2025 World Championships - Shanghai, China
These Championships were held later than normal on 21st to 28th September 2025. Images from this regatta from Ben Tufnell are available on the Australian Rowing Images website.
Of note at these Championships were the introduction of mixed doubles and mixed eights on the last day. These events had both heats and finals on the same day and were a success. The Championships extended over 8 days with plenty of time for rescheduling should adverse weather conditions arise. Only one change of schedule was required during these eight days. The racing produced many highlights. The World Rowing website summed up the last day as follows: The 2025 World Rowing Championships ended on a high, with two of the best single sculls finals in years, a world best time in the PR3 mixed double sculls, and the thrilling introduction of the mixed double sculls and mixed eights. The eights racing on the previous day was equally compelling. The eights races have become a sprint but never more so than in 2025. The tenacity of the crews, the high ratings, the tall and strong nature of the rowers in the boats and the brave tactics, all combined to make sensational racing.
The Australian team selection process came to its first conclusion with the selection of the World Cup teams at trials in April 2025 at SIRC. The World Cup racing included an Australia A team and so many combinations were tested during the two regattas, and with good success. Some crews went onto Henley Royal Regatta, with the highlight being the Grand Challenge Cup win with a combination consisting of members from the pair, four and eight from the World Cups. Images from 2025 Henley Royal Regatta can be found on the Australian Rowing Images website through this link. The Para rowers, including Susannah Lutze and Macintyre Russell also competed at Paris Para Regatta before the World Cups. World Cup details are list at the foot of this column
Upon return from Europe, the final World Championships combinations were settled. The team featured 40 athletes across 11 boats with a mix of seasoned campaigners and an impressive 29 debutants ready to take on the world stage. Rowing Australia Performance Director Paul Thompson MBE said this post-Olympic and Paralympic year presents a valuable opportunity for new talent to establish themselves internationally. “We will be having some of the Paris Olympians and Paralympians coming back and it’s a real opportunity for the youngsters and those 29 athletes to step up on the international stage, embrace it and see how fast they can go,” Thompson said.
The highlights for the team were the bronze medal of Eric Horrie in the PR1 scull and the PR3 mixed double of Lisa Greissl and Sam Stunnell. Our para team saved the day.
The PR1 scullers hamming it up for the photographers
Photo from Australian Rowing Images, photographer Ben Tufnell
The results for the Australian team were disappointing. Ignoring the non-Olympic/Paralympic event World Championships held in Olympic years, this was Australia's worst result since 1989. Rowing Australia will need the team to perform better in 2026.
Medal Standings
Follow this link for the medal standing for nations at this regatta. The medal standing includes all events whether Olympic/Paralympic or otherwise.
The Dutch headed the list with four gold medals but were equal third on total medal count. Great Britain were second on the gold medal count with three gold but on top on total medal count. The USA team returned to the leading nations group and Australia dropped to 20th on the gold medal count and equal 10th on the total medal count.
Daily Results Summaries
Medal presentation for the PR3 Mixed Double with bronze medalists Lisa Greissl and Sam Stunnell
Photo from Australian Rowing Images, photographer Ben Tufnell
2025 World Cup 1 Varese, Italy
Images from this regatta can be found on the Australian Rowing Images website though this link.
Results summaries
Australian team with placings
Men's PR3 1x - Erik Horrie - First
Mixed PR3 2x - Lisa Greisel and Sam Stunnell - Second
Men's Pair No 1 crew - Mitch Salisbury and Nicholas Smith - Eleventh
Men's Pair No 2 crew - Hamish Wynn-Pope and Charles Batrouney - Nineteenth
Men's Double Scull No 1 crew - Oscar McGuinness and Mitchell Reinhard - Sixth
Men's Double Scull No 2 crew - Jack Cleary and Harrison Fox - Tenth
Men's Four - Nikolas Pender, Fergus Hamilton, Austin Reinehr, Alexander Hill - First
Men's Quad - Alexander Rossi, Nicholas Blackman, Jackson Free, Johnson Daubney - Ninth
Men's Eight - Miller Eagle-Rowe, Darcy McCluskey, Lachlan Doust, Alexander Baroni, Harry Manton, Patrick Long, Jack Robertson, Alex Nichol, Cox: Nicholas Dunlop - Fifth
Women's Scull - Laura Gourley - withdrew after heat on medical grounds
Women's Pair No 1 crew - Emmie Frederico and Paige Barr - Sixth
Women's Pair No 2 crew - Taylor Caudle and Katherine Easton - Tenth
Women's Four No 1 crew - Jaime Ford, Eliza Gaffney, Georgina Rowe, Jacqueline Swick - Second
Women's Four No 2 crew - Georgie Gleeson, Ella Bramwell, Emily Sheppard, Eleanor Price - Tenth
Women's Eight - Emmie Frederico, Eliza Gaffney, Georgie Gleeson, Georgina Rowe, Jaime Ford, Ella Bramwell, Jacqueline Swick, Paige Barr, cox Hayley Verbunt - Third
Team Manager: Wayne Diplock
High Performance Manager: Paul Thompson MBE
Jury member: Duncan Mackinnon
World Cup 2 Lucerne, Switzerland
Images from this regatta can be found on the Australian Rowing Images website though this link.
Results summaries
Australian team with placings
Men's PR3 1x - Erik Horrie - First
Mixed PR3 2x - Lisa Greisel and Sam Stunnell - Second
Men's Pair No 1 crew - Mitch Salisbury and Nicholas Smith - Ninth
Men's Pair No 2 crew - Hamish Wynn-Pope and Charles Batrouney - Eleventh
Men's Double Scull No 1 crew - Oscar McGuinness and Mitchell Reinhard - Seventh
Men's Double Scull No 2 crew - Jack Cleary and Harrison Fox - Seventeenth
Men's Four - Nikolas Pender, Fergus Hamilton, Austin Reinehr, Alexander Hill - First
Men's Quad - Nicholas Blackman, Johnson Daubney, Jackson Free, Alexander Rossi - Fifth
Men's Eight - Alexander McLean, Alex Nichol, Jack Robertson, Marcus Emmett, Harry Manton, Angus Widdicombe, Angus Dawson, Patrick Long, Cox: Nicholas Dunlop - Fifth
Women's Scull - Laura Gourley -Seventeenth
Women's Pair - Jamie Ford and Paige Barr - Eighth
Women's Four - Emmie Frederico, Eliza Gaffney, Georgina Rowe, Jacqueline Swick - Second
Women's Eight - Georgie Gleeson, Laura Gourley, Taylor Caudle, Zara Collinson, Emily Sheppard, Ella Bramwell, Jaime Ford, Katherine Easton, cox Hayley Verbunt - Third
Team manager: Wayne Diplock
High performance manager: Paul Thompson MBE
Australian Team
Women's Scull - Eleventh
Romy Cantwell (VIC)
Cch: Jamie McDonald
Women's Pair - Eleventh
Bow: Taylor Caudle (NSW)
Str: Eleanor Price (NSW)
Cch: Xavier Dorfman
Women's Four - Seventh
Bow: Emmie Frederico (VIC)
2: Eliza Gaffney (VIC)
3: Georgina Rowe OLY (NSW)
Str: Jacqueline Swick OLY (WA)
Cch: James Harris
Women's Eight - Sixth
Bow: Georgie Gleeson (VIC)
2: Katherine Easton (VIC)
3: Zara Collisson (NSW)
4: Ella Bramwell (SA)
5: Jaime Ford (NSW)
6: Laura Gourley OLY (NSW)
7: Sophie Houston (NSW)
Str: Paige Barr OLY (VIC)
Cox: Hayley Verbunt OLY (VIC)
Cch: Xavier Dorfman
Men's PR3 Scull - Bronze
Erik Horrie OAM PLY (NSW)
Cch: James Loveday
PR3 Mixed Double Sculls - Bronze
Bow: Lisa Greissl (NSW)
Str: Sam Stunell (SA)
Cch: Christine McLaren
Men's Double Scull - Twelfth
Bow: Oscar McGuinness (SA)
Str: Mitchell Reinhard (SA)
Cch: Nicholas Mitchell
Men's Quad Scull - Twelfth
Bow: Nicholas Blackman (SA)
2: Johnson Daubney (WA)
3: Jackson Free (QLD)
Str: Alexander Rossi (WA)
Cch: David Fraumano
Men's Pair - Nineteenth
Bow: Fraser Miscamble (VIC)
Str: Nicholas Smith (VIC)
Cch: Nicholas Mitchell
Men's Four - Fifth
Bow: Nikolas Pender (NSW)
2: Fergus Hamilton OLY (VIC)
3: Austin Reinehr (VIC)
Str: Alexander Hill OLY OAM (SA)
Cch: Chris O'Brien
Men's Eight - Fourth
Bow: Mitch Salisbury (QLD)
2: Alexander McClean (NSW)
3: Jack Robertson OLY (VIC)
4: Marcus Emmett (VIC)
5: Harry Manton (VIC)
6: Alex Nichol (NSW)
7: Angus Dawson OLY (SA)
Str: Patrick Long (QLD)
Cox: Nicholas Dunlop (NSW)
Cch: Nicolo Maurogiovanni
Reserves
Men's Sweep - Charles Batrouney (VIC) and Lachlan Doust (NSW)
Men's Sculling - Marcus Della Marta (NSW)
Women's Sweep - Sarah Marriott (VIC) and Emily Sheppard (NSW)
Head coaches
Paul Thompson MBE (Performance Director)
Chris O'Brien (Men)
James Harris (Women)
James Loveday (Para)
Jürgen Grobler - consultant coach
Women's Eight
Photo from Australian Rowing Images - photographer Ben Tufnell
Team manager: Wayne Diplock
Jury member: Brett Ralph (SA)
Results—Men
Men's Lightweight Double Scull
Results—Women
Women's Lightweight Double Scull