POZNAN – The Polish city of Poznan is ready to host the 14th World University Rowing Championship 2016! Almost all participants of the WUC Rowing 2016 have arrived. So far, some 300 participants are already accommodated in the dormitories of Poznan’s University of Technology.
Wednesday, 31st August, was the first day of accreditation for athletes and coaches. Teams were given welcome packages with gadgets of the event. Moreover, the first official training for the WUC Rowing 2016 contestants took place yesterday. It was an excellent opportunity for rowers to get to know the conditions on the regatta course. Athletes seemed to be very excited about the upcoming competition at the Malta Lake.
Poznan is hosting the best university rowers already for the 3rd time, after organising the event in 1992 and 2000.
The previous edition of the WUC Rowing was organised 2 years ago in the French city of Gravelines. That competition was very much dominated by Team Great Britain, amassing eight medals including four gold. The Polish team managed to return home from France with four golds, one silver and one bronze. Some rowers from 2014 will return defending their title: French Augustin Mauterde in lightweight quadruple, the Polish rowers Monika Kowalska and Martyna Mikołajczak in lightweight double, Dawid Grabowski in men’s double sculls, and Robert Fuchs, Damian Rosolski, Matuesz Wilangowski in men’s quadruple. Kowalska, Mikołajczyk and Grabowski come to Poznan also with silver medals from last year’s Summer Universiade in Gwangju. Malta Lake will also host Universiade Champion Jerzy Kowalski, who claimed victory in the lightweight men’s single.
The city of Poznan is no stranger to hosting FISU events, having last held the 2016 FISU World University Rowing Championships on the Malta Regatta course, with Polish athletes leading the way with nine medals
Strong Competition ahead!
Fourteen Rio de Janeiro Olympians will be present in Poznan as well, including seven Polish participants: Martyna Mikołajczak, Anna Wierzbowska, Maria Wierzbowska, Robert Fuchs, Michał Szpakowski, Mateusz Wilangowski and Mirosław Ziętarski.
Moreover, medallists from last month’s World Rowing Championships for Seniors, U23 and Juniors in Rotterdam will also face the challenge and come to Poznan to be contenders for the medals. Among others, noteworthy, World Champions: French Augustin Mouterde and Alexis Guerinot in lightweight men’s quadruple and Germans Johannes Ursprung and Cedrc Kulbach in lightweight double men’s sculls, who this time will compete in lightweight quadruple men’s double. Rotterdam was a successful event for French rower François Teroin and Germans Katrin Thoa and Charlotte Reinhardt who also aspire to podium in Poznan.
The official Opening Ceremony of the Championship is planned for today, Thursday, 1st September 2016. The event will take place at the Great Hall of the ‘Zamek’ Cultural Centre in Poznan. A special splendour to the Ceremony will be added by Natalia Madaj, Gold Medallist from Rio de Janeiro who will be honoured to raise the Polish flag.
Rio de Janeiro Olympians participating at the 14th WUC Rowing Championship in Poznan
Lenka Antosova (CZE) – Women’s Double Sculls
Jakub Podrazil (CZE) – Men’s Pair
Lukas Helesic (CZE) – Men’s Pair
Stephan Krueger (GER) – Men’s Double Sculls
Mirosław Ziętarski (POL) – Men’s Eight
Mateusz Wilangowski (POL) – Men’s Four
Michał Szpakowski (POL) – Men’s Four
Martyna Mikołajczak (POL) – Lightweight Women’s Double Sculls
Robert Fuchs (POL) – Men’s Four
Maria Wierzbowska (POL) – Women’s Pair
Anna Wierzbowska (POL) – Women’s Pair
Jack Robert Alexander Beaumont (GBR) – Men’s Single Sculls
Valentina Rodini (ITA) – Lightweight Women’s Double Sculls
Winners of the 13th WUC Rowing in 2014 present in Poznan
Lightweight Women’s Single Sculls – Emily Craig (GBR)
Lightweight Men’s Single Sculls – Konstantin Steinhubel (GER)
Lightweight Women’s Double Sculls – Monika Kowalska, Martyna Mikołajczak (POL)
Lightweight Men’s Double Sculls – Zak Lee-Green, Hugh Gallie (GBR)
Women’s Single Sculls – Marie-Catherine Arnold (GER)
Men’s Single Sculls – Bendeguz Petervari-Molnar (HUN)
Women’s Double Sculls – Maria Springwald, Agnieszka Kobus (POL)
Men’s Double Sculls – Mirosław Ziętarski, Dawid Grabowski (POL)
Women’s Four – Pippa Whittaker, Michelle Vezie, Karen Bennett, Trebecca Chin (GBR)
Men’s Four – Damian Rosolski, Robert Fuchs, Karol Leszczyński, Mateusz Wilangowski (POL)
Men’s Pairs – Adrian Juhasz, Bela Simon (HUN)
Lightweight Men’s four – Clement Fonta, Vincent Cavard, Augustin Mouterde, Thibault Colard (FRA)
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