USA Versus the World: Lenny Peters Cup Preview

Eight U.S. rowers will be competing against Olympians from around the world in multiple head-to-head 1,500-meter races this weekend. On April 12, the 2025 Lenny Peters Cup will feature Maggie Fellows, Isa Darvin, Sam Melvin, Cedar Cunningham, and Olympians Grace Joyce, Azja Czajkowski, Jacob Plihal, and Olympic bronze medalist Chris Carlson. 

Paralympic silver medalist Emelie Edlracher will be a member of the announcing team, in addition to Martin Cross and Etta Carpender. The national team will be racing throughout the day in single sculls, and the mixed quadruple sculls will be in the final few races of the day. The schedule of events can be found here. 

The Lenny Peters Cup is a USA versus The World competition in single sculls, quadruple sculls, and mixed quadruple sculls. Taking place in High Point, N.C. on Oak Hollow Lake, eight of the fastest rowers from across the globe will go head-to-head in match play competition against the fastest eight scullers from the United States. Each round, members of the U.S. team will face off against an international opponent over 1500 meters in different boat classes, gaining points for their team with each victory. 

Racing and the live stream begin at 8 a.m. ET. The Lenny Peters Cup will be streamed on Fox’s streaming platform, World Rowing's YouTube page, and the Lenny Peters Cup YouTube page. Results can be found here. 

Racing for the women, Maggie Fellows is a three-time national team member who raced in the women's quadruple sculls at the 2022 World Rowing Championships and won this year's Winter Speed Orders. Olympian Grace Joyce is a six-time national team member and finished ninth in the women's quadruple sculls in Paris. Isa Darvin raced for Team USA at the 2023 Pan Am Games, winning gold in the pair and mixed eight. Olympian Azja Czajkowski, a five-time national team member, finished fourth in the women’s pair at the 2024 Paris Games. 

Olympian Jacob Plihal, the winner of the Winter Speed Orders, finished 13th overall in the men’s single sculls at the 2024 Olympics, the best for an American in the event since 2008. Sam Melvin, a four-time national team member, finished fourth in the men’s lightweight single at the 2024 World Championships. Six-time national team member Chris Carlson won bronze in the men’s eight at the 2024 Olympics. Cedar Cunningham finished third at trials, he graduated from Washington State University in 2022 and is working towards making his first national team. 

USA will be facing off against multiple Olympic medalists. Competing for the World’s team are Germany’s quadruple sculls bronze medalist Tabea Shendekhl, Austria’s single scull bronze medalist Magdalena Lobnig, Australia’s quadruple sculls bronze medalist Ria Thompson and Canada’s silver and bronze medalist Caileigh Filmer. Bronze medalist from the Netherlands, Simon van Dorp, gold medalist from Great Britain James Rudkin, Estonians Tonu Endrickson and Allar Jara will compete on the men’s side.