Racing for the 2018 World Championships begin on Sunday, September 9, in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. Below, we preview the M2x, W2x, LM2x, and LW2x events.
THE FAVORITE – Brooke Donoghue and Olivia Loe of New Zealand are the defending world champions, and won both World Cup II and World Cup III this summer and will arrive in Bulgaria as the crew to beat.
MEDAL CONTENDERS – A deep field will provide good competition for the Kiwis. The American double were the runners up to New Zealand last year and took the bronze in their only 2018 appearance at World Cup III. Canada's new double of Andrea Proske and Gabrielle Smith took the silver in Lucerne and will look to carry that momentum over to Plovdiv, where both will be competing in their first senior world championship regatta.
France are the current European champions and the Dutch have had a strong 2018 season, winning three medals including the gold at World Cup I. Finally, the Lithuanians are always tough in the double and have bagged two bronze medals in 2018 at World Cup I and the European Championships.
USA PROSPECTS – Rowing as New York AC, Meghan O'Leary and Ellen Tomek won trials in July and will represent the United States for the sixth consecutive year in the event. The pair's best finishes are a silver in 2017 and a sixth place finish at the Rio Olympic Games. They will be looking for another podium finish in Plovdiv following last year's result and a bronze medal at this year's Lucerne World Cup.
2017 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS – The Kiwi double of Brooke Donoghue and Olivia Loe broke out from a tight field at the 750 to win by nearly a length over the American Double of Meghan O'Leary and Ellen Tomek. Australia finished in third ahead of Lithuania in fourth. Video here.
THE FAVORITE – No clear cut favorite in the men's double with a seven crews medalling at the three World Cups and European Championships in 2018, and that doesn't include the defending world champions from New Zealand who finished fourth at both World Cup II and World Cup III. The Polish double of Miroslaw Zietarski and Mateusz Biskup may hold a slight edge going into Plovdiv based on their win at World Cup III and their silver medal performance last year in Sarasota.
MEDAL CONTENDERS - There are many strong challengers to Poland. First are the defending world champion Kiwis, as well as at strong British double of Angus Groom and Jack Beaumont. Groom and Beaumont won World Cup II, and took second at World Cup I. The German double of Timo Piontek and Lars Hartig medalled at all three World Cups, including two silvers, while the French and Romanians took the top two spots at the European Championships and will look to grab a spot on the podium in Plovdiv. Then finally, the Italians return their double from 2017 that won the bronze in Sarasota.
USA PROSPECTS – John Graves and Ben Davison won trials in July rowing for Craftsbury. The crew will compete in their second straight senior world championships after finishing ninth in 2017. Graves is a senior team veteran competing in his fifth world championship while Davison has had success at the junior and U23 level, finishing third in the BM4+ in 2017 and fourth in the BM1x earlier this summer. The crew will look to crack into the A Final in a tough field.
2017 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS – In one of the best finals of the regatta, the New Zealand double of John Storey and Christopher Harris outraced Poland and Italy in the last 250 to win the gold. Video here.
THE FAVORITE – The lightweight double is a wide open event with quite a bit of athlete turnover and new combinations in 2018. The new Dutch double is the probable favorite following their win at the European Championships. They feature 2016 Olympic champion in the event, Ilse Paulis and Marieke Keijser who won the silver last year in the LW1x.
MEDAL CONTENDERS – There are a host of fast doubles this year that should make this one of the deepest events of the regatta. Two of the top contenders are Poles and the Kiwis. New Zealand return last year's silver medal crew intact, and have shown good speed in 2018, taking the silver medal at World Cup III. The Poles also return their fourth place crew from 2017, and were the winners in Lucerne and the runners up to the Dutch at the European Championship.
The Swiss, British, and South Africans should also be quick and challenge for a spot in the Final. USA could also challenge for a spot on the podium.
USA PROSPECTS – Emily Schmieg and Mary Jones were selected as the 2018 LW2x following their NSR II win in May and B Final win at World Cup III. Schmieg returns from the 2017 bronze medal double and is joined by Jones who won the bronze in 2017 in the lightweight single. The crew is racing in a very competitive field and could challenge for a spot in the final and potentially a return to the podium.
2017 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS – The Romanian double of Ionela-Livia Lehaci and Gianina-Elena Beleaga won a tight final over Kiwis Zoe McBride and Jackie Kiddle, and the American double of Emily Schmieg and Michelle Sechser. Poland came in fourth. Video here.
THE FAVORITE – Irish brothers Paul and Gary O'Donovan have been consistent medalists over the last three years in the lightweight double, and come in to the World Championships as slight favorites following their win at World Cup III and silver medal performance at the European Championships.
MEDAL CONTENDERS – Kristoffer Brun and Are Strandli of Norway will be the top crew to challenge Ireland. The crew defeated the O'Donovans at the European Championships, and has won multiple world championship medals including gold in 2013. Italy will be fast as well, returning the same double that took silver in Sarasota, won the gold at World Cup II, and took the bronze at the European Championships.
Additional crews that should challenge for a spot in the A Final and potentially the podium are Belgium, Denmark, and Poland. The defending champion French crew have been competitive in 2018, but not quite the same speed following the retirement of Jeremie Azou.
USA PROSPECTS – The Potomac BC double of Hugh McAdam and Peter Schmidt won trials in August and will race in Plovdiv for the first time as a combination. It will be Schmidt's fifth senior championship. He raced the lightweight double last year, racing to a 16th place finish. McAdam will race his second senior championship. They are competing in a deep field and will be looking to break into the semifinals.
2017 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS – Pierre Houin and Jeremie Azou of France led for nearly the entire race to win by a length. Italy, China, and Poland finished within half a second of each other with Italy and China winning spots on the podium with the Poles finishing fourth. Video here.
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