World Rowing U23 Championships Day 1 Review | All Australian crews advance to next round

By Rupert Guinness, Australian Rowing Teams Media Manager

The Australian Rowing Team (ART) made a resounding start at the Under 23 World Rowing Championships in Duisburg, Germany on Thursday - Day 1 - with all its 10 crews progressing to the next rounds of the four-day regatta.

Five Australian boats finished first on Day 1 – the Men’s Pair and Four and Women’s Pair that qualified for Friday’s Semi-Finals, and the Men’s and Women’s PR3 Single Sculls in the respective Preliminary Races to determine the lane draws for Saturday’s A-Finals.

One boat, the Men’s Eight, placed second in their heat to advance to Sunday’s A-Final.

The four other boats all qualified for Semi-Finals on Friday and Saturday with top 2 finishes or on time.

The ART’s strong start to the regatta reflects the enduring support from Hancock Prospecting and unwavering commitment of Rowing Australia Patron Mrs Gina Rinehart AO. From trials and selections, through to the big stage of international competition like these Under 23 World Championships, Hancock Prospecting’s investment is instrumental to Australian crews being able to prepare, perform and succeed globally.

Rowing Australia also acknowledges the significant support from the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS), the Australian Sports Commission (ASC), and the Australian Government through Minister for Sport Anika Wells, whose investment enables athletes, coaches and programs to perform and represent Australia with pride.

RA Head of Pathways, Jason Lane said such support for RA was central to success.

“To have all 10 crews progress through Day 1 is a terrific start and a real credit to the commitment of our athletes, coaches and support staff,” Lane said.

“The ongoing support of Hancock Prospecting and our Patron Mrs Gina Rinehart AO, whose investment in Australian rowing continues to make a meaningful difference to the development of our athletes, which we are grateful for. Their support, alongside that of the AIS, ASC and Australian Government, provides our athletes with the opportunity to prepare at the highest level and compete against the best in the world.”

Speaking about the overall Australian team performance on Day 1, Lane said: “It was a highly impressive opening day from the team.

“Across all boat classes, our athletes executed their race plans well, adapted to the conditions and put themselves in strong positions heading into the next rounds.

“While we're pleased with the results, the standard of competition at this regatta is exceptionally high, and the crews understand there is still plenty of racing ahead.

“Day 1 has given us good momentum, but our attention is firmly on continuing to build throughout the remainder of the championships.

In the Women’s Pair, the Australian crew of Lucy Searle and Imogen Grey – who rowed in the stroke pair of the winning University of Texas NCAA Varsity Eight championships – produced one of the most impressive displays by winning the second of three heats.

Their win automatically qualified them for Friday’s Semi-Finals.

Searle (bow) and Grey (stroke) led the race by two seconds from Great Britain at 500m, and the extended the lead to 4.84 s by 1500m where they looked calm and controlled.

Over the last 250m the Australians were in full control, rating only 26 strokes-per-minute to win in the fastest of three heats (7:49.16). They finished a length clear of Great Britain (7:52.12), followed by France (7:55.86) to shore up qualification in Saturday’s A-Final.

“It was a really exciting race. It was our first time racing the pair together, so it was a good experience to get out there and see what we can do,” Grey told Worldrowing.com.

In the Men’s Pair, Australia’s Jack Hansen-Knarhoi and Lachlan Brown – the Silver Medallist in the event at last year’s Under 19 World Rowing Championships - also led from the start in their heat, holding off their opponents throughout the race.

The Australians won (7:12.71) from Italy (7:13.43) and Serbia (7:18.22); but while Italy bridged much of their gap at 1500m with a late charge, Brown and Hansen-Knarhoi kept their calm and cool to respond with length and power to hold their lead across the line.

They will also race the Semi-Finals on Friday.

In the Men’s Four, Australia’s Alec Hoskin, Matthew Cashman, Daniel Cashman and Montgomery Martin led from the start to win (6:45.59) by two-plus lengths over China (6:30.36) and South Africa (6:32.49) in third to qualify for Friday’s Semi-Finals.

Wins also came in the Women’s and Men’s PR3 Single Sculls Preliminary Races, where Suzannah Lutze PLY and Sam Stunell - the Men’s 2025 Under 23 World Champion in the event - both won superbly to set themselves up for their A-Finals on Saturday.

Lutze won (8:41.23) beating Spain’s Rocio Fraguela Moas (9:19.08) and Uzbekistan’s Dinara Belyanina (9:32.08)

Stunell took an early lead to win (8:01.34) from Italy’s second placed Igor Zappa (8:28.48) and Uzbekistan’s Akbarali Abduvaliev (8:33.47), in third.

Photo: Sam Stunell races in the Men's PR3 Single Scull

In other races:

In the Men’s Eight, Australia placed second behind the United States in their heat to advance directly to the A-Final on Sunday.

The Australian crew of Thomas Foley, Winston Hooper, Henry Belcher, Andrew Weightman, Rory Menzies, James Frederikson, Edward Nutt, Matias Moloney and cox Thomas Shaw led through 500m, and were only passed by the US boat at 1000m.

The US won (5:59.28) from Australia (6:00.39), followed by Netherlands (6:01.47).

Australia’s Men’s Quadruple Scull of Oliver Evans-Wood, Tobias Elias, Max Currie and Jasper Boyce placed second in their heat with a late charge to make Friday’s Semi-Final.

Australia was third at 1500m, but in the last 500m they surged by Czechia to finish second. Poland (6:18.63) won from Australia (6:20.31) and Czechia (6:21.07) in third.

In the Women’s Double Sculls, Sophie Malcolm and Eliza Bridgefoot placed third after holding second position for about 1400m, behind the event favourites Greece and Lithuania who pushed past the Australians nearing the 1500m mark.

Greece, with defending champion Dimitra Kontou in the boat with new partner Eleni Diavati, won in the fastest time of the three heats (7:23.85) from Lithuania (7:28.58).

Australia was third (7:30.75), but while missing out on a top two place, their time was fast enough for them to still advance to the Semi-Final on Friday.

In the Women’s Four, the Australian crew of Leila Gaston, Sarah Marriott, Chloe Nevins and Hannah Richardson, placed third behind the winners, the USA (7:09.58) and second-placed South Africa (7:12.28) after fighting back from fourth place at 1000m.

Their fast finish paid off with their time (7:16.66) qualifying them for Friday’s Semi-Final.

In the Women’s Single Sculls Sarah Bourke placed fourth in her heat. While missing a top two finish to automatically make her Semi-Final on Saturday, she qualified on time.

Australian boats racing on Day 2 – Friday 24 July

9:47AM (5:47PM AEST) – Women’s Pair Semi-Finals - Lucy Searle (b), Imogen Grey (s)

9:57AM (5:57PM AEST) – Men’s Pair Semi-Finals - Jack Hansen-Knarhoi (b), Lachlan Brown (s)

10:14AM (6:14PM AEST) – Women’s Double Scull Semi-Finals – Sophie Malcolm (b), Eliza Bridgefoot (s)

10:31AM (6:31PM AEST) – Women’s Four Semi-Finals - Leila Gaston (b), Sarah Marriott (2), Chloe Nevins (3), Hannah Richardson (s)

10:41AM (6:41PM AEST) – Men’s Four Semi-Finals - Alec Hoskin (b), Matthew Cashman (2), Daniel Cashman (3), Montgomery Martin (s)

10:58AM (6:58PM AEST) – Men’s Quadruple Scull Semi-Final - Oliver Evans-Wood (b), Tobias Elias (2), Max Currie (3), Jasper Boyce (s)

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