Racing for the 2019 World Championships begins on Sunday, August 25, in Linz, Austria. Below, we preview the men's double and qualification for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Regatta.
ENTRIES - 31
2018 WORLD CHAMPION – Boucheron/Androdias - FRA
2016 OLYMPIC CHAMPION – Sinkovic/Sinkovic - CRO
2020 OLYMPIC QUALIFICATION SPOTS – Top 11
PLOVDIV 2018 RECAP
The French double of Hugo Boucheron and Matthieu Androdias led the field after 500 meters, and held off a charge from Switzerland and New Zealand to win the gold medal by just over a second. Great Britain, Germany, and Romania rounded out the field in the A Final. Watch here.
2019 SEASON RECAP
Switzerland returned their crew of Barnabe Delarze and Roman Roeoesli that won the silver medal in 2018, and have dominated this year's World Cup circuit. Delarze and Roeoesli won both World Cup II and World Cup III and took second place at the European Championships.
The British double of John Collins and Graeme Thomas has also been consistently fast in 2019. Collins and Thomas finished second at World Cup II, third at World Cup III, and took fourth at Europeans.
The two other medalists from 2018, France and New Zealand both returned but have struggled making the finals so far this year. Germany, Ireland, Poland, and The Netherlands have also been in the mix in 2019 and will be looking to make an impact in Linz.
USA PROSPECTS
The Penn AC double of Erik Frid and Justin Keen won Trials III in July and will make their international debut in the double in Austria for the World Championships. Both scullers raced in the 2018 USA men's quad that placed eleventh in Plovdiv. With 11 spots for Tokyo and 31 entries, making the semifinal will be a difficult task for the USA, but there is potential for surprises in the event this year.
MEDAL PICKS
Switzerland and Great Britain have shown the most speed so far this year, but the medals will still be determined on if France and New Zealand can return to their form from a year ago. Then Germany, Ireland, Poland, and Romania will also be fast and looking to score a medal in Linz.
GOLD – SWITZERLAND
SILVER – GREAT BRITAIN
BRONZE - POLAND
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