USA v. The World: Lenny Peters Cup Comes Down to the Final Race

The Lenny Peters Cup was won by the World team over Team USA, coming down to the final race on Saturday, April 12, 2025. The U.S. fielded four Olympians and four rising stars who held their own against a formidable pack of Olympic medalists from around the world. A win in the single sculls race received one point, while a quadruple sculls win received four points. The U.S. led the early single sculls races in the morning with six wins out of eight races but was unable to keep the charging quadruple sculls from the World team from crossing the finish line first. After a fierce battle between the eight members of the U.S. team and the World team, the cup came down to the final race, a 300 meter sprint in the mixed quadruple sculls.

Here’s a play-by-play of the action this weekend:

Isa Darvin faced off against Olympian Tabea Schendekehl in the first event of the Lenny Peters Cup. Schendekehl won bronze this past summer in the women’s quadruple sculls for Germany. Darvin made her first U.S. team when she raced at the Pan Am Games in 2023. Schendekehl was off to a strong start in the 1500 meter race, but Darvin was able to move through Schendekehl in the first 500 meters, taking a length lead in the first two minutes. Darvin held on to take the win, by open water. 

USA 1, Team World 0

Cedar Cunningham was victorious over Olympian Ollie Maclean. Cunningham took a decisive move to beat out McLean in a time of 5:19.79. New Zealander Ollie Maclean won silver in the men’s four at the 2024 Olympics. Cunningham has been working hard to make his first U.S. national team and finished third in the single sculls at this year’s Winter Speed Orders. 

USA 2, Team World 0

Maggie Fellows dominated her race over Olympian Caileigh Filmer, winning by over 20 seconds. Fellows won USRowing’s Winter Speed Orders and has made three national teams in the past, having raced at the Pan Am Games and the World Championships. Canadian Caileigh Filmer is an Olympic silver and bronze medalist.

USA 3, Team World 0

Olympian Grace Joyce kept the victories going for the U.S. team, taking the point for the Lenny Peters Cup from Olympic bronze medalist Ria Thompson. Grace Joyce is a six-time national team member with a deep history with the national team, including the U23 and Pan Am Games national teams. She raced in the quadruple sculls at the 2024 Olympics, finishing ninth overall. 

USA 4, Team World 0

Olympic gold medalist James Rudkin was unable to hold onto Olympian Jacob Plihal, who took the win in a time of 5:18.46. Plihal, who finished 13th at the Paris Olympics, showed his skill in the single over 1500 meters. Plihal was the fastest U.S. rower in the men’s single sculls at Winter Speed Orders in March. Great Britain’s Rudkin won gold this summer in the men’s eight. 

USA 5, Team World 0

Olympians Magdalena Lobnig and Simon van Dorp snatched points from the Americans as they beat U.S. Olympians Azja Czajkowski and Chris Carlson. Czajkowski and Carlson transitioned this year to sculling at the Winter Speed Orders after racing sweep events in the 2024 Paris Games. Carlson won bronze in the men’s eight, while Czajkowski finished fourth in that event. Lobnig and van Dorp are both Olympic bronze medalists in the single sculls. 

USA 5, Team World 2

Despite challenging conditions, Sam Melvin was able to quickly gain open water on Tonu Endrekson and built up a lead over the remaining 1,000 meters. Melvin outpaced the Olympian from Estonia in stroke rate to take the victory by over seven seconds. Melvin is a four-time national team member, having raced on the U23 and Senior team. Last summer, Melvin finished fourth in the lightweight men’s single sculls at the 2024 World Championships. 

USA 6, Team World 2

The U.S. women’s quadruple sculls won their race by open water over the World crew. The World crew got off to a strong start gaining a few seats on the Americans in the first 500 meters. The crew stroked by Grace Joyce kept their composure and moved through their opponents in the second 500 meters. They continued to gain seats on the World in the second half of the race finishing in a time of 4:49.07. 

USA 10, Team World 2

The men’s quadruple scull from the World launched themselves into the lead in the first 500 meters of the race. Jacob Plihal stroked the U.S. crew and kept his crew in striking distance of their opponent. Despite a strong charge from the U.S., the crew from around the world was able to shut down the U.S. boat's move to finish in 4:19.54. 

USA 10, Team World 6

The World won the final two races (four points each) of the mixed quadruple sculls, sealing their victory in the final races. The closing races were 300 meter sprint races that came down to the wire in both events. 

USA 10, Team World 14

To rewatch the racing, check out the Lenny Peters Cup YouTube page. Results can be found here.