Racing for the 2023 World Championships begins on Sunday, September 3, in Belgrade, Serbia. Below, we preview the men's double sculls event.
ENTRIES - 30
2020 Olympic Champion – France
2022 World Champion – France
RACICE 2022 RECAP
France, the Olympic champions, had the best start and were first to the 500 by half a length over Australia and Spain. Those three crews continued to lead through 1500 with France winning gold over a sprinting Spanish double, with Australia taking the bronze over Croatia.
Watch the final from Racice here.
2023 SEASON RECAP
A few lineup developments this year have affected the men's double event. First, Matthieu Androdias of the World and Olympic champion French men's double is out; best we can tell he has been recovering from injury over the winter. Second, Dutch sculler Melvin Twellaar, who won the silver at Racice last year in the M1x, has returned to the double with Stefan Broenink. The duo won silver in the event at the Tokyo Olympics and took gold at this year's World Cup III and bronze at the European Championships.
The Sinkovic brothers are looking to bounce back from missing the podium in 2022, and this season has been looking good with gold medals at both World Cup I and the European Championships, and a silver at World Cup III. Other crews that have been in the mix this season are Italy, United States, China, and Ireland.
USA PROSPECTS
The United States is racing a new lineup in the men's double with Sorin Koszyk and Ben Davison. Koszyk returns from last year's double, which won the B Final in Racice. Davison raced as the USA M1x last year, finishing second in the B Final for that event. The double has raced once so far this season on the international circuit, winning the silver medal at World Cup II in Varese. Koszyk and Davison should be in the mix to make the A Final in Belgrade, where a top 11 finish will qualify the USA for the Paris Olympic Regatta.
MEDAL PICKS
The top of the men's double in Belgrade will be fairly wide open with quite a few variables to sort out. The Netherlands, Croatia, and Italy are the most likely crews to make the podium, with the USA, Ireland, China, Spain, and France with shots to make the A Final and podium.
GOLD – NETHERLAND
SILVER – CROATIA
BRONZE - ITALY
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09/02/2023 5:59:18 PM