The 2025 World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals is set to be an exhilarating spectacle, offering a unique twist on traditional rowing and a preview of what's to come at the Olympic Games LA 2028. But this event is more than just a warm-up; it's a thrilling race format that will leave you on the edge of your seat!
Antalya, Türkiye, will host this year's finals from November 6th to 9th, where the world's elite coastal rowers will battle it out on the sand and sea. Picture this: athletes sprinting down the beach, leaping into their boats, navigating buoys, and sprinting back to the shore in a heart-pounding, head-to-head race.
Here's where it gets even more exciting: this year's event will feature a record-breaking ten championship boat classes, including the highly anticipated Inclusion Mixed Double Sculls (INMix2x). This category is a testament to the sport's commitment to diversity and inclusivity, and it's sure to be a crowd favorite.
In the men's solo category, all eyes will be on Chris Bak, the reigning world champion from the USA, as he faces off against a formidable lineup that includes Olympic Champion Spencer Turrin of Australia, Finland's Joel Naukkarinen, New Zealand's rising star Finlay Hamill, and Great Britain's European champion James Cox. It's a battle of the rowing titans!
And in the women's solo, get ready for an intense showdown between New Zealand's Olympic medallist Emma Twigg and Austria's reigning World and European Beach Sprint Champion, Magdalena Lobnig. With the addition of Polish Olympian Martyna Radosz, Uzbekistan's Hanna Prakatsen, American Christine Cavallo, and Great Britain's Laura Mackenzie, the competition is fierce.
But the action doesn't stop there! The program also includes mixed quadruple sculls, under-19 men's and women's solo and double sculls, and the under-19 mixed double sculls. There's something for every rowing enthusiast.
Here's the full schedule (all times local UTC+3):
Thursday, November 6th:
- 09:00 Heats: JM1x, JW1x, JM2x, JMix2x
- 13:00 Heats: M1x, W1x, Mix4x, Mix2x
- 15:45 Repechage: JM2x, JW2x
Friday, November 7th:
- 08:30 Heats: JM1x, JW1x, M1x, W1x, JMix2x, Mix2x
- 11:50 Heat: INMix2x
- 13:30 Last 16: JM1x, JW1x, JMix2x
- 15:25 Last 8: JM2x, JW2x
Saturday, November 8th:
- 08:45 Repechage: INMix2x, Mix4x
- 09:40 Last 16: M1x, W1x, Mix2x
- 13:05 Last 8: JM1x, JW1x, JMix2x
- 16:00 Victory Ceremony: JM2x, JW2x, JM1x, JW1x, JMix2x
Sunday, November 9th:
- 09:05 Last 8: Mix4x, M1x, W1x, Mix2x, INMix2x
- 15:00 Victory Ceremony & Closing Ceremony
You can catch all the live action on the Olympic Channel via Olympics.com, with live streaming also available on worldrowing.com on Saturday and Sunday. Don't miss this extraordinary event that combines the beauty of coastal scenery with the adrenaline-pumping excitement of beach sprint rowing!
And this is the part most people miss: beach sprint rowing is not just a sport; it's a celebration of human determination, precision, and the indomitable spirit of competition. So, will you be tuning in to witness history in the making? Share your thoughts and predictions in the comments below!
