Join Concept2 CTS at the World Rowing Championships

Concept2 CTS will be on site at the World Rowing Championships in Sarasota-Bradenton, Florida, September 23–October 1. The Concept2 CTS trailer will be located in the athlete area where the CTS regatta service team will be available for competitors who need oar repairs and service. There will also be a CTS booth in the spectator area, where people will be able to try out the new BikeErg, as well as Concept2 indoor rowers and SkiErg, when not watching the competition.

The World Championships is an exciting regatta—it’s Olympic-caliber racing in a non-Olympic year. This is the first time in 23 years that the World Championships will be held in the USA!

Here are some of the athletes and events we’ll be watching. (World Rowing provides a helpful explanation of boat classes.):

• W1x: Jeannine Gmelin (Switzerland) won in World Cup III but Magdalena Lobnig (Austria) and Carling Zeeman (Canada) will be in hot pursuit of the World Champion title. Felice Mueller (USA), a sweep athlete at the 2016 Rio Olympics, has recently transitioned to rowing in the single and made the finals at World Cup III, so she will also be exciting to watch.
• M1x: With a new world’s best time set at World Cup II, Robbie Manson (New Zealand) is the favorite in this category. Second place finisher at World Cup III, Angel Fournier Rodriguez (Cuba), and Damir Martin (Croatia), Silver Medalist at the Rio Olympics, are likely to be tough competition in this race.
• LW1x: Mary Jones (USA) narrowly missed (by .04 seconds!) the medals at World Cup III. She'll be fighting hard for a medal.
• LW2x: Zoe McBride and Jackie Kiddle (New Zealand) (Gold, World Cup III) are likely favorites but European champions, Weronika Deresz and Martyna Mikolajczak (Poland) will provide some healthy competition.
• LM2x: Pierre Houin and Jeremie Azou (France) (Gold, Rio Olympics).
• W2x: Olivia Low and Brooke Donoghue (New Zealand) (Gold, World Cup III) should be the crew to watch, but France and Australia will also be in the mix. Keep an eye on the USA Women's Double (Ellen Tomek and Meghan O'Leary) who were finalists at World Cup III.
• M2x: John Storey and Christopher Harris (New Zealand) (Gold, World Cup III). Ben Davison and John Graves (USA) have recently put a double together after racing in different boats earlier in the season, and they're already showing good speed.
• W2-: Grace Pendergast and Kerri Gowler (New Zealand) (Gold, World Cup III) will be followed closely by Megan Kalmoe and Tracy Eisser (USA) (Silver, World Cup III).
• M2-: We’ll be watching James Hunter and Thomas Murray (New Zealand). The Sinkovic brothers (Croatia) changed boat classes from the Double (Gold, Rio Olympics) to the Pair (Silver, World Cup III) this season, creating intense competition.
• W4x: The Netherlands (Silver, Rio Olympics) will be in hot pursuit of Poland (Gold, World Cup III)
• M4x: Lithuania (Gold, World Cup III) is favorited, but with strong crews from Great Britain, Poland and New Zealand, this is likely to be an exciting race to watch.
• W8+: If history repeats itself, USA (Gold, Rio Olympics) will take Gold. But New Zealand, Romania and Great Britain will hopefully give them some competition.
• M8+: So many crews, it’s hard to say! Germany (Gold, World Cup III), Australia (Silver, World Cup III), and the Netherlands (Bronze, World Cup III) all have strong crews but Romania, Netherlands and Great Britain all have a chance at medals.
• W4-: Australia (Gold, World Cup III).

Paralympic Boats

In 2017, para-rowing's race course distance increased from 1k to 2k. New American faces to cheer on:

• Women's Arms and Shoulders Single (PR1): Hallie Smith (USA)
• Mixed Para Legs, Trunk and Arms Double (PR2): Isaac French and Laura Goodkind (USA)