The final FISA World Cup of 2019 takes place in conjunction with the Holland Beker Regatta in Rotterdam (NED) from Friday through Sunday, with a massive cast of 712 rowers from 42 countries, who will compete in 26 classes.
Through the first two stages, in Plovdiv (BUL) and Poznan (POL), the racers and strategies varied in the Openweight Division, and except for the Quadruple Sculls – for men and women – there were no repeaters:
Men/Single Sculls:
● Plovdiv: Damir Martin (CRO)
● Poznan: Svierri Nielsen (DEN)
Men/Double Sculls:
● Plovdiv: Zhiyu Liu/Liang Zhang (CHN)
● Poznan: Barnabe Delarze/Roman Roeoesli (SUI)
Men/Quadruple Sculls:
● Plovdiv: Poland
● Poznan: Poland
Men/Pairs:
● Plovdiv: Martin Mackovic/Milas Vasic (SRB)
● Poznan: Joshua Booth/Alexander Hill (AUS)
Men/Fours:
● Plovdiv: Poland
● Poznan: Australia
Men/Eights:
● Plovdiv: Poland
● Poznan: Germany
Women/Single Sculls:
● Plovdiv: Lisa Schneenaard (NED)
● Poznan: Emma Twigg (NZL)
Women/Double Sculls:
● Plovdiv: Shiyu Lu/Yuwei Wang (CHN)
● Poznan: Brooke Donoghue/Olivia Loe (NZL)
Women/Quadruple Sculls:
● Plovdiv: China
● Poznan: China
Women/Pairs:
● Plovdiv: Aletta Jorritsma/Jose van Veen (NED)
● Poznan: Grace Pendergast/Kerri Gowler (NZL)
Women/Fours:
● Plovdiv: Netherlands
● Poznan: Denmark
Women/Eights:
● Plovdiv: Netherlands
● Poznan: Australia
In Rotterdam, the Single Sculls will be one of the points of focus. In the men’s division, both World Cup winners are back: Rio Olympic silver medalist Damir Martin (CRO) and Sverri Nielsen (DEN), plus Rio bronze winner Ondrej Synek (CZE) and 2018 World Champion Kjetil Borch (NOR). And what of New Zealand’s Robert Manson, holder of the world-best time in the event, but who only made the B-Final in World Cup II?
In the women’s Single Sculls, Ireland’s 2018 World Champion Sanita Puspure is entered and will face World Cup II winner, New Zealand’s comebacking three-time Olympian Emma Twigg, plus 2017 World Champion and 2018 Worlds silver winner Jeannie Gmelin (SUI).
World Rowing has an excellent live blog covering the World Cup; look for results here.
