From 19–27 July 2025, the Lake Malta regatta course in central Poznań welcomed the 2025 World Rowing Under 23 Championships. Recognised as one of the most modern rowing venues globally, Lake Malta has hosted numerous major international water sport events over the past two decades, including World Rowing Cups (2016, 2017, 2019, 2022, 2024), European Rowing Championships (2007, 2015, 2020), and the World Rowing Championships in 2009.
Poznań, located in west-central Poland along the Warta River, is the country’s fifth-largest city and one of its oldest, steeped in history and culture.
The World Rowing Development Programme aims to increase Member Federations’ participation in major international competitions by actively supporting their involvement. Thanks to the generous support of the Organising Committee, this year’s programme welcomed eleven rowing nations: Somalia, Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, Zimbabwe, Indonesia, Paraguay, Uruguay, Moldova, Portugal, and the Ukrainian Para team.
In total, 47 participants—including athletes and coaches—took part, fielding 21 crews across the Championships.
The programme was led by World Rowing coaches Nebojša Ilić and Chrissa Biskitzi, joined by two emerging local coaches from Poznań: Adrianna Mermela and Radek Kmiecik. Their inclusion reflects World Rowing’s commitment to building a lasting legacy in host countries by offering educational and qualification pathways for young coaches. All coaching efforts were guided by Gianni Postiglione, World Rowing’s Head of Coaching, who oversees high-performance support and leads the technical delivery of development initiatives at World Championships.
Technical sessions were held with athletes and coaches to introduce the new progression system and emphasise a holistic approach to performance, highlighting the importance of planning, training, and monitoring as essential components for long term and sustained improvement.
The consistency and impact of the programme were evident in the results, with several crews reaching Final A:
- Diogo Gonçalves (BM1x, Portugal) secured 3rd place and a bronze medal.
- Nicole Martinez (BW1x, Paraguay) ranked 4th.
- Tomás Neves & Pedro Rodrigues (BM2x, Portugal) ranked 4th.
- Done Erasmus (BLW1x, Zimbabwe) achieved a personal best and placed 6th.
The Ukrainian Para Rowing Team, a consistent participant since 2022, delivered outstanding performances:
- 🥇 Dariia Kotyk (BPR3 W1x) claimed gold, while.
- 🥈 Ivan Kupriichuk (BPR3 M1x) won silver.
These results reflect the programme’s core mission: to create excellence pathways that enhance coaching quality and crew competitiveness, helping bridge the performance gap between emerging federations and rowing’s traditional powerhouses.
The programme concluded with a 2km ergometer test, conducted one day after the final race for participating athletes—excluding those who reached Final A. This standardised test offers valuable insights into athletes’ training status year-on-year. While the test was recommended, participation remained entirely voluntary, with each team deciding whether to take part. Athlete health, safety, and wellbeing were prioritised throughout.
The success of the programme would not have been possible without the unwavering support of the Organising Committees, whose partnership remains vital to the continuity and sustainability of this solidarity initiative. Their commitment ensures that the Development Programme continues to empower athletes and coaches from across the globe.