"VAN" (Sports Desk - 13.06.2026) :: Day 1 of the 2026 World Rowing Cup II in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, featured exciting racing, with crews challenged by a stiff tailwind.
Several major rowing nations made their season debut on Friday and showed their winter training had paid off.
Chinese crews delivered standout results, winning their heats and posting the fastest times in the men’s and women’s double sculls as well as the men’s four. The USA also impressed, with strong showings in the women’s four and women’s quadruple sculls preliminaries, and qualified two crews for the next rounds of the men’s single sculls, men’s pairs, and women’s pairs.
Italy’s world champion men’s quadruple sculls crew was in fine form as they won their preliminary race. The Italian men’s four and men’s double sculls also won their heats, adding to a strong day for Italy.
New Zealand and Romania both continued to perform after having good season openers in Seville two weeks ago. The New Zealand men’s pair of Oliver Welch and Benjamin Taylor were dominant in their heat, and all the other Kiwi crews progressed to the next round of their respective events.
Romania have rejigged crews after Seville, bringing a more development-focused squad to Plovdiv, but still produced strong rows, including a heat win for their men’s double sculls and Mihai Chiruta in the men’s single sculls.
There was also cause for celebration for the Uzbekistan squad, with several good performances, including comfortable victories in both the PR2 and PR3 mixed double sculls preliminaries.
Racing in Plovdiv continues on Saturday from 10:05 EEST with C-finals for the men’s single and double sculls, semi-finals in three events, and finals for the lightweight and para-rowing events.
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