ROWING Preview: Good fields, including U.S. women’s eights, at second World Cup in Poland

The USA's 2018 World Champions in the women's eights!

The second of three stages of the World Rowing World Cup is in Poznan (POL) this week for a full program of events beginning on Friday and concluding on Sunday.

The program has drawn some top stars, including:

Men:
● Oliver Zeidler (GER) ~ 2019 European Single Sculls Champion
● Robert Manson (NZL) ~ Two World Cup wins in 2018; owns world-best time
● Kjetil Borch (NOR) ~ 2019 World Single Sculls Champion
● Angel Fournier Rodriguez (CUB) ~ 2013-17 Worlds Single Sculls silver medalist
● John Storey/Christopher Harris.(NZL) ~ 2018 Worlds Double Sculls bronze medalists
● Martin Sinkovic/Valent Sinkovic (CRO) ~ 2018 World Pairs Champions
● Theophile Onfroy/Valentin Onfroy (FRA) ~ 2018 Worlds bronze medalists

Women:
● Magdalena Lobnig (AUT) ~ 2019 Worlds Single Sculls bronze medalist
● Milda Valciukaite/Ieva Adomaviciute (LTU) ~ 2018 World Double Sculls Champions
● Brooke Donoghue/Olivia Loe (NZL) ~ 2018 Worlds Double Sculls silver medalists
Ellen Tomek/Meghan O’Leary (USA) ~ 2018 Worlds Double Sculls bronze medalists
● Grace Pendergast/Kerri Gowler ~ 2018 Worlds Pairs silver medalists

The larger boats will also be interesting. After rebuilding its crew following the 2016 Olympics in Rio, the U.S. again stormed to the gold medal at the 2018 World Championships. Their new line-up will be in Poznan and will face the silver medalists, Canada, which finished just two seconds back.

Germany has been dominant in the men’s eights, but will be pushed by last year’s bronze medalists from Britain. There is much interest in the New Zealand team, which has added Olympic gold medalists Mahe Drysdale and Hamish Bond to the crew. Can they contend?

Look for results from Poznan here.