Drama in Shanghai: German men's eight misses World Cup final!

Drama in Shanghai: German men's eight misses World Cup final!

The World Rowing Championships in Shanghai brought a bitter setback for the German men's eight. On September 25, 2025, the team under batsman Theis Hagemeister and helmsman Jonas Wiesen missed the longed-for final after finishing third in the preliminary round. Conditions were far from ideal, with strong winds making life difficult for the team. Particularly bitter: Both the Netherlands, the Olympic runner-up, and the USA, which won the bronze medal at the last Olympic Games, took part in the top-class preliminary round. Both boats were simply faster and secured participation in the final. In return, the men's eight will now compete in the B final, a similar fate to Racice in 2022.

Coach Mark Emke expressed disappointment with his team's performance and the mistakes they made, which ruined their goal of reaching the final. Coach Julius Christ, who also supported the team, also expressed his disappointment. “We had a lot planned,” said Christ. The lofty goal of going into the World Cup as a medal candidate didn't work out. After all, the German men's eight had previously made people sit up and take notice with their victory at the World Cup in Lucerne. This performance boosted hopes of at least winning a medal at this World Championships. But since 2022, the final has been an unattainable goal for the men's eight - for the first time since 1999, the team remained without a place in the A final.

Successful women's crew in the final