Sep 22, 2025
Team USA
Sechser Dominates Heat as All Four U.S. Crews Advance
On Day Three of the World Championships, Michelle Sechser delivered a commanding win in the women’s lightweight single sculls heat. The men’s quadruple sculls advanced with a strong performance, earning the first A Final berth in the event at the World Rowing Championships since 2001. The women’s pair rowed a confident Semifinal, finishing second to secure a place in the A Final. Justin Schmidt capped off the day by earning a spot in the lightweight men’s single sculls Semifinal.
Two-time Olympian Michelle Sechser delivered a commanding performance in the lightweight women’s single sculls heat. By the second 500-meter mark, she had surged into first place, building nearly a four-second lead over her closest competitor. Stroke by stroke, Sechser extended her advantage, creating a decisive gap over the rest of the field. Although China’s Dandan Pan managed to close in slightly during the final 500 meters, Sechser’s powerful sprint secured her a confident victory with a time of 7:33.64. Her effort not only won the heat but also earned her the fastest time of the event by nearly two seconds, advancing her to the Semifinal.
The men’s quadruple sculls of Olympian Chris Carlson, Cedar Cunningham, Olympian Jacob Plihal, and Nathan Phelps delivered a strong performance to secure a spot in the A Final for the first time in 24 years at the World Rowing Championships. Italy took an early lead, with the U.S., Ukraine, and Australia close behind through the second 500 meters. The Ukrainians challenged hard early on, but the Americans stayed composed, gradually overtaking them to secure second place. Building momentum through the middle of the race, the U.S. continued to cut into Italy’s lead but couldn’t close the gap before the finish. They crossed the line in 5:45.95, taking second place.
In the women’s pair, Holly Drapp and Olympian Jess Thoennes wasted no time moving into a qualifying position, quickly locking down third place before setting their sights on the French crew ahead. Through the middle of the race, the Americans steadily closed the gap, making contact in the third 500 meters. Despite a strong sprint that pushed their bow closer, they couldn’t reel in the French pair. Drapp and Thoennes crossed the line in second with a time of 7:01.64, earning a place in the A Final with the third-fastest time overall.
In the lightweight men’s single sculls, Justin Schmidt started strong, settling into third place during the opening 500 meters of his heat. He faced a fierce mid-race battle with Kazakhstan’s Artem Matussevich, the two exchanging positions throughout the middle of the course. In the final 500 meters, Schmidt made a decisive push to secure third place, finishing in 7:10.51. His performance earned him a spot in the Semifinal with the seventh-fastest time overall.
The PR3 mixed four with coxswain will open Tuesday’s racing at 10:25 p.m. ET, followed by the men’s four Semifinal at 11:28 p.m. Andrew LeRoux and Sam Melvin will close out the night, competing in the C Final at 11:54 p.m. Watch on Overnght or on World Rowing. Results and schedule can be found here.
USRowing would like to thank Filippi Lido, the Official Boat Supplier for the U.S. Senior and Para Rowing National Teams. Under the agreement, Filippi is providing USRowing a fleet of boats for international competitions, including the World Rowing Cup regattas, World Rowing Championships, Olympic Games, and Paralympic Games, as well as a domestic training fleet for the USRowing Training Centers.
