The 2025 World Rowing Cup - Varese will see Australia’s elite athletes return to the international stage this weekend in Italy.
The regatta, held from June 13-15, marks the first major test of the new Olympic and Paralympic cycle and features Australian men and women competing in all 14 Olympic boat classes, alongside two Para crews.
World Rowing Cup events follow a three-day format, progressing from heats to finals, with points awarded to countries based on finishing positions.
For Australia, this regatta represents an important early benchmark in the lead-up to the 2025 World Rowing Championships in China in September.
Para crews return with promise
Varese signals the international return of the Australian Para-Rowing squad, with the PR3 Mixed Double Sculls and PR1 Men’s Single Sculls set to race.
Para Head Coach James Loveday is eager to see how the new-look PR3 Mixed Double of Lisa Greissl and Sam Stunell perform after just a few days of training together.
Stunell, who only recently gained international classification, joins Greissl in an exciting new combination.
“We want to see what sort of speed they can produce with limited time together,” Loveday said.
“This event is a great reference point and will help guide the next phase of preparation.”
Meanwhile, five-time world champion and four-time Paralympic medallist Erik Horrie OAM PLY will race the PR1 Men’s Single, a critical step in his continued development through the 2025 season.
“This is a chance to test what he’s been doing on the ergo in a race setting. It’s all part of the bigger picture across the cycle,” Loveday said.
Women’s squad ready to build
Women’s Head Coach James Harris is leading the women's squad into their first international regatta since the Paris 2024 Games, with a focus on racing experience, versatility and long-term growth.
“The main aim is to give our athletes racing opportunities and to give them the chance to gain experience in multiple boats,” Harris said.
“This gives them the chance to develop as elite rowers and gives us [coaches] insights into them as athletes.
“At the start of the cycles, this is really useful to develop more understanding about our athletes, about the rest of the world and to be able to make crucial decisions going forward.”
Several athletes will double up across boat classes, including Emmie Frederico and Paige Barr OLY, who will race in both the AUS1 Pair and the Women’s Eight.
With some Olympians returning and others yet to resume, Varese offers a valuable starting point.
“There will be nerves, sure, but the team has trained hard in Australia. This is about putting our best foot forward, testing ourselves and taking that first step toward LA,” Harris said.
Men’s team focused on depth and development
The Men’s squad, led by Head Coach Chris O’Brien, is fielding full-strength line-ups and development crews alike, offering a glimpse into the future of Australian men’s rowing.
“It's great to get into warmer water and really understand our speed,” O’Brien said. “We've brought a big group over, some fresh faces and some returners.
“This is about building the depth and getting these guys valuable international experience.”
Athletes like Alex Hill OAM (M4-) and Jack Robertson OLY (M8+) bring Olympic experience to the group, while U23s such as Alex Baroni (M8+) and Nik Pender (M4-) will make their senior debuts.
Athletes currently based in the U.S., including 2025 IRA Varsity champion coxswain Nick Dunlop (M8+), have also joined the team and slotted in seamlessly.
“There’s real momentum in this group,” O’Brien said. “The culture is athlete-driven and the support is there. That’s what we want to see, guys pushing each other and enjoying being part of a strong, supportive team.”
Follow the action across Rowing Australia’s social channels as the team begins their 2025 international campaign in Varese.
How to Follow the 2025 World Rowing Cup - Varese
The first races will start June 13 at 16.30 AEST. The medal races start June 15 at 02.00 AEST.
Here is how to follow the event on mobile, tablet, or desktop:
The provisional time table for the events can be found here and entries for all the events can be found 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 on Sunday, June 15 from 17.25 for all World Rowing Cup boat class A-Finals. The video streaming will start 5 minutes before the first race.
WHAT’S UP FOR AUSTRALIA – World Cup Varese Day 1: Friday
8.50AM (4.50PM AEST) – PR1 Men’s Single Sculls Heat 2: Erik Horrie OAM PLY
9.05AM (5.05PM AEST) – PR3 Mixed Double Sculls Preliminary: Lisa Greissl, Sam Stunell
9.34AM (5.34PM AEST) – Women’s Single Sculls Heat 1: Laura Gourley OLY
10.34AM (6.34PM AEST) – Women's Pair Heat 4: (AUS1) Emmie Frederico, Paige Barr OLY
10.34AM (6.34PM AEST) – Women's Pair Heat 4: (AUS2) Taylor Caudle, Katherine Easton
10.54AM (6.54PM AEST) – Men's Pair Heat 4: (AUS1) Mitch Salisbury, Nicholas Smith
10.54AM (6.54PM AEST) – Men's Pair Heat 4: (AUS1) Hamish Wynn-Pope, Charles Batrouney
11.16AM (7.16PM AEST) – Men's Double Sculls Heat 2: (AUS 1) Oscar McGuinness, Mitchell Reinhard
11.16AM (7.16PM AEST) – Men's Double Sculls Heat 2: (AUS 2) Jack Cleary OLY, Harry Fox
11.33AM (7.33PM AEST) – Women’s Four Heat 1: (AUS1) Jaime Ford, Eliza Gaffney, Georgina Rowe OLY, Jacqueline Swick OLY
11.33AM (7.33PM AEST) – Women’s Four Heat 1: (AUS2) Georgie Gleeson, Ella Bramwell, Emily Sheppard, Eleanor Price
11.43AM (7.43PM AEST) – Men’s Four Heat 1: Nikolas Pender, Fergus Hamilton OLY, Austin Reinehr, Alexander Hill OAM
12.15PM (8.15PM AEST) – Men's Quadruple Sculls Heat 2: Alexander Rossi, Nicholas Blackman, Jackson Free, Johnson Daubney
1.59PM (11.59PM AEST) – Women’s Eight Preliminary: Emmie Frederico, Eliza Gaffney, Georgie Gleeson, Georgina Rowe OLY, Jaime Ford, Ella Bramwell, Jacqueline Swick OLY, Paige Barr OLY, Hayley Verbunt OLY
2.04PM (12.04AM AEST) – Men's Eight Preliminary: Miller Eagle-Rowe, Darcy McCluskey, Lachlan Doust, Alexander Baroni, Harry Manton, Patrick Long, Jack Robertson OLY, Alex Nichol, Nicholas Dunlop