2023 World Rowing Indoor Championships: meet the Versa Challenge participants

For the first time at the World Rowing Indoor Championships (WRICH), the 2023 edition will incorporate a new multi-challenge competition format, in addition to the usual age-category races. The new race, the World Rowing Versa Challenge, will help determine the world’s best indoor rower.

Over two days, competitors will race in five different events, with the goal to be crowned the World Rowing Versa Champion. Ten men and ten women have qualified in advance to compete in the Versa in Mississauga Toronto, Canada on 25-26 February 2023 at the Paramount Fine Foods Centre.

The full list of participants is now official (see below). On the men’s side, names to watch include, amongst others, Joel Naukkarinen of Finland, on the podium at the 2020 and 2021 World Rowing Indoor Championships, former NFL player Matthew Stankiewitch (USA), and former professional Canadian rugby player, Jason Marshall. Ali Hassan (EGY) and Maciej Zawojski (POL) are regulars among all three rowing disciplines (indoor, flat water and coastal) at the elite level.

The women’s list of competitors is highlighted by USA’s Kirsten Kline, multiple time World Rowing Indoor Champion, and the top women’s qualifier for the Versa. She will face regular names on the indoor rowing circuit, such as Morgan McGrath (USA), Anna Muehle (GER), and Charlotte Dixon (GBR). Sarah Pidgen (CAN), who competed at the 2022 World Rowing Beach Sprints Finals, will be looking for a strong performance on home soil – so will Nicola Goss, flying all the way from New Zealand to try and be crowned World Rowing Versa Champion.

The Versa was created to offer competitors a unique competition opportunity which cannot be replicated at home, and allows for several race opportunities during one event. Additionally, it features an element of uncertainty and variability which is exciting for both spectators and competitors, and allows indoor rowing competitions to expand beyond more traditional formats.

The Versa will test all the skills and strengths required of indoor rowers, exposing them to new and unfamiliar race formats. Competitors may or may not be informed about the race formats in advance of the WRICH, and should train to be prepared for any challenge. The five events of the Versa Challenge will be interspersed with all the other events over the weekend.  There will be sprint events of 500m, more traditional 2000m rowing races and Para races with world championship medals up for grabs.

For all media enquiries, please contact Brian Orsini, Head of Communications : brian.orsini@worldrowing.com