Event
2023 World Rowing Cup I
A Sinkovic half-century, on home water
Words: Tom Ransley
PHOTOGRAPHY BENEDICT TUFNELL
Yes, the entries were low – 115 crews from 27 countries compared to Belgrade’s 208 from 36, at last year’s season opener – and, yes, World Rowing’s top brass are probably scratching their heads as to whether to scratch the World Cup Series (or more likely adapt the structure in the not-too-distant future). Regardless, the Croatian crowds cared not a jot because Zagreb hosted a joyous event! Even tennis superstar, Marin Čilić, came to watch – there was love all around Lake Jarun.
The Sinkovic brothers won their 50th international medal and cemented their legendary status within the sport. Winning number 50 on home water (perhaps) provided a silver, or more aptly, a gold lining to their fourth-place finish at Racice in 2022. But beyond the brotherly medal factory there were many cracking races, including six photo finishes, and history-making performances from the likes of Spain, Chile, Thailand, India and Iraq.
Switzerland swaggered home as the top performing nation. They won a medal in every event in which they entered, except for the women’s quad. Their impressive haul of five gold, two silver, and two bronze medals easily topped the medal table, and they bagged 57 points, making them the overall World Cup leaders, with Spain in second place (45 points) and Czechia (27) in third.
Spanish strength was found via a mini armada of small boat successes. Virginia Diaz Rivas became Spain’s first ever women’s single sculls World Rowing Cup gold medallist and her Tokyo 2020 teammate, Aina Cid, topped the podium in a new pair combination. Spain took silver behind Chile’s historic gold in the women’s four (a first World Cup win for Chilean women’s rowing). And the Spanish men claimed a bronze in the lightweight double and silver medals in the openweight double and pair.
Despite an ongoing war at home, Ukraine’s five crews produced three podium performances – agold in the women’s quad, a silver in the men’s quad and a bronze in the men’s four – tallying 25 World Rowing Cup points. The Ukrainian gold in the women’s quad was the first since 2012, a nod to their former dominance in this event.
Czechia also has pedigree in the quads. Their men’s quad gold medal was another throwback, their first since 2006. “We didn’t expect to win, and it feels amazing,” an emotional Marek Diblik told World Rowing after the race. “We were sick for most of the winter... it wasn’t perfect, but it happens. We managed to overcome it.”