Image Credit: World Rowing
As the calendars switch over to 2025, the international racing season is beginning to appear on the horizon. Coming off the back of the Olympic Games, there is likely to be a lot of change as many athletes will be retiring or taking years out, allowing a new generation of talent to come through and show what they’ve got. With fewer World Rowing Cup regattas likely to provide higher quality fields throughout the year, let’s take a look at a few men’s sculling crews to keep an eye on this year.
Ireland Men’s Double Scull
With at least one of their bronze medal-winning combination confirming his intention to compete for another cycle, the Irish men’s double will look to build on their strong performance in Paris. However, the squad in Cork is bursting with other individuals who have excelled in the boat class. The twice-defending lightweight champions Fintan McCarthy and Paul O’Donovan will bring some speed to the event when allowed to break their weight limit whilst the emerald isle has also had recent success in the younger age groups in the men’s double. Brian Colsh rises to the senior levels with three medals at U23 level – a gold and a bronze with Kona Pazzaia plus a bronze with Adam Murphy.
With all three now in the open-age category, there is a phenomenally strong sculling group to be selected from. While it is unclear where the coaching team will place their priorities, it’s clear the Irish could become a major power in this Olympic cycle.
Germany Men’s Quadruple Scull
The German quads have been dominant throughout history, winning most of the gold medals in the boat class since it entered the Olympic programme in 1976. However, recent years have been far more scarce with glory as their fifth place in Paris was one of only two A-finals at a global championship since the Rio Olympics. However, after a troubled period, there seems to be new hope for the German rowing federation. A new performance structure led by Robert Sens alongside a new head coach signals a change in direction, and the first trial of the year in Dortmund demonstrated some exciting new talent.
With the exceptional benchmark of Olli Zeidler to compare against, there were two young men who managed to defeat the Olympic champion over the 6km time trial. The first, Ole Hohensee, won bronze at the U19 World Rowing Championships this summer, while the second, Oliver Holtz, was part of the U23 quad and finished fourth. Missing the trial was Timo Strache, the U23 world champion in the single, who demonstrates that the new regime may have the young talent to return to the top of the tree in this boat class for the next generation.
Netherlands Men’s Quad
In the absence of the Germans in recent years, the Dutch seized the initiative in men’s sculling, winning back-to-back Olympic golds in the quad plus two silvers in the double and a bronze in the single. However, there is anticipation of a change in the guard in the next few years. In the quad, only one of the athletes was below the age of 30 in Paris, and while none of the crew has announced their retirement, there has already been a change as Eelco Meenhorst, the head coach of Dutch rowing, resigned from his role this winter, declaring his “mission had been accomplished”.
With a strong base and many returning athletes, this should not cause too much disruption to this crew who will likely enter the season as favourites for every race they compete in. However, with any change like this, there is always a risk that it will open the door for another nation to push the dominant Dutch aside.
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