Record high entries at the World Rowing Cup III in Lucerne
The LUCERNE REGATTA 2023 is set to break records with a huge number of participants. Nearly 700 athletes from 52 nations will compete at the event held on the Rotsee. The men’s single sculls category has a record-breaking 46 boats registered, including favorites such as World Champion Oliver Zeidler (Germany) and Olympic champion Stefanos Ntouskos (Greece). The women’s single sculls category also promises fierce competition with 30 registered athletes, including last year’s champion Alexandra Foester (Germany) who will be challenged by Olympic champion Emma Twigg (New Zealand) and last year’s runner-up Tara Rigney (Australia). The eights category is expected to be an exciting race, as three boats finished the final within half a second at the European Championships in Bled. The Netherlands, Great Britain and Roumania are all coming to Lucerne to fight it out once more.
Swiss Fireworks expected
The Swiss team has had an excellent start to the 2023 rowing season, achieving historic results at the first World Rowing Cup in Zagreb and winning four medals at the European Championships. The European champion crews in the men’s pair (Roman Röösli and Andrin Gulich) and the lightweight men’s double sculls (Jan Schäuble and Raphaël Ahumada) are expected to make the crowd go crzay at the Rotsee. The women’s quadruple sculls (Célia Dupré, Pascale Walker, Lisa Lötscher, and Fabienne Schweizer) also aim to compete for medals after narrowly missing the podium by 13 hundredths of a second at the second World Rowing Cup in Varese.
For the first time ever: Para-rowing in Lucerne
The LUCERNE REGATTA will witness the first international para-rowing races this year. Some of the world’s best PR1 athletes, including five-time para-world champion Birgit Skarstein (Norway) and Swiss para-rower Claire Ghiringhelli, will participate in two invitational PR1 single scull races. This initiative sets the stage for the final qualification for the Paralympic Games to be held at the Rotsee in 2024 in parallel with the final Olympic qualification Regatta.
Note: the para races are taking place on Saturday, 8. Juy 14:30 (test race) and Sunday, 9 July 12:15 (finals)
The return of the Queen of the Rotsee
Jeannine Gmelin, the most successful Swiss rower in history, will be present at the Rotsee despite retiring from elite sports. She will operate “rob’s hood” coffee lounge at the Rotsee in honor of her late coach and partner Robin Dowell. The LUCERNE REGATTA will celebrate Gmelin’s incredible career and recognize her contributions to Swiss sports.
Note: rob’s hood will be open Wednesday/Thursday (8h-16h) and Friday-Sunday (6h-16h) – get your coffee in the ground floor of the rowing centre (boatpark area)
Thomas Keller Medal in Lucerne
During the event, the Thomas Keller Medal, the highest award in rowing, will be presented to former rowing star Mahé Drysdale of New Zealand. Drysdale, a two-time Olympic champion and five-time world champion in the men’s single sculls, has left an indelible mark on the sport. He will officially receive the Thomas Keller Medal during the Regatta.
Note: the ceremony will take place on Saturday, 8. July at 10h00 at the rowing centre (boatpark area)