2026 World Rowing Championships Day 5 Review | Rowsellas fly to open their medal account with a Silver and Bronze

By Rupert Guinness, Australian Rowing Teams Media Manager

Rowsellas fly to open their medal account with a Silver and Bronze  

The Rowsellas claimed their first two medals of 2026 World Rowing Championships on the Bosbaan course in Amsterdam on Friday with the Men’s Pair winning Silver and the PR3 Mixed Double Sculls claiming a Bronze.

The two Australian Rowing Team (ART) boats won their medals late on Day 5 of the regatta that ends on Sunday after competition resumed following a two-hour delay due to adverse conditions that included heavy rain and thunder.

Two more ART boats also advanced to their next rounds on Saturday - the PR1 Men’s Single Sculls with Erik Horrie PLY OAM who qualified for the A-Final with first place in his Semi-Final, and the Women’s Single Sculls with Tara Rigney OLY whose third in her Quarter Final sent her into the Semi-Finals.

The World Rowing Championships are the 2026 pinnacle for the Rowsellas, but the event 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 team’s continued progress in these World Rowing Championships reflects 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.

Alex Hill OLY OAM who with Angus Dawson OLY in the Men’s Pair won the Silver Medal, acknowledged the widespread support behind them, especially that of Mrs Rinehart who visited the ART before the World Championships at the European Training Centre (ETC) in Gavirate, Italy during final training.

“A massive thank you to Hancock Prospecting and Mrs Rinehart for all their help, especially to Mrs Rinehart for all she does to make it possible for us to train full time and put our best foot forwards on the racetrack,” said Hill, a triple Olympian in the Four who won Gold in the boat at Tokyo in 2020 and Silver in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and placed sixth in it at Paris in 2024.

Hill and Dawson certainly showed the positive impact of such support in their A-Final in which they produced a strong and assured performance that augurs well for their potential in the build-up to the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.

Winners were the defending World Champion New Zealand crew of Olliver Welch and Ben Taylor (6:16.62), while Australia finished second (6:18.50) ahead of Italy (6:19.68), represented by Matteo Lodo and Giovani Cadoto.

However, while the New Zealanders reminded everyone of their class with a back-to-back win, the showing by Australia in their first season together as a crew will set the stage for some exciting international racing as LA2028 looms.

Coached by Chris O’Brien, Australia – racing in Lane 3 – held their position behind New Zealand throughout the race, but they responded well to the challenge behind them as Romania, in third place for 1500m, tried to pressure them before fading as the Italians passed by them in the last 500m for third.

The Australians, who won World Cup III Lucerne in June where New Zealand did not compete, were thrilled to win Silver; even though the Gold Medal was upper most in their mind when they started the A-Final. As Dawson, a 2020 and 2024 Olympian in the Eight, said: “We came with the idea to win.

“So, it's always disappointing when you fall short, but same time, we're very happy with how we stepped through the regatta. And for the first year together [as a crew], a Silver is something we can be proud of.”

Asked if the Pair will remain with LA2028 in mind, Dawson, 25 and whose last World Championship medal was a Bronze at Belgrade in 2023 in the Eight, said: “That's the plan. We put ourselves through it for one year, so another couple more isn’t too long. We both come out of bigger boats. It’s a slower race. a lot can happen. Each part of the race has some key moments … getting half a percent better through each part of the race will hopefully put us in a good position.”

Hill, 33 and whose last World Championship medal was a Gold in the Four at Plovdiv in 2018, said he and Dawson expected the race to tighten up as the fight for the Bronze between Romania and Italy took shape. “We saw that coming. We adjusted our plans to the chaos and tried to push away from that,” he said.

Hill said the delay in racing due to the storm did not put them off their race. “It was the same for everyone,” he said. “We were 10 minutes from getting on the water, but then we had to go back, relax as much as possible and see what they [officials] say. There was a moment there, where it looked like we were going to be out there again tomorrow, but the storm went away, and off we went.”

In the PR3 Mixed Double Sculls A-Final, the Christine MacLaren coached crew of Ella Marshall and Sam Stunell impressed to win the Bronze Medal.

Germany won (7:03.97) from Ukraine (7:09.28) in second while Australia (7:12.56) was third after challenging the lead crews in the first 500m.

It was a confident race by the Australians in their first year together as a crew, providing plenty of optimism for the journey ahead to the 2028 Paralympics.

Stunell, who won the Bronze in the same event at last year’s World Championships in Shanghai with the now retired Lisa Greissl, said he and Marshall stuck to their plan to attack the race as they eventually did.

“We knew Ukraine and Germany were going to come out hot,” Stunell said.

“We thought Ukraine would try to race the Germans in the first 500m. So, when we came out, we didn’t panic. We knew what we could do through the middle.

“In the second 500m, we found our rhythm, then made a call to attack at the 1000m. We started to catch Ukraine, but they were able to find another gear.”

Marshall, racing in her first senior World Championships, concurred with Stunell. “We executed the race as well as we could,” Marshall said.

“We tried to push and keep with them, but credit to Germany and Ukraine. They're a very strong crews and we are a very new crew.

“This is just amazing where we are right now. We're in a great position.”

Marshall lauded Stunell as Stroke in a season that also saw him defend his World Rowing Under 23 Championships PR3 Men’s Single Scull title.

“Kudos to him for the work that he's put in this season alone,” Marshall said.

“He's a commanding force in that stroke seat, and it just it just makes it click.”

Marshall also recognised the impact of the support system around them.

“Thanks to Mrs Gina Rinehart … The PR3 squad benefits greatly from her generosity, as well as the support of Rowing Australia,” Marshall said.

“Also, thanks to our families who put in the countless hours and years into supporting our rowing. Ultimately, it's got us onto to the world stage.”

In the Women’s Single Sculls Quarter Finals, Tara Rigney OLY hung on by the skin of her teeth to hold third position and qualify for the Semi-Finals.

First place went to Ireland’s 2025 World Champion, Fiona Murtagh (7:20.80) from Switzerland’s Aurelia-Maxima Janzen (7:21.71) and Rigney (7:27.00).

But Rigney, coached by Alfie Young and back racing after a post-2024 Paris Olympic break, finished only 0.26s clear of Denmark’s Frida Sangaard Nielsen.

The Dane charged home over the last 500m, but Rigney, was able to hold her off and just secure the third place needed to go to the Semi-Finals on Saturday.

“I knew some of the heat rankings were different to normal, so I expected a tough quarterfinal. I’ve got to keep on rolling with the punches,” Rigney said.

“I live to fight another day. I stuck to the race plan; but didn't have it in the last 500m. I have a clean slate tomorrow. The opportunity is there to work it out.”

Rigney also recognised the support for her in her return to international racing, from her parents who are in Amsterdam cheering her on from the Bosbaan’s grandstands to Rowing Australia and its major sponsors and partners.

The former Gina Rinehart AO Leadership Award recipient said: “It's great, especially in the single scull where you’re only as good as those around you.

“My parents have been supporting me for almost seven years doing this. Any success I have is only half my success, the other half belongs to mum and dad.

“I’m also incredibly thankful to Mrs Rinehart for her support that she gives to Rowing Australia. Her generosity just amazing.”

In the PR1 Men’s Single Sculls Erik Horrie PLY OAM, coached by Chris Holliday, won his Semi-Final to qualify for the A-Final on Saturday.

Horrie, who won the PR1 Men’s Single Sculls in 2014 when the World Championships were last held on the Bosbaan, was first (9:03.75) ahead of Ukraine’s Roman Polianskyi (9:07.44) and France’s Alexis Sanchez (9:21.77).

Horrie’s victory was trademark class. Although, while he led from start to finish, he did not win without having to fend off two challenges.

It was not until halfway that the fast-starting Sanchez lost contact with Horrie and Polianskyi, then the last 300m before Polianskyi fell off Horrie’s pace.

In the Women’s Pair B-Final, the Xavier Dorfman coached crew of Emmie Frederico and Katie Easton ended their campaign by finishing in second place.

The race was won by Germany (7:02.87), followed by Australia (7:06.34) in an improved performance on their heat and New Zealand (7:07.51) in third.

Australia’s second place finish gave them a World Championship ranking of 8^th. inside the Olympic qualifying standard for the boat needed next year.Who’s Up for Australia on Day 6 – Saturday

10:50AM (6:50PM AEST) – Men’s 4 B-Final: (b) Nikolas Pender, (2) Benjamin Canham OLY, (3) Paddy Holt OLY, (S) Benjamin Scott. Coaches: Tom Laurich and Noel Donaldson

11.00AM (7:00PM AEST) – Men’s Quadruple Sculls B-Final: (b) Hamish Danks I NSW, (2) Johnson Daubney, (3) Jackson Free, (s) Marcus Della Marta. Coach: Nick Mitchell

11:05AM (7:05PM AEST) – PR1 Men’s Single Sculls A-Final: Erik Horrie PLY OAM. Coach: Chris Holliday

11:58AM (7:58PM AEST) – Women’s Four A-Final: (b) Giorgia Patten OLY, (2) Bronwyn Cox OLY, (3) Jacqueline Swick OLY, (s) Georgina Rowe OLY. Coach: James Harris

12:34PM (8:34PM AEST) – Women’s Quadruple Sculls A-Final: (b) Romy Cantwell, (2) Jean Mitchell OLY, (3) Annabelle McIntyre OAM OLY, (s) Emily Sheppard. Coach: Jamie McDonald

3:05 PM (11.05PM AEST) - Women’s Single Sculls Semi-Finals: Tara Rigney OLY. Coach Alfie Young

3:33PM (11.33PM AEST) – Women’s Eight Heats: (b) Georgie Gleeson, (2) Eliza Gaffney, (3) Lily Alton OLY, (4) Ella Bramwell, (5) Samantha Morton Van Eybergen, (6) Paige Barr OLY, (7) Jaime Ford, (s) Laura Gourley OLY,(cox) Hayley Verbunt OLY. Coach: Ellen Randell

3.46PM (11.46PM AEST) – Men’s Eight Heats: (b) Rohan Lavery, (2) Austin Reinehr, (3) Alex Nichol, (4) Jack Robertson OLY, (5) Harry Manton, (6) Fergus Hamilton OLY, (7) Patrick Long, (s) Mitch Salisbury, (cox) Nicholas Dunlop. Coach: Nicolo Maurogiovanni

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Photo Credit: Patrick Boere Photography