Plenty of cowbells guaranteed on the final day
The final day on Rotsee promises yet another day of top-class rowing. In the men's single sculls, the Olympic medalists from Paris will face off once again.
Regulars at Rotsee still remember the final two years ago very well. Back then, Simon van Dorp and Oliver Zeidler battled it out in a spectacular race on the “Göttersee,” which the Dutchman ultimately won by a narrow margin. A few months later, the German returned the favor in the Olympic final in Paris and won the biggest title of his career to date, while Van Dorp took bronze.
Olympic silver medalist Yauheni Zalaty (AIN) adds to the excitement. He won his semifinal, keeping both Switzerland’s Kai Schätzle and Van Dorp at bay. In the second semifinal, Zeidler celebrated his third victory of the weekend, with American Samuel Melvin once again proving to be his toughest opponent.
Lauren Henry of Great Britain posted the fastest time by far in the women’s semifinals, making her the favorite for Sunday’s final. With the other finalists—Tara Rigney (AUS), Fiona Murtagh (IRL), Mazarine Guilbert (BEL), Alexandra Föster (GER), and Swiss dark horse Aurelia-Maxima Janzen—this final also promises to be incredibly exciting.
The final day of the LUCERNE REGATTA is sure to provide spectacular sports action for spectators both on-site and watching on TV. Local fans will have plenty of opportunities to cheer and ring their legendary cowbells this year: Switzerland has no fewer than five medal contenders—Claire Ghiringhelli in para-rowing, Aurelia-Maxima Janzen, Kai Schätzle, Jonah Block and Patrick Brunner, and the women’s quadruple sculls team featuring the Lucerne sisters Lisa and Flavia Lötscher.
Ondřej Synek Awarded the Thomas Keller Medal
On Saturday morning, Ondřej Synek was awarded the Thomas Keller Medal. The Czech athlete was a five-time world champion and also won several Olympic medals. However, he received rowing’s highest honor not only for his athletic achievements, but also for his long-standing contribution to the development of the sport.
Synek was also part of an extraordinary generation of single scullers that included Olaf Tufte, Mahé Drysdale, and Iztok Čop. These athletes made their mark on the international scene for more than a decade—and remain close friends to this day.
Reuss Lucerne Rowing Club Wins the Talents Cup
On Saturday afternoon, the Talents Cup was held for the second time in the history of the LUCERNE REGATTA. The six clubs with the best results from three qualifying regattas at the U17 mixed level each fielded a boat with two girls and two boys.
In the end, the Reuss Luzern Rowing Club prevailed in the local showdown against the Seeclub Luzern by a margin of just under four seconds. The competition format has quickly established itself in the Swiss rowing scene and has received consistently positive feedback.
