The 2024 World Rowing Cup I came to an end on Sunday with 14 blistering A-finals, leaving the Netherlands and Great Britain on top of the medals table.
Both nations won five gold medals across the course of the regatta; the British added a further four silvers, while the Netherlands won three silvers and three bronze medals and impressively won a medal in every A-final they contested. The Netherlands are now leading the World Rowing Cup points standings.
Host nation Italy had a good regatta too, with four gold medals, two silvers and three bronzes from the 16 finals contested in total. Notably, the Italians upset the British world champions in the men’s four and the Swiss world silver medallists in the lightweight men’s double sculls with superb closing sprints, and their women’s eight held off the British with a brave row. The Italians will look to qualify their women’s and men’s eights for the Olympic Games later this season.
After opening the medal count with gold in the lightweight women’s single sculls on Saturday, Great Britain also closed the regatta with gold in the men’s eight. Their world champion crew showed its quality with a good victory over the Netherlands.
The British also picked up gold and silver in the women’s four, and there was a big win for the British lightweight women’s double sculls crew of Emily Craig and Imogen Grant, who are now unbeaten this Olympiad.
Also remaining unbeaten is Dutch single sculler Karolien Florijn, who has dominated the event since her first race at the 2022 World Rowing Cup I. The Dutch sculling squad shone generally; the men’s and women’s double sculls crew both securing victory, while the women’s quadruple sculls crew were second to a Ukrainian boat that has improved significantly since last season.
Germany won medals in both the single sculls finals, with Oliver Zeidler cruising in the men’s race and Alexandra Foester coming in second to Florijn in the women’s.
Attention for European crews turns next to the World Rowing European Olympic and Paralympic Qualification Regatta and the 2024 European Rowing Championships in Szeged, Hungary, between 24-28 April, while international crews prepare for the next step in the World Rowing Cup series – the 2024 World Rowing Cup II in Lucerne, Switzerland.
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