Popularity in under-23 rowing continues to grow with the 2018 World Rowing Under 23 Championships attracting nearly 900 rowers from 55 nations.
The championship is being hosted by Poznan, Poland at the well-known Malta regatta course in the heart of the city. Racing will start on 25 July and run through to 29 July 2018.
This year sees a small change in the boat classes as World Rowing has moved to gender equality for all championship events. The change means that the number of boat classes moves from 21 to 22. The best represented women’s boat class is the women’s double sculls with entries coming from 21 nations. The Greek double of Sofia Asoumanaki and Anneta Kyrdou raced in the final at the senior World Rowing Cup II in June and they look to be the crew to beat. France’s Margot Bailleul and Anne-Sophie Marzin will also be a crew to watch.
The men’s single sculls has a large field with rowers from 28 nations participating. The defending under-23 champion, Trevor Jones of Canada is racing and he will be up against Olympian Boris Yotov of Bulgaria and Benjamin Davison of the United States.
The United States is coming with a full team of 22 entries. Racing for the US in the women’s single sculls is Emily Kallfelz who already has medals from the junior and under-23 level. Kallfelz will face a field of scullers from 19 nations including Thea Helseth of Norway who raced in the final of the single at last year’s under-23 championships. Germany has the next largest team. They have 21 boats entered. Italy came out on top of the medals table in 2017 and they have entered 20 boats this year.
The lightweight men’s single sculls sees the return of 2017 under-23 champion, Uncas Batista of Brazil. He will be up against rowers from 27 other nations in a bid to defend his title. Batista has been racing the World Rowing Cup series this season. Norway’s Ask Jari Tjoem has also begun his 2018 season at the senior level. Tjoem finished fourth at World Rowing Cup I.
The World Rowing Under 23 Championships is raced in 22 boat classes and is open to all World Rowing Federation (FISA) member nations for rowers under the age of 23. The under-23s began in 1976 as the ‘Seniors Match’ and then the name was changed to the ‘Nations Cup’ before becoming the World Rowing Under 23 Championships in 2005.
For entries, timetable, full reports, live audio streaming, live results, live blogging as well as video streaming go to www.worldrowing.com
For the complete entry list click here.
