Racing for the 2018 World Championships begin on Sunday, September 9, in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. Below, we preview the M4- and W4- events.
THE FAVORITE – Defending champion Australia are boating the three out of four athletes that won in 2017, and are now joined in the crew by Australia and USA dual citizen Rosie Popa. AUS have had a successful 2018 season so far, winning both World Cup II and World Cup III. They will be the crew to beat, but will have their hands full in a deep event.
MEDAL CONTENDERS – The Danish four pushed the Aussies in Lucerne, and took the silver medal. Russia were the bronze medalists in 2017 and are the current European champions. Poland should be fast as well, they finished second in 2017 and were third at Europeans. The Dutch, British, and Americans are all boating fast fours as well that should contend for the A Final and podium.
USA PROSPECTS – The USA crew of Madeleine Wanamaker, Erin Boxberger, Molly Bruggeman, and Erin Reelck are a new lineup selected out of Princeton Training Center. Bruggeman and Reelick return from the 2017 four that placed fourth. Boxberger and Wanamaker are making their debut at the senior championships. Boxberger is a three-time U23 champion and Wanamaker was in the U23 women's eight in 2017 that won the silver medal. The crew should compete for a spot in the A Final and potentially a spot on the podium.
2017 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS – The Dutch lead the field for 1700 meters before Australia unleashed an incredible last 500 to take the gold. Poland and Russia took the silver and bronze respectively with the USA finishing fourth in a tight finish. Video here.
THE FAVORITE – Australia are the overwhelming favorites, returning the world champion crew from 2017. This season, the Aussies are unbeaten, winning both World Cup II and World Cup III by open water.
MEDAL CONTENDERS - Romania are the European champions and have been the closest to Australia so far in 2018, coming within three seconds at World Cup II. Great Britain has been testing out several combinations this year and look to have settled on a pretty good lineup. The current crew finished second to Romania at the European Championships and should challenge for medal in Plovdiv.
Italy, France, and The Netherlands should also challenge for a spot in the final and could grab a medal.
USA PROSPECTS – The USA is boating an all new for 2018 following selection camp in Oakland. The crew of Dariush Aghai, Nick Mead, Alex Richards, and Michael Clougher will make their international debut in Plovdiv. All four athletes competed for the USA in 2017. Aghai and Mead were in the eight that won silver, Richards was in the four that finished tenth, and Clougher raced the men's single to a win in the D Final. An appearance in the A Final would be good result for the crew in Bulgaria.
2017 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS – Australia handled the field in the final, leading wire to wire to take the gold medal by nearly a length over Italy. Great Britain won the bronze, about half a second ahead of the Dutch in fourth place.
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