for the first time since an impressive bronze medal at the 2022 world championships. His form is something of an unknown but if he’s retained any of the speed he showed last season, he’ll be a contender.
The Greek Stefanos Ntouskos is another name to consider. He is the reigning Olympic champion and Oliver Zeidler identified him as the key threat coming into Lucerne. He has only appeared on the circuit once this year, finishing third – a place ahead of Zeidler – at the European championships. He was sixth at the world championships in Racice last year.
Kristian Vasilev of Bulgaria was fifth at the 2023 European championships and fourth at the first world cup. Vasilev failed to race beyond the quarter-finals at last year’s world championships and will be desperate to make amends after also failing to qualify for the Olympics in 2021.
Simon Van Dorp of the Netherlands enters the fray in the single scull for the first time in 2023. A former Husky at the University of Washington, Simon finished second at the 2023 European championships in the quad and was fourth in the same boat class at last year’s world championships.
Damir Martin, the famous Croatian who came so close to Olympic glory in 2012, 2016 and 2020, returns to open competition after missing the second world cup. His results so far this season have been a little underwhelming – winner of the ‘B’ final at the first world cup and fifth in the ‘B’ final of the European Championships – but he’s a fierce competitor and not to be discounted.
Speaking of old flames, Mindaugas Griskonis of Lithuania is one of the most experienced athletes on the roster and has won numerous medals at European and world level since his senior debut in 2007. He was in the quad at the 2023 European championships but jumps back into the single for Lucerne.
Belgium’s Tim Brys was fourth at the second world cup and finished first in the ‘C’ final of men’s quads at the 2022 world championships. A former lightweight, it will be interesting to see how Tim maintains his transition.
Trevor Jones of Canada is a two-time U23 world champion and was ninth at the Olympic Games in 2020. He lost out to Oliver Zeidler at Henley Royal Regatta last weekend in the semi-finals and will be looking to step on at Lucerne.
A sculler who definitely seems to be getting faster is Piotr Plominski of Poland. He was a beaten finalist at Henley Royal Regatta and improved upon his ‘C’ final placing at the European championships with a fifth place in the ‘B’ final at Varese.
Predictions: Hard to look past Zeidler with the form he’s in. Nielsen and Ntouskos should keep him honest and I’ll be interested to see how Thomas fares.
Men’s Pairs
Entries: 31
World Cup Two Winner: Great Britain
Hard to look past the pairing of Tom George and Ollie Wynne-Griffith from Great Britain to claim their second world cup title of the series. They were winners in Varese before comfortably securing a victory at Henley Royal Regatta. Their only loss this season came at the European Championships, where they were bested by Switzerland’s Roman Roeoesli and Andrin Gulich. This crew are back on home water in Lucerne and will be smarting from their loss in Varese. Roeoesli is a former Boat Race winner with Oxford whilst Gulich raced for Yale from 2017 until 2020.
Australia’s Jackson Kench and William O’Shannessy make for an interesting pairing. Kench stroked the Australian eight at the second world cup whilst O’Shannessy races for the first time since featuring in the Aussie eight at the 2022 world championships. Both raced at the U23 world championships in 2019. Australia’s second crew comprises Simon Keenan – an Olympian in 2020 and an athlete from the eight at the second world cup in 2023 – and Fergus Hamilton, who was third in the eight at the U23 world championships last summer.
Brothers Patrik and Anton Loncaric are racing for Croatia and will be keen to improve upon their fifth-place finish at the second world cup. They were fourth at the first world cup and fourth in the ‘B’ final at the 2023 European championships.
The Spanish pairing of Jaime Canalejo Pazos and Javier Garcia Ordonez were third at the European championships and second at the first world cup. They’re certainly one of the stronger prospects and have pushed both the Swiss and British crews hard all season.
Lithuania’s Stankunas brothers were fourth at the European championships and placed third in the ‘B’ final at the 2022 world championships. They’re clearly gaining in speed and their form approaching Lucerne should be very interesting.
Abe Wiersma and Nelson Ritsema come together to form the entry from the Netherlands. Wiersma was in the men’s eight that finished second at the 2022 world championships whilst Ritsema was second at the 2023 European championships in the men’s four.
Italy are boating two of the coxless four that finished fourth at the second world cup; Giovanni Codato and Paolo Covini make up this crew. Codato was in the pair that finished third in the ‘B’ final of this category at the 2023 European championships.
Romania are bringing the same crew that finished fifth at the European championships back in May. Both athletes were in the eight that finished sixth at the 2022 world championships.
Predictions: This should be a great tussle between GB, Switzerland and crews likely to include Spain, Australia and Lithuania. My money is on GB to take the win.
Men’s Double Sculls
Entries: 28
World Cup Two Winner: Italy
No entry from Varese winners Italy, which leaves this field tantalisingly open. Croatia’s Sinkovic brothers are back in action – the duo have already been crowned European champions in 2023 and also won the first world cup. Their insatiable appetite for rowing-related success knows no bounds and they’ll be keen to put on a good showing at Lucerne.
Spain’s double could be ones to watch. They’re the current world silver medalists and arrive in Lucerne as newly-minted Henley champions following their win last weekend.
Melvin Twellaar and Stefan Broenink of the Netherlands are back in the double following on from their bronze medal at the European championships. Twellaar won a silver medal in the single scull at the 2022 world championships whilst Broenink was fourth in the quad.
Ireland have entered their pairing of Daire Lynch and Philip Doyle. The duo were fourth at the European championships and came together in 2023 after Doyle finished first in the ‘C’ final of this boat class at the 2022 world championships.
Australia bring Harley Moore and Jack Cleary back together for another swing. They were fourth at the second world cup and started this journey in the double this season after Moore finished fifth in the men’s pair at the 2022 world championships and Cleary was fifth in the ‘B’ final of the same competition.
Germany bring together U23 world champion Jonas Gelsen with Marc Weber, who was third in Lucerne last year in the single scull. This crew were third in the ‘B’ final at the 2023 European championships.
The opening entry from New Zealand is pretty interesting. Legendary sculler Robbie Manson is back on the international scene alongside U23 bronze medalist Benjamin Mason. They’re the first of New Zealand’s two entries. New Zealand 2 features Jordan Parry, who was fourth in the single scull at the 2022 world championships, alongside Jack Ready, who raced with Mason in the U23 quad.
Great Britain boat two athletes at the opposite end of the experience spectrum. John Collins is a two-time Olympian, having finished fifth and fourth in this boat class in Rio and Tokyo respectively. Aidan Thompson gained his first senior vest in Varese at the second world cup. They were beaten finalists at Henley Royal Regatta.
Prediction: Croatia are the obvious favourites but the scrap for minor medals could be really interesting between Ireland, New Zealand, Spain and the Netherlands.
Men’s Four
Entries: 20
World Cup Two Winner: Great Britain
GBR1 come into this as red-hot favourites following a blistering performance at the second world cup in Varese. They dismantled an Australian surge with their longer, smoother style and secured their second win of the season following their European championship crown in late May.
Australia are back for another bite at the cherry though and bring their heavy hitters to bear. This crew were second behind the Brits in Varese and are the reigning Olympic champions. Their ongoing rivalry with the younger British boat is one of the most compelling narratives in rowing at the moment.
The Netherlands bring an all-changed outfit for the third world cup after finishing second at the European championships. This crew are four of the eight who finished third at the Europeans and will be strong contenders in Lucerne.
New Zealand have put together a pretty interesting combination featuring Olympic champion Tom Murray – racing internationally for the first time since he won gold in the eight – alongside Matt Macdonald, who raced the pair during the 2022 season, finishing sixth at the 2022 world championships. They are joined by two graduates of the US collegiate system in Logan Ullrich, who has just finished his senior year at the University of Washington (second place in the 1V at the IRAs) and Ollie Maclean, who won the IRA national championships with the University of California, Berkeley in 2022.
The French crew that finished sixth at the second world cup are back again. They were also bronze medalists at the 2023 European championships and feature the Turlan brothers, who raced together in the pair at the 2020 Olympic Games.
Romania have two of the crew that finished fourth at the 2023 European championships (they’re also doubling up in the eight). It remains to be seen what speed they’ve got in the locker.
Prediction: This should be a fantastic final dress rehearsal before the 2023 world championships. Expect Great Britain and Australia to be contesting the gold.
Men’s Quad
Entries: 13
World Cup Two Winner: Poland
Poland are the reigning world and European champions and also won the second world cup. That said, they were defeated at Henley Royal Regatta by a resurgent outfit from Great Britain. Their battle on the Thames was fascinating to watch – the Poles led from the outset but were rowed down in front of the Stewards by a surging British boat. Both will be eager to renew acquaintances in Lucerne.
The Netherlands are boating a very competitive crew, featuring European champion in the single scull, Lennart van Lierop. Three of this crew – minus van Lierop – were second at the European championships and will surely be strengthened by the inclusion of the latter.
Switzerland were fourth at the second world cup a few weeks ago and have that whole line-up back for a tilt at home glory. They finished in the ‘B’ final at the European championships but had a substitute for that specific race. They won bronze in Zagreb at the first world cup back in early May.
Romania were fifth at the European championships, a little way off the pace set by the likes of Poland and the Netherlands. Three of that crew return for the third world cup and will be looking to sneak into a congested podium conversation.
Ukraine have been kicking around the block for a while now. Three of this crew were in the boat that tried to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics and Nadtoka + Dovgodko raced in Rio. So far, this crew were second at the first world cup and sixth at the European championships.
Germany are making a slow comeback after ending up in the ‘B’ final at the Tokyo Olympics. They were second in the ‘B’ final at the European championships and fifth at the second world cup.
Prediction: This should be a shoot-out between Poland, Great Britain and the Netherlands. I back Poland to rise to the challenge.
Men’s Eight
Entries: 7
World Cup Two Winner: Great Britain
Great Britain approach the final world cup of 2023 as the reigning world and European champions. They were also winners at Varese and triumphed on home water at the Henley Royal Regatta. It will be take a big effort from one of the other six crews to stop them winning their third international honour from three in 2023.
Australia pushed Great Britain hardest at the second world cup, getting to within three seconds of the British boat. The crew for Lucerne is shifted, with Jack O’Brien and Angus Dawson replacing Jackson Kench and Simon Keenan.
Germany are on the recovery pathway after a really difficult couple of years post Tokyo. They were third in Varese, behind both GB and Australia, and fourth at the European championships. The coaching merry-go-round and subsequent athlete’s admission that the program is not being well-run has only served to heighten the scrutiny on the German rowing federation.
The Netherlands always produce fast boats and this eight got to within half a second of Great Britain at the European championships. This crew is pretty different from the boat that finished third in Bled and contains three of the crew who finished second in the men’s four.
Romania are another boat to watch out for. They have gotten closest to Great Britain this season, finishing within half a second at the European championships. Some of this crew are doubling up elsewhere so it remains to be seen whether this will affect their ability to drive to the line.
Canada were fifth in Varese and lost out to the British at Henley Royal Regatta two weeks later. They will get quicker as the season progresses but I am not sure I expect them to be pushing for medals in Lucerne.
Prediction: This should be a great match-up between Great Britain, Romania, Australia and the Netherlands. I’m plumping for a British victory to close out the world cup racing series.
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