Image credit: World Rowing
The final World Cup in Olympic year is always a bit of a strange affair. It’s often a mix of Olympic-bound crews looking for some final race practice, and nations looking to give experience to their development boats ahead of the next Olympic cycle. This year’s final World Cup is no different. The host for this World Cup is the Lake Malta course in Poznan, one of the most frequently used courses in all of World Rowing.
So, here’s our look at who to watch out for in each event and also perhaps a few names to watch for the LA Olympic cycle.
Entries: 8
Returning to Europe for the first time since their victory at the world championships last year, the Australian double of Nikki Ayers and Jed Altschwager have high expectations for this Paralympic campaign. The Australians have only entered this boat class in two major regattas since it was elevated to Paralympic status but have won both of them, by fairly comfortable margins each time. They will be looking to carry on that success this weekend with an eye on gold in Paris.
Another nation who makes its first appearance in Europe this season is the American crew of Todd Vogt and Saige Harper. Vogt returns from the boat that won silver last year while Harper swaps into the crew having won the same medal in the mixed PR3 coxed four. One would expect that Ellen Minzner made this selection with a view to gold in this event as it seems a more likely shot than upending the dominant GB crew in the four. They will be hoping to see that choice pay dividends with a strong performance in Poznan this weekend.
The final nation from the 2023 world championship podium is France, who have two entries into this event. The French selectors may not be certain on their crew for their home games, with the double from Belgrade and the European championships earlier this season being split in two. Elur Alberdi Larrauri joins forces with Antoine Jesel, who won bronze in the mixed four in Tokyo. This double makes up the FRA2 duo, but the FRA1 dedication goes to Laurent Cadot who re-joins Guylaine Marchand with whom she won gold at the 2023 European championships. The French Federation will likely be hoping to learn which of Marchand and Larrauri will give them a better shot in partnering Cadot onto a potential podium spot.
Dominant in the other PR3 event, the British crew of Samuel Murray and Annabel Craddick are establishing a foothold into the event, finishing fourth at the world championships, just 2.5 seconds off the podium. They won the European championships to open their season in Szeged and with the rest of the world back on the start-list this weekend they will be wanting to see how they can shape up and reinforce the superiority of the British Paralympic setup.
Close behind the Brits in Hungary was the German duo of Jan Helmich and Hermine Krumbein. Szeged was the combination’s first international race together and they followed it with a victory in Lucerne against a depleted field. The addition of Helmich from the four seems to have successfully added speed to this boat class as they have been among the best that Europe has to offer this season. With a truly global entry this weekend, they will be able to see how they fare in a good simulation for the pinnacle of the sport at the end of August.
There are two entries in this event which earned their spot in Paris through their respective continental qualifiers. The first, from India, consists of Anita Anita and Narayana Konganapalle. This duo raced at the 2023 world championships, placing ninth in an 11-boat field before travelling back to Asia, winning their continental qualifier by a phenomenal 49 seconds.
The second crew is from Mexico and is made up of Angeles Gutierrez and Miguel Nieto Carpio, who straddle PR3 and PR2 rowing, having raced in both classes at the most recent World Rowing Cup. They would finish in last place together in the PR3 double while individually finishing in last (Gutierrez) and second last (Carpio) in their respective PR2 singles events. Having qualified for Paris in the PR3 category, they race in this less restrictive category while again doubling up into the PR2 singles.
Prediction
My pick for this one is for the Australians to collect another gold medal on their return to Europe, with the USA crew in silver. The British should be able to see off the French crews and the Germans to claim the bronze.
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