2026 World Rowing Championships Day 1 Review | Smooth take off for Rowsellas with first three crews advancing to next round

By Rupert Guinness, Australian Rowing Teams Media Manager

The Rowsellas’ 2026 World Rowing Championships campaign in Amsterdam began on Monday with all three crews that raced advancing to their next round.

On Day 1 of the regatta that finishes on Sunday and is being held on Amsterdam’s Bosbaan International course, the Australian Rowing Team (ART) saw its Men’s Pair, Women’s Pair and Men’s Double Scull all perform strongly.

The ART still have another 10 boats to race heats in these championships.

In warm, gusty headwinds on Monday, the Men’s Pair of Angus Dawson OLY and Alexander Hill OAM OLY - event winners at World Cup III in Lucerne – placed second in their Heat to make Wednesday’s Semi-Final. The Women’s Pair of Emmie Frederico and Katie Easton also made the Semi-Finals on time after placing third; whereas the Men’s Double Scull of Oscar McGuinness and Nicholas Blackman placed fourth to make Tuesday’s Quarter-Finals on time.

The World Championships are the major event of the international season and will also provide Rowing Australia (RA) with a measure of how the ART is tracking for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The Rowsellas’ start to the 2026 World Rowing Championships follows months of planning, preparation training and racing, supported by a High Performance system that continues to benefit from the longstanding commitment of Hancock Prospecting and RA Patron Mrs Gina Rinehart AO.

RA is also incredibly grateful for the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS), Australian Sports Commission (ASC), and Australian Government, whose investment and support enables athletes and coaches in RA’s High Performance Program to perform on the world stage and represent Australia with pride.

RA Performance Director Paul Thompson MBE was pleased with the Rowsellas’ start to their World Rowing Championships campaign.

“It was a solid start for us in the World Rowing Championships; the fields are deep and competitive and there is still work to do.” Thompson said

"Today our boats tested the strong variable conditions on the Bosbaan and there have been some good learnings from that for our other crews racing here too.

“Our preparation for these Championships reinforces the value of the support from RA Patron Mrs Gina Rinehart and Hancock Prospecting, the AIS, ASC, Australian Government and all our other partners. It really does have a major impact.”

In the Men’s Pair, the Chris O’Brien coached crew of Angus Dawson OLY and Alexander Hill OAM OLY led from the start and through the 1500m mark.

At that point the South Australians, racing in Lane 4 and needing a top two place to qualify directly for the Semi-Final, led Spain in Lane 2 by 1.46s and AIN, in Lane 3 by 5.25s. Spain then kicked up a gear to pass Australia.

For Australia - the Men’s Pair winners of World Cup III in Lucerne - there was no cause for panic.

Even though the Spaniards, who placed fourth in the World Cup III Lucerne Final, sprinted away to win (7:09.75), Australia comfortably finished second (7:14.02) to lock in their Semi-Final berth, while AIN was third (7:19.47).

Hill said he and Dawson were simply happy to get their World Rowing Championship campaign underway.

“It’s good to get a start in a regatta. We are where we need to be, with the second-place finish and in the Semi-Final,” Hill said.

“We are looking forward to working on what we need to do for the Semi-Final and getting back into it.”

Asked about the push by Spain in the last 500m to take the lead, Hill said: “We weren't moving exactly the way that we wanted to be, but we'll work on that.”

Hill was not concerned by the gusty variable conditions, saying: “The conditions are what they are. There was a stiff head breeze, but that is what it is. Everyone is in the same conditions. We've all just got to deal with it.”

In the Women’s Pair, Emmie Frederico and Katie Easton – coached by Xavier Dorfman – were in second place at the 1500m, before France pushed through.

However, the Victorians, racing in Lane 3, showed true grit and form to maintain the race pace and not let the French charge away.

The United States went on to win (7:46.79) from France (7:49.47) in second followed by Australia (7:52.22) in third place.

With the first two of each heat automatically qualifying for the Semi-Final, the Australians still had much to race for from third place as the next six fastest finishers outside the top two of each heat would make the knock-out rounds.

Frederico and Easton answered the challenge, recording the fastest time outside the top two, showing that their race pace is very much up to expectations.

Frederico said they are ready to “step up” in the Semi-Final and repay the faith shown in them, from their friends and family, RA and major partners.

“We want step up on Wednesday and provide those who have supported us, especially Mrs Rinehart, with a massive ‘thank you’ based on performance.”

Frederico was still happy with how their first race of the World Rowing Championships played out.

“We stayed [focused] on our boat and did what we wanted to do. We wanted to row smart,” Frederico said.

“Given the conditions, we weren't going to be able to ham on it the whole way.

“We kept it clean, long and weighed up everything we've been working on in training into the race.

“We felt from the start that we nailed the rhythm we wanted to set. In saying that, it would be nice to not be rowed through at the end.

Easton was also happy with their response to France after being passed by them, saying: “Emmie did a really good job of keeping us together and composed.”

Easton said they are excited by the challenge that awaits them in the Semi-Final, knowing they have boat speed.

“We respect the competition massively,” Easton said. “There's a bunch of very fast boats here. It's great that we know we can be with them.”

In the Men’s Double Scull, South Australians Oscar McGuinness and Nicholas Blackman, coached by Jamie Hewlitt, placed fourth in the third of five heats to also qualify on time for the next round, the Quarter-Finals on Tuesday.

The heat was won by Netherlands (6:53.69) from Chechia (6:58.03) in second and China (7:00.64) in third. Racing in Lane 1, Australia was fourth (7:03.17).

Earlier, in the ‘Spares Races,’ for team reserves to test the regatta facilities before official competition starts, second places went to Sophie Houston and Star Rose Miller in the Women’s Pair and Alexander Baroni and Jackson Kench in the Men’s Pair; while Sara de Uray was sixth in the Women’s Single Scull.

Who’s Up for Australia on Day 2 – Tuesday

1:31PM (9:31PM AEST) – PR3 Mixed Coxed Four Heat 2: (Cox) Hannah Cowap PLY, (b) Susannah Lutze PLY, (2) Toby Goffsassen PLY, (3) Cormac Hayes, (s) Wallis Russell. Coaches: Caroline Pijpers, James Loveday

1:37 PM (9:37PM AEST) – Women’s Four Heat 1: (b) Giorgia Patten OLY, (2) Bronwyn Cox OLY, (3) Jacqueline Swick OLY, (s) Georgina Rowe OLY. Coach: James Harris

1:53 PM (9:53PM AEST) – Men’s Four Heat 1: (b) Nikolas Pender, (2) Benjamin Canham OLY, (3) Paddy Holt OLY, (S) Benjamin Scott. Coaches: Tom Laurich and Noel Donaldson

2:14PM (10:14PM AEST) – Women’s Quadruple Scull Heat 2: (b) Romy Cantwell, (2) Jean Mitchell OLY, (3) Annabelle McIntyre OAM OLY, (s) Emily Sheppard. Coach: Jamie McDonald

2:30PM (10:30PM AEST) – Men’s Quadruple Scull Heat 2: (b) Hamish Danks, (2) Johnson Daubney, (3) Jackson Free, (s) Marcus Della Marta. Coach: Nick Mitchell

3:13PM (11:13PM AEST) – Men’s Double Scull Quarter-Final 3 – (b) Oscar McGuinness, (s) Nicholas Blackman. Coach: Jamie Hewlett

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