World Rowing Cup returning to Croatia  

Croatian rowing team (Photo credit: Darko Zibar)

Zagreb host the World Rowing Cup from 5-7 May

Croatia will soon become the international centre of rowing again. The world’s rowing elite will gather in Zagreb, where the Rowing World Cup will be held on Lake Jarun from May 5 to 7. It is an annual series of three regattas that are a sort of prelude to the World Rowing Championship, and are held over three days with an accelerated progression system from qualifications to the finals.

Croatian rowers have an exciting competitive year ahead of them. At each regatta, their form for the World Championship will be timed, where everyone will be looking for their “ticket” to the Olympic Games in Paris in 2024. The first stop on the way is the World Rowing Cup, which will be held in the country of rich rowing tradition – Croatia.

Croatian rowing team (Photo credit: Darko Zibar)

“We are proud and happy that the World Rowing Cup will be held for the second time in Zagreb, on Lake Jarun, this time with the presence of fans. Since the race will be broadcast all over the world on live TV, it is certainly an excellent promotion of Croatia before the very beginning of the tourist season. I am convinced that our rowing teams, as always, will fill our hearts with pride and light up our faces in front of the whole world,” said the president of the Croatian Rowing Association, Branimir Bašić.

On Zagreb’s Lake Jarun, the world’s most famous crews will gather, led by Olympic, world and European champions, brothers Martin and Valent Sinković in the pairs and Damir Martin in singles. 

Martin and Valent Sinković (Photo credit: Darko Zibar)

Sisters Ivana and Josipa Jurković, who are well on their way to becoming the first women’s rowing crew to qualify for the Olympics, and Anton and Patrik Lončarić in the duo without a coxswain will certainly perform for Croatia. 

Ivana and Josipa Jurković (Photo credit: Darko Zibar)

All of them are eagerly awaiting the arrival of their world competitors because, unlike in 2021, spectators will also be able to attend the competition. As a reminder, the World Rowing Cup was held in Croatia for the first time in history in 2021, but due to the pandemic, spectators were not allowed to attend. Entry to Lake Jarun will be free.

Anton and Patrik Lončarić (Photo credit: Darko Zibar)

“I’m looking forward to the race on the Jarun, it’s always nice to row at home, and it’s even nicer when you have fans on your side, which was not the case in 2021 due to the pandemic. This regatta is important because we are in the qualifying year for the Olympic Games, and I believe that my colleagues from the national team and I will present ourselves in the best light, just like in September in Belgrade where, as part of the World Championship, the qualifications for Olympic Games”, said celebrated Croatian Olympian, Damir Martin.

Damir Martin (Photo credit: Darko Zibar)

The World Rowing Cup is the biggest rowing competition after the World Championship, and around 1,000 of the world’s best rowers are expected to take part. Pictures of the city of Zagreb, the very heart of Europe, will go to 50 countries, and viewers will have the opportunity to enjoy the rowing spectacle on live TV.