Australia’s next generation of rowing talent is set to take on the world as the 2025 World Rowing Under 19 Championships begin this week in Trakai, Lithuania.
From August 6-10, 24 athletes across seven crews will represent the green and gold against a record-breaking international field of 47 nations.
“The team has had a really good preparation leading into Lithuania,” Rowing Australia Head of Pathways Jason Lane said.
“There have been some crucial team workouts and promising speeds across the team, really.”
Western Australians Jack Hansen-Knarhoi and Lachlan Brown, racing the Men’s Pair, have built confidence through years of training together and are excited to race the best in the world.
“We’re pretty excited to get racing in a couple of days… we just can’t wait to get started,” Hansen-Knarhoi said.
“Everyone wants to see each other do really well… training on the course has certainly added to the atmosphere being in Trakai right now.”
The duo knows the field will be strong, but that only fuels their fire.
“We’ve seen some of the results from the Serbians and the Greeks… we know they’re all super quick,” Hansen-Knarhoi said.
“But I almost prefer it that way. You want to be up against the very best at a world event.”
That mindset is shared across the team.
In the Women’s Double Scull, Lucy Yabsley and Patricia Boland have prepared with clear intent and a target in mind.
“This has been my dream boat,” Yabsley said.
“Our goal result is Gold. That’s what we train for. But a successful regatta for us is just to put our absolute best on the course, and I know we will.”
The crew’s training has focused not only on intensity, but enjoyment.
“It’s been a very fun campaign. Also a lot of intention,” Yabsley said.
“Everyone’s getting around it. As a team, we’re very excited to be on the world stage and show them what we can do.”
For many of the athletes, Trakai will mark their first time in the green and gold.
For others, it’s a chance to return with renewed goals.
In the Women’s Single Scull, Astrid Thomas enters after an unbeaten domestic season in 2025.
The Queenslander has already represented Australia at the 2024 Beach Sprint World Finals and will move to Stanford University later this year.
She’ll line up in the regatta’s biggest field, 27 scullers, in an event Australia last won in 2004.
Australia’s Women’s Eight also returns to the U19 World Rowing Championships for the first time since 2022. It’s one of the most nationally diverse lineups in recent memory.
Athletes from Queenwood, Pymble Ladies College, St Catherine’s, Adelaide RC, and UTS Haberfield have come together under coach Jarrod Watson to form a formidable unit.
Stroking the Eight is Florence Hennessy of St Catherine’s School, the younger sister of Ambrose Hennessy, who stroked the Men’s Coxed Four to Gold last year at the 2024 World Rowing Under 19 Championships in Canada.
“It’s a great testament to the network,” Lane said.
“We’ve got Sydney schools combining with South Australians… great collaboration and something to celebrate.”
Two members of that world-beating Coxed Four return for another crack in 2025: Matias and Tomas Moloney, now forming the core of this year’s Men’s Four.
Their experience will be critical as they shift from a coxed boat to the coxless format, joining Angus Ciesiolka and Maximus Garnett in a powerful combination.
The Men’s Quadruple Scull brings together a true cross-country composite of emerging talent.
Eoghan Johnson (QLD), Lucas Cardaci (WA), Max Mason (VIC), and Monty Sallabank (VIC) have been based between Ballarat and the Yarra for much of their campaign.
Their blend of small boat skill and racing tenacity will be key to progressing through the rounds in a deep international field.
In the Men’s Double Scull, Luke Purdie and Tobias Elias will debut internationally after a standout domestic season.
Guided by Olympic medallist and Rowsella Rowena Meredith OLY, their combination promises grit and speed in a red-hot boat class.
For Lane, this week is not just about medals.
“This is a separate team with their own focus,” Lane said.
"If they race the way we want Australian crews to race, to be brave, be bold, show resilience, that’s success. The results will take care of themselves.”
How to follow the 2025 World Rowing Under 19 Championships:
This year the 2025 World Rowing Under 19 Championships will be taking place in Trakai, Lithuania from August 6-10, 2025.
The first races will start on August 6 at 22:30 AEST. The medal races start on Sunday, August 10 at 18:05 AEST.
Here is how to follow the event on mobile, tablet, or desktop:
The time table for the events and entries for all the races are available here.
Live race tracker and LIVE audio will be available for ALL races on www.worldrowing.com.
LIVE video streaming will be available on the World Rowing website for all races. The video streaming will start 5 minutes before the first race.