Who to watch, ready for KHB'23

Jun 22, 2023

Who to watch, ready for KHB’23

Just 2 days left until the Bosbaan becomes the scene of international rowing spectacle again! According to the current forecast, it will be a very sunny weekend with temperatures around 30 degrees Celsius. If you do come and visit us at the ‘Costa del Bosbaan’ this weekend, don’t forget to bring a water bottle (easy to refill with tap water), sunscreen and a hat! If you unfortunately can’t visit us at the Regatta this year, you can follow the races via the livestream which we will make available online.

Can’t wait until the racing kicks off? Us neither! Find out below who we believe are the ones to watch this year!

Ladies Trophy

Almost doubling the number of entries compared to last year, this year the Ladies Trophy has a record number of 23 entries. We have to go back to 2013 and 2014 to find more than 16 entries in this event (both years there were 21 entries). Amongst the 23 athletes are some of the best rowers of the world, including (former) world champions and Olympians, so we’re expecting some spectacular racing this weekend!

Unfortunately, last year’s winner Ria Thompson (AUS) is not here to defend her title. However, one who is back to win is the single sculls Olympic champion: Emma Twigg (NZL). She already won the Holland Beker back in 2016 and 2019 (WRC III Rotterdam) and claimed the 2014 world title on the Bosbaan as well! Twigg has not raced internationally yet this season, but she is without a doubt one of the favourites for this weekend.

The Dutch National Team has not really raced at Dutch regattas for quite some time, so we are honoured and beyond happy to have a large part of the Dutch rowing team racing at the Holland Beker this weekend. We are sure that Roos de Jong and Martine Veldhuis will be strong contenders to claim the Trophy. Veldhuis is back in her beloved single after an outing in the W4x at the European Championships. With her efficient rowing and her skills, she is on our list for the A-final. De Jong has to race without her partner in crime (and our ambassador) Laila Youssifou, but we are sure that she is more than up to the task.

Another athlete worth to keep an eye on is Mathilda Hodgkins-Byrne (GBR). A talented rower from the British team who gave birth 11 months ago but is already (successfully) back to racing. With that spirit, we believe she will definitely be one to reckon with! Cara Grzeskowiak (AUS) won the Championship 1x at Women’s Henley last Sunday, and will compete against Hodgkins-Byrne at the prestigious Henley Royal Regatta next week. The Ladies Trophy races will be the perfect opportunity for both to feel the waters and see where they are at. Whilst they are at it, they might even snatch the Trophy. Ida Görtz Jacobsen (DEN) is an experienced rower who we believe might be the ‘outsider’ to watch!

Strong competition is to be expected from some U23 athletes. For example, Mazarine Guilbert (BEL) is having a fantastic season so far and is determined to prove to the Belgian coach that she deserves a spot in the team for the World Championships. She might come in short of the overall victory given the names mentioned above, however, with her determination she might make it far!

Last but not least, we want to mention three athletes travelling from far. First, Olympian Alejandra Alonso Alderete (PAR). Second, the youngest contender in the Ladies Trophy: Nicole Martinez Gonzales (PAR). Third, Chloe Ahixsa Callorda Bordacosta (URU) who participated in the U23 World Championships last year. We expect all of them to have to row a very strong race to compete with the rest of the women in this field.

Battle of the mighty lighties

A thing that stood out to us when going through the entries of both the Ladies Trophy and the Holland Beker, is the high amount of (former) lightweights who have entered these events. Perhaps the nearing of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and the subsequent demise of lightweight rowing are encouraging these athletes to show their guns and see where they stand in the open weight field. One thing that we know for sure is to never underestimate the efficiency and power these athletes bring to the water.

For the Ladies Trophy we are keeping our eyes on above-mentioned Veldhuis (NED), Eva Hofoff (GER). and national team spares Elizabeth Martin (USA) and Georgia Miansarow (AUS). In the Holland Beker it’s Hamish Harding Damien George Schroder and Blaine Heseltine (all AUS) who are battling it out against inter alia Lennart van Lierop. Fun fact: van Lierop started out as a lightweight rower and switched back and forth between weighing in and starting in the open weight category until just a couple of years ago. Maybe these Aussies will pull a ‘Lennart Surprise” and beat him and the other top favourites on Sunday.

Holland Beker

Unfortunately, last year’s Holland Beker winner (Callum Dixon, GBR) is not coming to tropical Amsterdam to defend his title. However, with 22 entries, the field is packed with some of the best single scullers in the world. Whilst for the Ladies Trophy we believe the fight will be between a good mix of national and international athletes, we expect that the Holland Beker will go to a Dutchman.

Our number one favourite is Lennart van Lierop (NED). He surprised the entire rowing world with victory at the European Championships a couple of weeks ago. We are for sure expecting some magic from van Lierop this weekend as well. However, fellow Dutchman Simon van Dorp is taking over Lennart’s place in the single sculls for the World Championships. Van Dorp has some big shoes to fill, but racing against van Lierop, and the other talented athletes in this event, will be a good test run. We definitely see him as a contender for the podium.

Two other Dutch National Team rowers who are our favourites to claim the Holland Beker are Melvin Twellaar and Stef Broenink. Used to racing together in the 2x, this weekend they will compete against each other. Both have showed excellent results in the single at World Championships, with Twellaar claiming the silver medal at the 2022 edition and Broenink rowing a strong A-final in 2019. As to which one of this iconic duo will outperform the other, we do not are make any predictions. What we do know is that both of them have a high chance of walking away with the Holland Beker in the end.

Moreover, you should not rule out Dutch comeback kid of this weekend: Tone Wieten. He was part of the golden Dutch 4x that dominated the 2020 Olympics. He has recently proclaimed to give it a final shot after missing out on last season due to a back injury. Although he might not be the top-favourite, we for sure expect him to show his determination and skill on the Bosbaan this weekend. This could reward him with a podium finish!

With the clash of the titans mentioned above, you would almost forget the other talented rowers coming from all over the world to participate. Don’t worry, that’s why we mention them here! First, as mentioned above, we expect the Aussie lightweights to do very well. Next, we want to welcome back Privel Hinkati (BEN). He rowed to the 3rd place in last year’s C-final and we are sure that he hopes to improve that score this year! Third, we are curious what the younger contenders can bring on water. There is a good mix of ex-junior and U23 World Championship participants that could very well challenge the established names above.