Image Credit: World Rowing
With St Catharine’s, Canada set to host the senior, U23 and U19 world championships, we’re set for a thoroughly enjoyable week of racing across the Atlantic. Although we’re going to be missing the very top-end of our sport – given the fact that the Paris regatta only finished two weeks ago – the next generation of Olympic medalists could well be on show next week.
Andrew Sheehan (Ireland)
Last year’s silver medalist returns in 2024, hoping to take his U23 dream a step further and claim a historic gold for Ireland. Sheehan is well versed in international racing, with this being his fourth U23 world championships. In 2021, he won silver in the coxed four and claimed bronze in the coxless four in 2022 so the gold would be an ideal way to round off his age-group tenure. The Irishman has experience of racing at senior level too, having competed at the opening two World Rowing Cups of 2023 in a coxless four and double respectively (ninth and seventh).
Aaron Andries (Belgium)
One of the most experienced athletes on the docket, Andries is a former junior world medalist (silver in 2021 in the single) and won the U23 world championships in the double in 2022. He did not race at this level in 2023, choosing instead to pursue a full season at senior level where he finished sixth at the European championships in the double before switching to the single and recording a variety of minor final finishes that culminated in 22nd at the world championships in Belgrade. He raced at the 2024 World Rowing Final Olympic and Paralympic Qualification Regatta in the double – placing fourth in the A/B semi-final – and could be Sheehan’s biggest threat for a medal.
Timo Strache (Germany)
With a rich history of producing talent in the younger age groups, Strache arrives in Canada with the weight of expectation on his broad shoulders. He is already an U23 world medalist, collecting bronze in the double in 2023 to go alongside his junior world title from 2021. He was also a silver medalist at the 2022 European U23 championships in the double.
James Fetter (USA)
With no international pedigree, Fetter is in considerable company. His time at Stanford University – where he most recently raced in the bow seat of their Varsity eight at the IRA National Championships – will serve him well though. He spent his 21-22 and 22-23 seasons in the 2V and is an IRCA Scholar-Athlete.
Alberto Ciavarro (Italy)
Ciavarro raced in the eight at last year’s U23 world championships, finishing eighth overall. He then briefly transitioned to the senior team, racing in a men’s second eight at the first World Rowing Cup where the crew placed 11th on home water (from 11). Back into the U23 fold, the Italian could be an outside bet for speed, particularly in light of how fast his peers seem to be going at the moment across the board.
Hugo Roch (France)
Another athlete with no international racing pedigree but hailing from France brings with it a level of expectation around speed. Roch raced for the University of Lyon at the 2023 European Universities Rowing Championship, finishing third in the eight, and also won the men’s U19 category at the European Rowing Indoor Championships in 2023.
Leonardo Salerno (Switzerland)
Salerno raced at these championships in 2023, finishing 12th overall in the men’s double. He is also a two-times U19 athlete, having raced in the quad in 2021 (fifth) and 2022 (seventh). His trajectory is clearly pointed upwards and he’ll be keen to break into an A-final here.
Fedi Ben Hammouda (Turkey)
Another nation with strong experience in producing young stars, Hammouda is already a two-times U23 international. Both occasions have been in the single; in 2022, he was 18th overall and bettered that in 2022 to finish 13th. In 2024, he will be aiming for B-final, if not A-final, placings given the field is arguably weaker than in previous years.
Oscar Ruston
Ruston has had a very strong 2024, winning three national titles at the New Zealand Club Championships in the U22 single, double, and premier quad. He rows for Gisborne Rowing Club, Hawke’s Bay Rowing Club and now Waikato Rowing Club.
Prediction
Hard to look past Sheehan and Andries for the top two slots.
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