2024 World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals: Boat-By-Boat Preview

After winning five medals at the 2023 World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals in Barletta, the U.S. will send boats in ten categories to the 2024 World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals, September 13-15 in Genoa, 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, mixed quadruple sculls with coxswain, and PR3 mixed double sculls events.

Ten members of last year's squad return, including Christopher Bak and Kory Rogers – who won gold in the mixed quadruple sculls event – and U19 men’s and women’s solo sculls silver medalists, Annalise Hahl and Malachi Anderson.. The U.S. also won silver in the junior men's solo event.

Annalie Duncomb and Annelise Hahl return in the junior women's double, while Malachi Anderson, who raced in the junior men's double in 2023, will race the mixed quadruple sculls this year. Christine Cavallo returns to the women’s solo sculls and the mixed double sculls, marking her ninth national team. Britt Wotovich also returns from last year's team to race with newcomer Ronan Maher in the junior mixed double sculls.

The World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals will feature a record number of 256 crews entered, 69 more than last year, from 46 nations.

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 bronze in the women’s solo last year. Cavallo will also race in the mixed double sculls again this year. Cavallo is a nine-time national team member across the under 19, under 23, senior, and beach sprints categories. She is one of 38 athletes entered in the event, 10 more than last year. The field includes last year’s champion, Janneke Van Der Meulen from the Netherlands, as well as Olympians Monika Dukarska of Ireland and Elodie Ravera-Scaramozzino of France. Canada’s Sarah Pidgen and Great Britain’s Clare Jamison return from last year’s event. 

Open Men’s Solo (CM1x)

Christopher Bak (Cincinnati, Ohio/University of Cincinnati/Next Level Rowing) is back to try and return to the top step after struggling with illness at last year’s championships. He previously won the event in 2022. He was a member of the gold medal mixed quadruple sculls from last year's championships. Last year’s winner, Spain’s Adrian Miramon Quiroga, will return in addition to silver medalist Italy’s Giovanni Ficarra. With 46 boats in the event, this is the largest ever beach sprints event to date. 

Junior Women’s Solo (CJW1x)

Annelise Hahl (Cary, N.C./Needham Broughton High School/Triangle Rowing Club/Next Level Rowing), who won silver in the women’s solo sculls last year, will be doubling up in the junior women’s solo and junior women’s double this year. Hahl won the 2024 Youth National Championships in the single sculls. Hahl raced the single sculls at the 2023 World Rowing Under 19 Championships. Hahl is one of 23 rowers entered in the event. The reigning champion from Tunisia, Hela Belhaje Mohamed, is not returning to the event. 

Junior Men’s Solo (CJM1x)

Ronan Maher (Bellingham, Wash./Next Level Rowing) is making his first appearance on the national team after winning the Beach Sprints Trials in the men’s solo. The U.S. won silver in the event last year with Malachi Anderson, who will be competing in the mixed quadruple sculls. Maher is one of 26 scullers entered in the junior men’s solo event. Italy’s Lucio Fugazzotto, last year’s champion, is returning to defend his title. 

Open Mixed Double Sculls (CMix2x)

In addition to racing the women’s solo event, Cavallo returns to the mixed double sculls with Kory Rogers (The Woodlands, Texas/ University of Texas/Next Level Rowing/Texas Crew) in the mixed double sculls. Rogers has been part of the last three beach sprint national teams, winning gold in the mixed quadruple sculls and a bronze medal in the mixed quadruple sculls in 2022. 36 boats are entered in the event. New Zealand is the reigning world champion, with Jackie Kiddle and Matthew Dunham returning to the event this year. 

Junior Men’s Double Sculls (CJM2x) 

Colton Seidel (Miami Fla./Ransom Everglades) and Nate Pegg  (Miami Fla./Ransom Everglades) will make their beach sprint national team debuts in Genoa. Last year, Italy won the event, and Leonardo Bellomo and Pasquale Tamborrino return to compete for gold once again. 22 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 the 2022 World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals and return this year with their eyes set on improving on that performance. Hahl will also represent the U.S. in the junior women's solo event. Hahl and Duncomb are part of a 17-boat field.

Junior Mixed Double Sculls (CJMix2x)

Maher (Bellingham, Wash./Next Level Rowing) will row with Britt Wotovich (Redington Beach, Fla./Berkeley Preparatory School/Palm River Training Center) in the junior mixed double sculls. Now a four-time national team member, Wotovich won silver in the event in 2021 and finished fourth in 2022. 22 crews are entered in the event.

PR3 Mixed Double Sculls (PR3 CMix2x)

Danielle Hansen (Patterson, Calif./University of Washington/Next Level Rowing) and Gary Rought (Mason, Ohio/Marietta College/Next Level Rowing) return to the national team. Hansen previously won silver at the 2016 and 2020 Paralympics in the PR3 mixed four with coxswain. Rought returns to the Beach Sprints team, having raced on the team in 2022. This is the first time this event will be raced after it was an exhibition race at last year’s championships. 

Open Mixed Quadruple Sculls with Coxswain (CMix4x)

The U.S. won gold last year after previously winning back-to-back bronze medals in the open mixed quadruple sculls with coxswain. This year’s lineup is a new mix of athletes, both returners and newcomers. Coxswain Coral Kasden (San Diego, Calif./University of California, Santa Barbara/Penn AC/Next Level Rowing) returns from last year’s crew. Stroke Malachi Anderson (Hamilton, Ohio/Sinclair Community College/Next Level Rowing), who won silver in the under 19 men's solo event in 2023 will race alongside Cassidy Norton (Hamilton Ohio/Roger Morris University/Next Level Rowing), who represented the U.S. in the women's solo event in both 2021 and 2022. They’ll be joined by 2021 U23 National Team member, Sierra Bishop (Wilsonville, Ore./Oregon State University/ Next Level Rowing) and Justin Stevens (Knoxville, Tenn./Vanderbilt University/Next Level Rowing) who represented the U.S. at both the 2023 World Rowing Coastal Championships and 2022 World Rowing Championships.