2023 World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals: U.S. Boat-by-Boat Preview

After winning five medals at the 2022 World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals in Wales, the U.S. will be sending boats in nine categories to the 2023 World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals September 29-October 1 in Barletta, Italy.

The U.S. will have boats racing in the men's solo, women's solo, junior men's solo, junior women's solo, junior men's double sculls, junior women's double sculls, mixed double sculls, junior mixed double sculls, and mixed quadruple sculls with coxswain events.

Seven members of last year's squad return including Christopher Bak, who won gold in the men's solo event and bronze in the mixed quadruple sculls event, in Saundersfoot, United Kingdom. The U.S. also won silver in the junior men's double sculls and bronze in the junior women's double sculls and junior men's solo events.

Annalie Duncomb and Annelise Hahl return in the junior women's double, while Malachi Anderson, who won silver in the junior men's double last year, will race the junior men's solo and junior mixed double this year. In addition to Bak, Kory Rogers and Jeni Sorli return from the quad. Rogers will race both the quad and mixed double sculls this year. Britt Wotovich also returns from last year's team and will be racing with Anderson in the junior mixed double sculls.

In 2022, the U.S. tied Spain and Great Britain for the most medals with five.

The World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals will feature a record number of 187 crews entered from 39 nations.

Racing kicks off on Friday with time trials in all events. Medal rounds will take place on Saturday and Sunday. Click here for a provisional race schedule.

The 2023 World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals will be live streamed on worldrowing.com on Saturday, September 30, and Sunday, October 1.

Complete press coverage, athlete bios, and links to event information will be available at www.usrowing.org and www.worldrowing.com. Follow along with the U.S. National Team as it prepares for the 2023 World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals by using the hashtags #WorldRowingCoastal and #WRBSF.

Open Women's Solo (CW1x)

In the women's solo event, Christine Cavallo (Windermere, Fla./Stanford University/Next Level Rowing) returns to the squad after winning the Beach Sprint National Team Trials in Long Beach, Calif. Cavallo raced in the mixed quadruple sculls in 2021 but did not compete at last year's World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals. Cavallo is an eight-time national team member across the under 19, under 23, senior, and beach sprints categories. She is one of 28 athletes entered in the event. The field includes New Zealand's Jackie Kiddle, 2019 world champion in the lightweight women's double sculls, as well as Olympians Monika Dukarska of Ireland and Elodie Ravera-Scaramozzino of France. Canada's Sarah Pidgen, Tunisia's Khadija Krimi, and Great Britain's Clare Jamison are all experienced beach sprint rowers.

Open Men's Solo (CM1x)

Christopher Bak (Cincinnati, Ohio/University of Cincinnati/Next Level Rowing) is back to defend his world title in the men's solo event. Bak won gold in the event last year in Wales, as well as a bronze medal in the mixed quadruple sculls. Italy's Giovanni Ficarra, the 2021 world champion in the event, is also part of the 37-boat field.

Junior Women's Solo (CJW1x)

Annelise Hahl (Cary, N.C./Needham Broughton High School/Triangle Rowing Club/Next Level Rowing), who won bronze in the junior women's double sculls at the 2022 World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals, will be doubling up in the junior women's solo and junior women's double this year. Hahl raced the single sculls at the 2023 World Rowing Under 19 Championships in early August and has switched her focus back to beach sprints over the last six weeks. Hahl is one of 18 rowers entered in the event.

Junior Men's Solo (CJM1x)

Malachi Anderson (Hamilton, Ohio/Sinclair Community College/Great Miami Rowing/Next Level Rowing) won silver in the junior men's double sculls last year and will be competing in two events this year in Italy. Anderson is one of 20 scullers entered in the junior men's solo event this year.

Open Mixed Double Sculls (CMix2x)

In addition to racing the women's solo event, Cavallo will partner with Kory Rogers (The Woodlands, Texas/ University of Texas/Next Level Rowing/Texas Crew) in the mixed double sculls event. Rogers has been part of the last two beach sprint national teams, winning a bronze medal in the mixed quadruple sculls last year. Twenty-seven boats are entered in the event this year. Spain is the reigning world champion in the event, while France and Canada bring experienced crews to the regatta.

Junior Men's Double Sculls (CJM2x)

Luke Eward (Durham, N.C./Triangle Rowing Club) and Aidan Humbert (Apex, N.C./Crossroads FLEX High School/Next Level Rowing/Triangle Rowing Club) will be making their beach sprint national team debuts in Barletta. Last year, the U.S. won silver in the event with Anderson and Gary Rought. Fifteen boats are entered in the event.

Junior Women's Double Sculls (CJW2x)

Hahl and Annalie Duncomb (Mason, Ohio/William Mason High School/Great Miami Rowing) won the bronze medal in the junior women's double sculls at last year's World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals and return this year with their eyes set on improving on that performance. Hahl and Duncomb are part of an 11-boat field.

Junior Mixed Double Sculls (CJMix2x)

Anderson will be rowing with Britt Wotovich (Redington Beach, Fla./Berkeley Preparatory School/Palm River Training Center) in the junior mixed double sculls. Now a three-time national team member, Wotovich won silver in the event in 2021 and finished fourth in 2022. Eighteen crews are entered in the event.

Open Mixed Quadruple Sculls with Coxswain (CMix4x)

The U.S. has won back-to-back bronze medals in the open mixed quadruple sculls with coxswain. This year's lineup includes three members of last year's boat – Bak, Rogers, and Jeni Sorli (Red Lodge, Mont./University of Colorado/Riverside Boat Club/Next Level Rowing). They will be joined by coxswain Coral Kasden (San Diego, Calif./University of California, Santa Barbara/NYAC/Next Level Rowing) and Alexa McAuliffe (Boston, Mass./University of Texas/Next Level Rowing). Eleven boats are entered in the race including both finalists from last year, Spain and New Zealand.