The 2026 World Rowing Under 23 Championships (WRU23CH), held in Duisburg, Germany from 23 – –26 July, once again demonstrated that success at the highest level begins long before athletes arrive on the start line. Behind every race was a collective effort to ensure that talented athletes from emerging rowing nations had the opportunity to compete, learn and grow through the World Rowing Development Programme (WRDP).
This year, the programme supported 18 athletes and 9 coaches from 9 Member Federations across Africa, Asia and Europe, creating opportunities for promising rowers from emerging rowing nations to gain invaluable experience at one of the sport’s premier age-group championships. Alongside the participating teams, three World Rowing Development Experts and the World Rowing Development Manager were on site throughout the event, ensuring that technical guidance, logistical coordination and athlete support were available from arrival through to the final day of racing.
The WRDP is designed to remove barriers that often prevent talented athletes from reaching international competition. Through targeted support, World Rowing assisted selected Member Federations with accommodation, meals, local transport, coaching support and, where required, equipment assistance, enabling athletes and coaches to focus fully on their preparation and performance.
A key feature of the programme was the ongoing technical support provided throughout the championships. Working closely with the participating teams, the World Rowing Development Coaches monitored athlete preparation, reviewed training and testing data, and helped coaches refine race strategies to ensure athletes were as technically prepared as possible for world-level competition. This support forms part of World Rowing’s long-term commitment to strengthening coaching capacity and athlete development within emerging rowing nations.
The success of the programme also relied on strong partnerships. World Rowing extends its sincere appreciation to Filippi, whose continued support through its equipment partnership ensured that development athletes had access to quality racing equipment throughout the championships. By removing one of the biggest obstacles faced by many developing federations, this longstanding collaboration continues to make international participation possible for athletes who might otherwise be unable to compete.
Special acknowledgement is also extended to World Rowing Head of Coaching, Giovanni (Gianni) Postiglione, and the 3 Development Programme Coaches, whose oversight of the athletes’ technical requirements and performance played an important role in supporting their participation. Through application of the World Rowing Test Performance principles as a key component of the selection and preparation process, Member Federations are encouraged to build structured, evidence-based training programmes that support long-term athlete development.
hile medals remain the ambition of every athlete, the impact of the WRDP extends far beyond results, the athletes return home carrying new knowledge, confidence and experience. Each championship represents an opportunity for athletes to benchmark themselves against the world’s best, for coaches to gain valuable international experience, and for Member Federations to strengthen their high-performance systems. Through sustained investment, technical expertise and strong partnerships, World Rowing remains committed to ensuring that opportunity – not geography – defines an athlete’s pathway to the world stage.
Results: 2026 World Rowing Under 23 Championships https://worldrowing.com/event/2026-world-rowing-under-23-championships/?tab=results
Photo credits: A Mguni; C Biskitzi