World Rowing Indoor Championships
| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Sport | Indoor rowing |
| Established | 2018 |
| Administrator | World Rowing |
The World Rowing Indoor Championships is an indoor rowing championship competition organised by World Rowing. The competition has been held annually since 2018. There have been championships organized in venues and with virtual formats.
The first edition in Alexandria in the USA saw 2,527 participants from 23 countries competing, including Para rowers.[1]
The 2023 competition in Toronto, Canada was the first time a hybrid (virtual and in-person) competition was available to athletes.[2] It was also the first time the Versa Challenge provided qualified athletes the opportunity to compete for the title of the most fit 'versatile' indoor rower in the world.[2][3] Athletes competed in four surprise versa challenges over two days.[4] Finland's Joel Naukkarinen and America's Elizabeth Gilmore[5] earned the most points in the Men's and Women's Versa Challenge in February 2023.[4]
Venues
| Year | Location |
|---|---|
| 2018 |  Alexandria
|
| 2019 | Long Beach
|
| 2020 |  Paris
|
| 2021 | Virtual |
| 2022 | Virtual |
| 2023 | .svg.png){kind=small} Toronto
|
| 2024 |  Prague
|
| 2025 | Virtual[6] |
Medallists
Men
2,000 m
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | Third |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Jakub Podrazil (CZE)
|
 Joel Naukkarinen (FIN)
|
Thomas Phifer (USA)
|
| 2019 |  Oliver Zeidler (GER)
|
Arne Landboe (USA)
|
Alexander Richards (USA)
|
| 2020 |  Alexander Vyazovkin (RUS)
|
.svg.png){kind=small} Barnabe Delarze (SUI)
|
Matthieu Androdias (FRA)
|
| 2021 | .svg.png){kind=small} Ward Lemmelijn (BEL)
|
 Bartosz Zablocki (POL)
|
 Chirill Visit Chi-Sestakov (MDA)
|
| 2022 | Ward Lemmelijn (BEL)
|
Alexander Vyazovkin (RUS)
|
Joel Naukkarinen (FIN)
|
| 2023 | Oliver Zeidler (GER)
|
Ward Lemmelijn (BEL)
|
Jakub Podrazil (CZE)
|
| 2024 | Ward Lemmelijn (BEL)
|
Michal Szpakowski (POL)
|
Jakub Podrazil (CZE)
|
| 2025 | Ward Lemmelijn (BEL)
|
Jakub Podrazil (CZE)
|
Joel Naukkarinen (FIN)
|
Lightweight 2,000 m
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | Third |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Artur Mikołajczewski (POL)
|
 Matthias Taborsky (AUT)
|
 Alistair Bond (NZL)
|
| 2019 | Jason Osborne (GER)
|
 Martino Goretti (ITA)
|
Alex Twist (USA)
|
| 2020 | Pierre Houin (FRA)
|
Thibault Colard (FRA)
|
Martino Goretti (ITA)
|
| 2021 | Florian Roller (GER)
|
Martino Goretti (ITA)
|
 Boudina Sid Ali (ALG)
|
| 2022 | Florian Roller (GER)
|
Boudina Sid Ali (ALG)
|
 Ahmet Rapi (SWE)
|
| 2023 | Jiri Simanek (CZE)
|
Florian Roller (GER)
|
Moritz Marchart (GER)
|
| 2024 | Florian Roller (GER)
|
Jiri Simanek (CZE)
|
Jerzy Kowalski (POL)
|
| 2025 | .svg.png){kind=small} Afonso Duarte Costa (POR)
|
Joao Santos (POR)
|
 Álvaro Alvedro (ESP)
|
500 m
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | Third |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 |  Phil Clapp (GBR)
|
Joel Naukkarinen (FIN)
|
Vincent Matz (FRA)
|
| 2021 | Phil Clapp (GBR)
|
 Anton Bondarenko (UKR)
|
Joel Naukkarinen (FIN)
|
| 2022 | Phil Clapp (GBR)
|
Cameron Wharram (CAN)
|
 Anton Grassi (SVK)
|
| 2023 | Phil Clapp (GBR)
|
Cameron Wharram (CAN)
|
Matt Snare (USA)
|
| 2024 | Joonas Kuivalainen (FIN)
|
Thomas Wilson (GBR)
|
Chris Scott (GBR)
|
| 2025 | Joonas Kuivalainen (FIN)
|
Matt Snare (USA)
|
 Spyridon Kalentzis (GRE)
|
Lightweight 500 m
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | Third |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Adrien Decriem (FRA)
|
Michal Zawadzki (POL)
| |
| 2021 | Benjamin Smith (AUT)
|
Martino Goretti (ITA)
|
.svg.png){kind=small} William Legge (AUS)
|
| 2022 |  Mohamed Kota (EGY)
|
 Chen Sensen (CHN)
|
Daniel Satch (GBR)
|
| 2023 | Giovanni Ficarra (ITA)
|
José Daniel Martínez López (ESP)
|
Mohamed Kota (EGY)
|
| 2024 | Mohamed Kota (EGY)
|
Francisco Pizana Iniesta (ESP)
|
Ahmed Meshref (EGY)
|
| 2025 | Joonas Mäkipelto (FIN)
|
Adham Maghoub (EGY)
|
 Amirreza Ebdali (IRI)
|
1 hour
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | Third |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Benjamin Reuter (GBR)
|
Joel Naukkarinen (FIN)
|
Tom Solesbury (GBR)
|
Team
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | Third |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 (3 minutes) | Finland 1 (FIN)
|
Egyptian National Team (EGY)
|
UK Armed Forces (GBR)
|
| 2022 (3 minutes) | Finland (FIN) Egyptian Rowing Federation (EGY)
|
No Rowing For Old Men (GBR)
| |
| 2023 (2000m) | The International Men of Mystery | No Rowing For Old Men (GER)
|
Team FINLAND (FIN)
|
| 2024 (2000m) | The International Men of Mystery | Team FINLAND (FIN)
|
Czech Team (CZE)
|
| 2025 (2000m) | Team FINLAND (FIN)
|
NewWave Crossfit (GBR)
|
Gym Mettle (USA)
|
Team Relay 5000m
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | Third |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Team FINLAND (FIN)
|
NewWave Crossfit (GBR)
|
Titans of Piraeus (GRE)
|
Women
2,000 m
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | Third |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Olena Buryak (UKR)
|
Luisa Neerschulte (GER)
|
Rui Ju (CHN)
|
| 2019 | Olena Buryak (UKR)
|
Brooke Mooney (USA)
|
Tracy Eisser (USA)
|
| 2020 | Olena Buryak (UKR)
|
Helene Lefebvre (FRA)
|
Elodie Ravera (FRA)
|
| 2021 | Kirsten Kline (USA)
|
 Sophie Souwer (NED)
|
Marilou Duvernay Tardif (CAN)
|
| 2022 | Zhang Peixin (CHN)
|
Lv Yang (CHN)
|
Olena Buryak (UKR)
|
| 2023 | Olena Buryak (UKR)
|
Kasia Gruchalla-Wesierski (CAN)
|
Sydney Payne (CAN)
|
| 2024 | Pavlina Flamikova (CZE)
|
Anna Santruckova (CZE)
|
Kathryn Mole (GBR)
|
| 2025 | Elizabeth Gilmore (USA)
|
Louise Lefebvre (FRA)
|
María Ángeles Macian (ESP)
|
Lightweight 2,000 m
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | Third |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Christine Cavallo (USA)
|
Emily Schmieg (USA)
|
Kathryn Schiro (USA)
|
| 2019 | Justine Reston (GBR)
|
Katelin Guregian (USA)
|
Toni Harding (USA)
|
| 2020 | Laura Tarantola (FRA)
|
Marie Margot Joannes (FRA)
|
Jilly Tovey (GBR)
|
| 2021 | Paula Pankratiew (POL)
|
 Olga Svirska (LAT)
|
 Krimi Khadija (TUN)
|
| 2022 | Min Yang (CHN)
|
Jiaqi Zou (CHN)
|
Lai Weijuan (CHN)
|
| 2023 | Krimi Khadija (TUN)
|
Silke Tamborijn (BEL)
|
Elisa Arcara (ITA)
|
| 2024 | Bruna Parente (POR)
|
Barbora Podrazilova (CZE)
|
 Zoe Dickson (DEN)
|
| 2025 | Martyna Radosz (POL)
|
Bruna Parente (POR)
|
Nourelhoda Arafa (EGY)
|
500 m
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | Third |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Olena Buryak (UKR)
|
Lucie Giraud (FRA)
|
Rhian Rudkin (GBR)
|
| 2021 | Ana do Carmo Caldas (POR)
|
Joanne Clapp (GBR)
|
Bianca Piloseno (USA)
|
| 2022 | Bianca Piloseno (USA)
|
Olena Buryak (UKR)
|
Jade Lally (GBR)
|
| 2023 | Olena Buryak (UKR)
|
Sonja Pentola (FIN)
|
 Clara Hogan (IRL)
|
| 2024 | Iida Niemi (FIN)
|
Sarah Maria Johansen (DEN)
|
Emma Simpson (GBR)
|
| 2025 | Stefanie Preiksa (AUS)
|
Ella Fox (USA)
|
Kees Karpatskij (FIN)
|
Lightweight 500 m
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | Third |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Jilly Tovey (GBR)
|
Laura Barrigan (GBR)
|
Selma Dhaouadi (FRA)
|
| 2021 | Anna Hughes-Davies (GBR)
|
Krimi Khadija (TUN)
|
Rouba Amina (ALG)
|
| 2022 | Jiaqi Zou (CHN)
|
Tan Jinlian (CHN)
|
Nourelhoda Arafa (EGY)
|
| 2023 | Krimi Khadija (TUN)
|
Sarita Kristina Hansen (DEN)
|
Laura Barrigan (GBR)
|
| 2024 | Sarita Kristina Hansen (DEN)
|
Laura Allen (GBR)
|
Nourelhoda Arafa (EGY)
|
| 2025 | Meriam Mamieliekova (UKR)
|
Sarita Kristina Hansen (DEN)
|
Nourelhoda Arafa (EGY)
|
1 hour
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | Third |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Margit Haahr Hansen (DEN)
|
Ghada Ibrahim (EGY)
|
Larysa Zhalinska (UKR)
|
Team
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | Third |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 (3 minutes) | Egyptian National Team (EGY)
|
Finland (FIN)
|
Danish Masters Team (DEN)
|
| 2022 (3 minutes) | Finland (FIN)
|
British Army (GBR)
|
Mannheim-Karlsruhe (GER)
|
| 2023 (2000m) | Team FINLAND (FIN)
|
Nordisch by Nature (GER)
|
Team Live2Row (USA)
|
| 2024 (2000m) | Team FINLAND (FIN)
|
Sexy Erg Screens | Impeccable Transitions |
| 2025 | Team FINLAND (FIN)
|
Impeccable Transitions | Swift Strokes 2.0 |
Team relay 5000m
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | Third |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 (2000m) | Team FINLAND (FIN)
|
Golden Horseshoe Rowing (CAN)
|
Rowers' Relay: Forward to Victory (UKR)
|
Mixed
2,000 m team relay
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | Third |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Finland 1 (FIN)
|
Egyptian National Team (EGY)
|
Concept Fitness |
| 2022 | Egyptian National Team (EGY)
|
Finland (FIN)
|
British Army (GBR)
|
| 2023 | Team FINLAND (FIN)
|
Freespeed |  KSA Team Mix (KSA)
|
| 2024 | Team FINLAND (FIN)
|
Freespeed | Dream Team 2024 |
References
- ^ "Thousands take part in first Rowing Indoor World Championships". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 2026-01-23.
- ^ a b "2023 World Rowing Indoor Championships – Row The North". Retrieved 2023-03-23.
- ^ "World Rowing - Introducing: The World Rowing Versa Challenge". World Rowing. Retrieved 2023-03-23.
- ^ a b "World Rowing - 2023 World Rowing Indoor Championships". World Rowing. Archived from the original on 2021-04-07. Retrieved 2023-03-23.
- ^ "World Rowing - March 2023: Elizabeth Gilmore". World Rowing. Retrieved 2026-01-10.
- ^ "British athletes shine at the 2025 World Rowing Indoor Championships". British Rowing. 2025-02-25. Retrieved 2026-01-10.