KAND Athletes Shine at World Rowing Cup III 2026 in Lucerne

The world's best rowers descended on the iconic Rotsee in Lucerne, Switzerland over the weekend for World Rowing Cup III, with KAND Rowing Club proudly represented across multiple Australian crews.

Known throughout the rowing world as "The Lake of the Gods," the Rotsee once again delivered spectacular racing. Athletes were also challenged by extreme conditions, with temperatures soaring to 39°C on Saturday, making it one of the hottest World Cup regattas in recent memory. Despite the oppressive heat, the standard of racing remained exceptional as crews battled for medals and valuable international experience.

Silver Medal for Erik Horrie Under our Coach Chris Holliday's Guidance

KAND High Performance Manager Chris Holliday celebrated another outstanding international result after coaching Australian Paralympian Erik Horrie OAM to a Silver Medal in the PR1 Men's Single Sculls A Final.

Horrie produced a fearless race, exploding off the start line to take an early lead over reigning World Champion Ben Pritchard. Through the opening 750 metres, Horrie set a blistering pace and had the field chasing, showing exceptional speed and intent against one of the strongest para-rowing fields in the world.

As the race unfolded, Pritchard gradually reeled Horrie in before taking the lead in the second half of the race. Despite the relentless pressure, Horrie fought all the way to the finish to secure an impressive silver medal.

Following the race, Chris reflected on the performance.

"I'm incredibly proud of Erik's performance. His first 750 metres showed exactly what he's capable of against the very best in the world. Our focus now is to build on that speed and work towards extending that performance for another 1,000 metres as we prepare for the World Championships in Amsterdam this August."

Congratulations to Chris and Erik on another outstanding international performance.

Jackson Free Reaches the A Final

KAND athlete Jackson Free enjoyed an outstanding regatta, progressing through a highly competitive field to qualify for the A Final of the Men's Quadruple Sculls.

Following two tightly contested races in both the heats and semi-finals, Jackson and his Australian crew earned their place amongst the world's fastest six crews.

In Sunday's A Final, the crew produced another impressive performance, staying with the leading pack through the opening stages before crossing the line in 6 minutes 10 seconds to finish 6th overall in the World.

Making an A Final at a World Cup is a significant achievement in international rowing and is a testament to the crew's speed, determination and consistency throughout the regatta.

Well done, Jackson!

Bronze Medal for Pat Long and Mitch Salisbury

KAND athletes Pat Long and Mitch Salisbury capped off an outstanding weekend by helping Australia secure a Bronze Medal in the Men's Eight.

In one of the most exciting races of the regatta, the Australian crew produced a powerful second half, rowing through Germany in the closing stages to claim the bronze medal.

Finishing behind the powerhouse crews of Great Britain and the Netherlands, Australia's bronze medal was an outstanding achievement in one of the most fiercely contested events of the regatta. The crew showed exceptional composure, strength and determination to hold off Germany and secure a place on the podium, adding another international medal to an already successful weekend for KAND.

Congratulations to Pat and Mitch on your outstanding achievement. Everyone at KAND Rowing Club is incredibly proud of your performance on the world stage.

Congratulations on your Bronze Medal!

Strong International Performance from Darcy Watter

KAND athlete Darcy Watter continued his impressive international season with a strong performance in the Men's Four.

After finishing second in his heat, Darcy and the Australian crew progressed confidently through to the semi-finals, where they finished fourth, narrowly missing qualification for the A Final in one of the most competitive events of the regatta.

The crew responded strongly in the B Final, producing another determined race to finish third, demonstrating their resilience and competitiveness against the world's best.

Competing in one of the deepest boat classes in world rowing, Darcy once again showed his class and consistency on the international stage.

Well done, Darcy!

Bronze Medal for Toby Goffsassen

KAND para-athlete Toby Goffsassen also celebrated an outstanding result in Lucerne, claiming a Bronze Medal in the PR3 Mixed Coxed Four.

Following a composed and confident preliminary race, Toby and his Australian crew delivered another strong performance in the final, racing with determination to secure the bronze medal behind Ukraine and the United States.

This result marks Australia’s first medal in the PR3 Four in decades, making it a truly historic achievement for Toby, his crew, and Australian para-rowing.

The result is a wonderful reward for the crew's hard work and preparation, adding another international medal to an already successful weekend for KAND athletes.

Congratulations, Toby, on your outstanding achievement. We are incredibly proud to have you representing both Australia and KAND Rowing Club on the world stage.

Congratulations on your Bronze Medal, Toby!

World Cup III Results at a Glance

🥈 Coach Chris Holliday – Silver Medal – PR1 Men's Single Sculls

🥉 Pat Long – Bronze Medal – Men's Eight

🥉 Mitch Salisbury – Bronze Medal – Men's Eight

🥉 Toby Goffsassen – Bronze Medal – Mixed Coxed Four

Jackson Free – 6th – A Final – Men's Quadruple Sculls

Darcy Watter – 3rd – B Final – Men's Four

Looking Ahead to Amsterdam

That concludes an outstanding World Rowing Cup III campaign for KAND Rowing Club.

Across an incredible weekend of racing on the famous Rotsee "The Lake of the Gods", KAND athletes and coaches once again demonstrated their ability to compete with the very best in the world. From podium finishes and A Final appearances to courageous performances across multiple boat classes, the regatta showcased the depth of talent within the KAND High Performance program.

All athletes will now return to training and enter the final phase of preparation for the pinnacle event of the 2026 international rowing season, the World Rowing Championships, to be held in Amsterdam this August.

From everyone at KAND Rowing Club, congratulations to all of our athletes, coaches and support staff on an exceptional World Cup III campaign. We wish you every success as you prepare to wear the green and gold once again on the world stage.

Go KAND!