Image credit: World Rowing
With the start of the Paris Olympics just a few weeks away the time has come for the Final Olympic Qualifying Regatta, aka “The Regatta of Death”. This is the last chance for 28 boats to book their place at the Olympic party. Held on the glorious waters of the Rotsee in Lucerne – the aptly-named Lake of the Gods – it is, perhaps, the hardest and most brutal set of races throughout the entire Olympic cycle. The maths is very straightforward (unlike the Continental Qualifiers which are anything but); finish in the top two and you’re in. If you don’t then that’s it – the Olympic dream is over for another four years.
Entries: 31
The vast majority of the men entered in the single sculls do so more in hope than expectation. The reality is that the battle for the top two will come down to a slugfest between four or five scullers; Davide Mumolo of Italy, George Bourne from GB, Mihai Chiruta of Romania, Kjetil Borch from Norway and Konan Pazzaia of Ireland
Davide Mumulo of Italy will probably start as favourite to take the top spot. He was Italy’s representative in the single last season, finishing 11th at the World Championships, two spots off automatic qualification. He’s had a battle all season with team mate Gennaro di Mauro to claim the M1X spot. He did so by taking bronze at the first World Cup (which amazingly was Italy’s first medal in the M1X since 1994!)
Great Britain’s George Bourne was the 2019 U23 BM4X World Champion and spent the last couple of seasons racing in the M4X, winning silver at the 2022 World Championships and just missing the podium last season. This season he was replaced in the quad by the experienced Graeme Thomas (returning from injury). He made an excellent start to the season, reaching the A-Final in Varese and just missing the podium. At the Europeans he followed that up with a solid A-Final placing.
Mihai Chiruta was Romania’s single sculler from 2019-21 and his best finish during that time was seventh at the 2021 Europeans. He raced at the Tokyo Final Olympic Qualifying Regatta, reaching the final. He raced in the M4X in 2022 and 2023, helping Romania qualify that boat by finishing seventh at the World Championships. This season he’s moved out of the quad and into the single, winning the B-Final at the European Championships.
Kjetil Borch is probably the “biggest” name in this line-up. The 2018 World Champion and current Olympic silver medallist has struggled with injury in the last 18 months; his results in 2023 saw him finish no higher than 16th at any of the World Cups. This season hasn’t started any better; he raced at the first World Cup but found himself in the D-Final, finishing 19th. The heart would love to see Borch back at the Olympics, but the head says he’s going to need a massive improvement in form to be in the top two.
Ireland’s 22-year-old Konan Pazzaia is the reigning U23 BM2X World Champion and also raced in the M4X at the senior World Championships last season. This season he made his debut in the M1X, taking a strong seventh at the Varese World Cup. Qualifying for Paris would be a huge bonus for the man from Queen’s University Belfast who will probably have his sights more set on LA.
Outside of these five, the “best of the rest” will feature scullers like Isak Zvegelj of Slovenia. He just missed out on qualifying after finishing fourth at the European Qualification Regatta ( with the top three qualifying). Also watch for Czechia’s Jakub Podrazil. He’s a three-time Olympian and was in the M2X in Tokyo. He raced in that boat class in 2023 and 2024, but with Czechia clearly deciding that boat didn’t have the speed to challenge for qualification so Podrazil moves into the single.
Australia didn’t qualify the M1X for Tokyo and they will have their work cut-out to do so at Paris. The challenge has been given to Oscar McGuinness. The former lightweight raced in the M2X at the first World Cup, reaching the A Final. The 23-year-old is part of Rowing Australia’s “Project LA” squad so will most likely be using this FOQR as experience ahead of a tilt at LA.
An interesting name to see on the entry lists is Kai Schaetzle of Switzerland. What makes his inclusion interesting is that he’s also named in the M4- for the FOQR. Whether the Swiss team are hedging their bets over selection in the M4- or he is genuinely going to race both events remains to be seen. What makes this even more interesting is that in the (unlikely) event that both boats qualify then the rules state that Schaetzle will have to race both events in Paris.
Like Australia, the USA didn’t qualify a sculler for Tokyo and also like the Aussies they will have an uphill battle to make it to Paris. The Americans have selected Jacob Plihal from Seattle. He’s a Pan-American Games champion in the M4X and raced in the quad last season, finishing 14th. He gained the M1X spot by winning the US trials.
The final couple of scullers to highlight are Daniel Guitierrez Garcia of Spain and Quentin Antognelli of Monaco. Guiterrez Garcia was fourth in the LM4X at the 2022 Worlds and this season raced in the M1X at the first World Cup, finishing 12th. Antognelli is trying to qualify for his second Olympics having finished a creditable 15th in Tokyo. He was 16th at the 2023 Worlds and this season has a 17th from the first World Cup.
Prediction
Mumolo of Italy in first with GB’s Bourne in second
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