Image credit: World Rowing
The second World Rowing Cup of the year promises so much. Our European contenders, who we have already seen race on one, if not two, occasions this year meet their rivals from across continents as Australia, New Zealand, the USA and a number of other heavy-hitting global players converge on Lucerne in what will be many crews’ final race before the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. As always, JRN are previewing every single event in-depth as we take another enormous step forward towards the crowning moment of our sport.
Entries: 6
With no continental entries, this is set to be a European showdown between six superbly-talented crews. The Netherlands arrive in Lucerne as world and Olympic champions and looked unstoppable in Belgrade last year. They opted to skip the Europeans – allowing Italy to step in and take the title – but will be back with a vengeance. This is likely to be the final race before Paris so this crew will want to disperse any hint that they can be got at in a few months’ time.
Poland were world champions in 2022 but had a more challenging year in 2023; they won the European championships and World Rowing Cup II before suffering with illness throughout Henley Royal Regatta (where they were beaten by the British) and failing to ever properly recover. Their bronze at the world championships will not have thrilled them and their matching medal colour at the 2024 European championships in a field not featuring the Dutch will have further frustrated the cause.
Italy are the ever-present in this category and seem to just find an extra gear at the right moments, in evidence as they took the European title ahead of a host of fast crews. They were world silver medalists in 2023 and could be an outside bet to take on a resplendent Dutch unit.
Switzerland were the surprise package in Szeged when they won silver behind the Italians, knocking Poland, Great Britain and Romania down the pecking order. With the latter not racing in Lucerne, and the first two struggling to find form, this is a great opportunity for the Swiss to double down on home water and establish themselves as genuine medal contenders for Paris.
Great Britain continue to promise much but have not quite delivered the goods in this category over the past couple of years, despite glimpses of genuine brilliance. Stroked by the effervescent Graeme Thomas, this crew started the season well with a silver at World Rowing Cup I before falling to fourth at the European championships in a nominally weaker field. If it clicks, this boat have the potential to replicate the feats of yesteryear’s silver medal-winning Olympic outfit but there is work to do.
Germany complete the line-up and bring Tim Ole Naske back into the crew after he missed the first World Rowing Cup. This is three of thee four who finished sixth at the world championships last summer plus Julius Rommelmann, who was in the single in 2023. This boat were sixth in Varese and will be aiming to not finish sixth – and subsequently last – this weekend.
Prediction
The Dutch are the clear favourites here but the race behind them for minor medals is pretty compelling. Any one of the boats could, at least theoretically, take a podium position and carve up the pecking order. I think the Netherlands will take gold, Italy will secure silver and Poland will be in bronze.
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