The 2022 World Rowing Championships will be held in the Czech Republic from September 18 to September 25, with 900 competitors from over 65 countries expected to compete.
It’ll be a regatta to remember, with practically every possible race on the water bringing the highest concentration of world-class rowers to the Racice’s Labe Arena.
World champions will be crowned in 14 Olympic, six international, and nine para-rowing boat classes, providing an insight into the form of several reigning Olympic winners and their rising rivalry with Paris 2024 on the horizon.
Men’s singles sculls Tokyo 2020 World Rowing Championships Stefanos Ntouskos, silver medalist Kjetil Borch, and women’s singles gold medalist Emma Twigg from New Zealand will all be present.
Add the Sinkovic brother’s Martin and Valent, Italian power couple Valentina Rodini and Federica Cesarini, and Irish national heroes Paul O’Donovan and Fintan McCarthy to the list.
The men’s and women’s eights are back in the mix, as they always are. New Zealand and Canada, the incumbent Olympic champions, will be looking to reclaim their titles.
The United States is sending a massive 25-boat contingent, while Italy will have 23 on the water. Sri Lanka, Nigeria, Iraq, and Uruguay will all be represented.
Continue reading for a complete list of races, a preview, a schedule, who to watch, and more World Rowing Championships 2022.
Full Events 2022 Rowing World Championships:
Racice is set to host the following Olympic, Paralympic, and International Events:
Men (M): 1x, 2x, 2-, 4x, 4-, 8+
Women (W): 1x, 2x, 2-, 4x, 4-, 8+
Lightweight Men (LM): 1x, 2x, 2-, 4x
Lightweight Women (LW): 1x, 2x, 2-, 4x
Para-rowing (PR): PR1 W1x, PR1 M1x, PR2 Mix2x, PR2 M1x, PR2 W1x, PR3 Mix2x, PR3 Mix4+, PR3 M2-, PR3 W2-.
World Rowing Championships 2022: Who to Watch:
The greatest in the industry has put in the long hours of training to get here, and now it’s time to race.
World Rowing Championships 2022 Single sculls for men:
The men’s single sculls will be one of the most competitive events, with participants from 40 countries.
This one will feature current Olympic champion Stefanos Ntouskos, who earned Greece’s first rowing gold medal in Tokyo. The 25-year-old is now aiming for his first global crown.
But he’ll have to battle for it against World and European champions Oliver Zeidler and Melvin Twellaar.
Kjetil Borch, the silver medalist in Tokyo, is also in contention, but in a historic season in this category, there are many more in contention, including Ben Davison, Graeme Thomas, Mindaugas Griskonis, and Kristian Vasilev.
This one should not be missed.
MORE NEWS: LATEST RACING SCHEDULE UPDATE AND GUIDELINES
World Rowing Championships 2022 Single sculls for women:
The women’s single sculls were no less exciting in Tokyo, with New Zealand’s Emma Twigg claiming victory.
Twigg dominated from start to finish to win gold after Ireland’s two-time world champion Sunita Puspure startled everyone by failing to qualify and ROC’s Hanna Prakatsen had a bad start.
The New Zealand rower is widely seen as the favorite to add the World crown to her Olympic gold, but with 25 nations competing, triumph is far from guaranteed.
The crowd will be behind home star Lenka Antosova, as will World Cup medalists Tara Rigney of Australia and Jeannine Gmelin of Switzerland.
Karolien Florijn, a Dutch paddler who hasn’t lost a race this year, is another rising star to watch.
World Rowing Championships 2022 Men’s lightweight double sculls:
When Ireland’s Paul O’Donovan and Fintan McCarthy won the country’s first rowing gold medal in Tokyo 2020 in the summer of 2021, they cemented their names in Irish Olympic history.
And they put to rest any worries regarding racing at Racice in August when McCarthy told the local paper The Southern Star:
“Yeah, I guess we’ll give it a shot.”
The reigning Olympic champions have only competed in one event this season, the European open water championships, which they won.
However, Italy has a powerful combination and finished second in the Euros, while World Cup victories for Switzerland and Norway this season have also put them in the running.
France and Spain will also be challengers for the podium.
World Rowing Championships 2022 Lightweight double sculls for women:
The female version will be equally captivating.
Valentina Rodini and Federica Cesarini of Italy, as well as Claire Bove and Laura Tarantola of France, are both gold medalists at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
They’ll be keeping an eye on Great Britain’s Imogen Grant and Emily Craig, who are still riding high after winning the European Championship.
Boats bearing the flags of Ireland, Switzerland, China, Canada, and New Zealand, on the other hand, will be out to cause havoc.
Preview of the Men’s Eight of World Rowing Championships 2022:
The men’s eight, always one of the most anticipated events on the rowing calendar, should provide another show.
New Zealand won the Olympic gold medal as a group of young guns came together at the perfect time, led by Hamish Bond, who won gold in the pair in London in 2012 and Rio in 2016.
Germany is the defending world champion, although their team has changed significantly since last year, with just Torben Johannesen remaining from the world title-winning team in 2019.
Elsewhere, the Great Britain men’s eight is a serious contender, having won bronze in Tokyo and gold in every tournament they’ve participated this season.
Australia, Romania, and a relative unknown in the USA eight are also podium candidates.
Preview of the Women’s Eight of World Rowing Championships 2022:
Canada retains its Olympic title in the women’s eight, with half of the crew raising an oar once more.
However, they were defeated by Australia earlier this season in a World Cup event, so this should be a thrilling race, with European champions Romania also in the mix.
The Netherlands may also be present.
Australian Fours to keep an eye on World Rowing Championships 2022:
Australia won the men’s and women’s fours in rapid succession in Tokyo, and they’ll be ready for this event again.
The women’s team – Lucy Stephan, Rosie Popa, Jess Morrison, and Annabelle McIntyre – were blazing in the heats before holding off a strong Dutch challenge in a dramatic conclusion, with Ireland finishing third ahead of Britain.
Alexander Purnell, Spencer Turrin, Jack Hargreaves, and Alex Hill doubled Australia’s delight and broke Britain’s record of five consecutive wins in the event 20 minutes after the women’s four triumphs.
Both of these teams will be trying to reestablish their world dominance.
Where will the World Rowing Championships being held in 2022?
The event will take place at the Racice Labe Arena, which is located 45 minutes from the Czech city of Prague.
Schedule for the Racice 2022 World Rowing Championships
- Sunday 18 September (All times local – UTC+1)
Heats
09:30 – 10:19 M1x
10:26 – 10:54 W1x
11:01 – 11:29 LM1x
11:45 – 12:13 LW1x
12:20 – 12:48 LM2x
12:55 – 13:16 M2-
13:23 – 13:51 M2x
- Monday 19 September
Heats
09:30 – 09:50 PR2 M1x
10:00 – PR3 M2-
10:06 – 10:12 PR3 Mix2x
10:18 – 10:30 W2-
10:36 – 10:42 LM2-
10:48 – 11:06 LW2x
11:20 – 11:38 W2x
11:44 – 11:50 LM4x
11:56 – 12:02 PR3 Mix4+
12:08 – 12:20 W4-
12:26 – 12:44 M4-
12:50 – 13:02 W4x
13:08 – 13:20 M4x
Reps
15:30 – 15:51 M1x
15:58 W1x
16:05 – 16:12 LM1x
16:19 – 16:26 M2-
16:33 – 16:40 LM2x
16:47 – M2x
- Tuesday 20 September
Heats
09:30 – 09:50 PR1 M1x
10:00 – 10:10 PR1 W1x
10:20 – 10:30 PR2 Mix2x
10:40 – PR3 W2-
10:47 – LW2-
Reps
11:00 LW1x
11:07 W2-
11:14 – 11:21 M4-
11:28 W4-
11:35 W4x
11:42 – 11:56 M4x
11:56 – 12:17 LW2x
12:24 – PR3 Mix4+
Heats
12:31 – 12:38 M8+
12:45 – W8+
- Wednesday 21 September
Reps
09:30 – 09:40 PR1 W1x
09:40 – 09:50 PR1 M1x
10:00 – PR2 M1x
10:10 – PR3 Mix2x
10:17 – LM2-
Quarter-Finals
10:24 – 10:45 M1x
10:52 – 11:13 W1x
11:30 – 12:19 LW1x
12:26 – 12:47 LM2x
12:54 – 13:15 M2x
13:22 – 13:29 W2x
Semi-finals E/F/G
15:30 – 15:44 M1x
Finals
15:51 LM1x
15:58 LM2x
- Thursday 22 September
Reps
09:30 PR2 Mix2x
Semi-finals A/B
09:40 – 09:50 LW1X
10:00 – 10:10 LM1X
10:20 – 10:30 W2-
10:40 – 10:50 M2-
11:00 – 11:10 LW2x
11:20 – 11:30 LM2x
11:45 – 11:55 W4-
12:05 – 12:15 M4-
12:25 – 12:35 W4x
12:45 – 12:55 M4x
Semi-finals C/D
15:00 – 15:15 LM1x
15:20 – 15:25 M1x
15:30 – 15:35 W1x
15:40 – 15:45 LM2x
15:50 – 15:55 LW2x
16:00 – 16:05 M2-
16:10 – 16:15 M2x
16:20 – 16:25 W2x
16:30 – 16:35 M4-
Finals G
16:40 M1x
Finals F
16:45 M1x
Finals E
M1x
- Friday 23 September
Finals D
10:00 LM1x
10:05 LW1x
Finals C
10:10 LM1x
10:15 LW1x
Finals B
10:23 PR3 Mix2x
10:29 LM2-
10:35 LM1x
10:41 LW1x
Semi-finals A/B
10:56 – 11:06 PR1M1x
11:16 – 11:26 M1x
11:36 – 11:46 W1x
11:56 – 12:06 M2x
12:16 – 12:26 W2x
Reps
12:36 – 12:45 M8+
Finals A
13:05 PR2 M1x
13:18 PR2 W1x
13:38 PR3 M2-
13:55 PR3 W2-
14:12 PR3 Mix 2x
14:28 LM2-
14:45 LW2-
15:02 LM1x
15:19 LW1x
15:36 LM4x
15:50 LW4x
- Saturday 24 September
Finals D
10:00 M2-
10:06 LW2x
10:12 LM2x
10:18 M4-
Finals C
10:24 W2-
10:32 M2-
10:40 LW2x
10:48 LM2x
10:56 M4-
11:04 W4x
11:12 M4x
Finals B
11:30 PR2 Mix2x
11:40 PR3 Mix4+
11:48 W2-
11:56 M2-
12:04 LW2x
12:20 W4-
12:28 M4-
12:36 W4x
12:44 M4x
Finals A
13:05 PR2 Mix2x
13:18 PR3 Mix 4+
13:34 W2-
13:51 M2-
14:07 LW2x
14:23 LM2x
14:39 W4-
14:54 M4-
15:10 W4x
15:26 M4x
- Sunday 25 September
Finals D
10:30 M1x
10:38 W1x
10:46 M2x
10:54 W2x
Finals C
11:04 PR1 M1x
11:16 M1x
11:24 W1x
11:32 M2x
11:40 W2x
Finals B
11:52 PR1 M1x
12:04 PR1 W1x
12:12 M1x
12:20 W1x
12:28 M2x
12:36 W2x
12:44 M8+
Finals A
13:05 PR1 M1x
13:20 PR1 W1x
13:39 M2x
13:54 W2x
14:10 M8+
14:25 W1x
14:44 M1x
14:59 W8+
