"VAN" (Sports Desk - 05.06.2025) :: The first stage of the 2025 World Rowing Cup will take place on Lago di Varese, Italy from 13 to 15 June 2025, with 39 countries participating - the biggest contingents coming from Great Britain, Germany, Australia, and the home nation, Italy. Athletes from Iraq, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Brazil, and Indonesia will also be trying to get their first medals of the international rowing season.
The men’s single sculls has attracted the largest number of entries with 31 names, and includes the reigning Olympic bronze medallist, Simon Van Dorp of the Netherlands. Fresh off a silver medal at the European Rowing Championships in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, Van Dorp will face tough competition in Italy – including his teammate Melvin Twellaar, Olympic silver medallist in Paris in the double sculls. Tim Brys of Belgium will be looking to build confidence following a disappointing performance in Plovdiv, while Davide Mumolo, who just missed an Olympic qualification in the single last year, will want to show his progress on home waters.
This event will also see the return of the Sinkovic Brothers... in the men’s pair. After winning a silver medal in the men’s four in Bulgaria, the "Sinkobros" will test their speed in a boat class in which they successfully defended their Olympic title last year. Competition will be fierce, with the Loncaric brothers also entered in the pair for Croatia, the recent European silver medallists from Italy, and an interesting new combination of quadruple sculls Olympic champions from the Netherlands - Finn Florijn and Lennart Van Lierop.
The women’s single sculls will also be hotly contested. Will GB’s Lauren Henry build on her brilliant win in Bulgaria? On her way to success, she will face a very tough field, led by Tokyo 2020 Olympic medallist, Anna Prakaten of Uzbekistan, 2024 World Cup medallist Juliane Faralisch of Germany, and Mazarine Guilbert, bronze medallist at the 2024 World Rowing Under 23 Championships.
Among Italy’s large delegation on home waters, the men’s quadruple sculls will certainly be one to watch, with top names such as Luca Rambaldi and Giacomo Gentili. Their men’s and women’s eight recently medalled at the European Championships and will look to repeat on their performances on Lago di Varese.
This World Cup stage will also see the international debut of the Mixed Eight, being staged as a test event. Four countries will compete – Czechia, Germany, Italy and the United States in Varese, with all crews composed of athletes doubling up from other boats.
The World Rowing Cup series was launched in 1997 and consists of a annual series of three events, although, exceptionally, only two stages will be held in 2025. The overall World Rowing Cup winners are determined after the last event through the points accumulated at both events. This year, the three stages of the series are Varese, Italy (13-15 June), Lucerne, Switzerland (27-29 June).
Racing begins on Friday, 13 June with heats, and will continue through to semi-finals, with Finals on Sunday 15 June. Saturday and Sunday's Finals will be live streamed on www.worldrowing.com.
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