~ For the crews who missed out on Day 1, Sunday’s second Time Trial was a last chance to reach the knockouts, and several took it. Beach Sprints, set to make their Olympic debut at LA28, moved from the clock to head-to-head racing on Day 2 of the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games.
"VAN" (Sports Desk - 02.11.2026) :: Crews that missed out on Day 1 got one last chance to reach the knockouts at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games on Sunday, and several took it, as head-to-head racing began in Coastal Rowing Beach Sprints at Saly Beach West. The discipline makes its Olympic debut at Los Angeles 2028 and is racing for its first Youth Olympic Games medals.
The Atlantic swell that shaped Saturday’s racing eased, leaving the Senegalese heat as the main challenge across a longer programme.
Mixed Double Sculls: a Re-Row and a Fast Start for Egypt
Germany, China, Spain, Czechia, Ukraine, France, Tunisia and Austria were already through to the Last 16 from Time Trial 1. Ten crews raced for the remaining eight places. Egypt’s Yossuf Moursi and Alia Ali set the fastest time, 2:26.51, ahead of the United States’ Isaac Moos and Allison Grove and Australia’s Alexander Watt and Camilla Griffin. Türkiye, Great Britain, Italy, Mexico and Thailand took the other places.
The US crew nearly lost its chance when Moos broke an oar on the paddle as they went through the buoys. They lodged a challenge and were granted a re-row straight after the original start list.
"It’s surreal to be here. It’s hard to process; it’s not like anything else. But Senegal is super cool," Moos said. "The atmosphere at this sport is very different from other rowing. Everyone helps each other out; everyone is friends."
Men’s Solo: Schoenhuber’s Turnaround Austria’s Lukas Schoenhuber, who missed automatic qualification on Day 1, won Time Trial 2 in 2:30.44, ahead of China’s Su Juntao (2:30.95) and Ukraine’s Mykola Tomchai (2:31.30).
"It was a much better performance than yesterday. Today I gave so much," said Schoenhuber. "I am dead. The heat is so crazy, horrible. I couldn’t walk. At home in Austria, it is minus five degrees at the moment. I would normally be skiing at this time."
Women’s Solo: Grove and Ali Double Up Grove, fresh from qualifying in the mixed event, was fastest in 2:57.88. Ali was second (2:59.29) and Austria’s Alena Lux third (3:00.05). Ali and Grove each qualified in two events on Sunday.
Mixed Double Sculls Last 16: Head-to-Head Racing Begins Top-seeded Germany posted the fastest time of the day, 2:13.42, as Johann Felix Meyer and Carolina Guerra Gonzalez beat Thailand. Second-seeded China beat Mexico in 2:16.57. Su Juntao and Liu Lili won the U19 world title in this boat class on home waters in Qingdao on 20 October and look set to figure prominently in the Last 8.
Spain beat Italy, 2:17.91 to 2:19.46. "We controlled our rhythm from the start and we got a good result," said Spain’s Diego Molina Martinez. "It is good to be into the head-to-head races. With the time trials, there is no other boat to see and race. We are aiming for the gold. We think we can do it."
Czechia beat Great Britain in 2:16.34, the second-fastest winning time of the day. "I like the head-to-head way more than the time trials," said Czechia’s Marie Zavadilova. "I can’t help looking at the other boat." Her partner, Ondrej Zizka, said: "I saw Marie all the way looking at the other boat; I was yelling to her, ‘Don’t look’."
Ukraine advanced over Türkiye, winning in 2:18.38. Türkiye suffered an oar malfunction at the final buoy and finished in 2:43.85. France led early through the buoys and held on to beat Australia in 2:19.41. Austria beat Egypt, the fastest crew in Time Trial 2, 2:19.26 to 2:21.32.
The United States beat Tunisia in 2:18.73 to become the only Time Trial 2 crew in the Last 8, alongside Germany, China, Spain, Czechia, Ukraine, France, and Austria.
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