The Seville 2026 Rowing World Cup is nearing its conclusion with the Spanish delegation firmly positioned to contend for medals. Saturday's semi-final races at the CEAR La Cartuja confirmed the excellent form of the hosts, who successfully qualified three crews for the A finals, where the podium places of this major international event will be decided.
In this first event of the World Rowing circuit, which brings together approximately 500 athletes from 37 countries this weekend, Spain presented seven boats with chances to advance. The final tally included three qualifications for the medal races and four for the B finals (positions 7th to 12th).
The Spanish performance featured a notable presence of Andalusian and Sevillian athletes, who stood out in a competition that highlights the organizational and sporting quality of the Guadalquivir regatta course.
Catalan rower Aleix García, world silver medalist and Olympic bronze medalist, reaffirmed his candidacy in the men's single sculls semi-finals. He finished second in his heat with a time of 6:57.74, only surpassed by the neutral Belarusian Yauheni Zalaty. García will compete in Sunday's grand final as one of the medal contenders.
Meanwhile, Koxme Burutaran from San Sebastián concluded his participation in the World Cup after finishing third in the C final of the single sculls, securing fifteenth place overall.
The most significant news for Sevillian rowing came from the men's pair. Olympic medalists Jaime Canalejo and Javier García, both from the Club Náutico Sevilla, secured their spot in the A final (11:18) after controlling their semi-final and finishing second with 6:31.72, behind the crew from New Zealand. Switzerland completed the trio of finalists.
The Sevillian duo is emerging as one of Spain's strongest bets for the decisive day, confirming their consistency among the world's elite. However, fellow Sevillians Lidia Florido and Amanda Gil did not qualify for the women's pair A final and will compete in the B final.
Spain's third medal opportunity lies in the men's double sculls, with Galician rowers Rodrigo Conde and Caetano Horta. After dominating their heat on Friday, they competed strongly in the semi-finals, finishing third with 6:14.75 and securing their place in the A final against formidable rivals such as the Netherlands, Belgium, Serbia, Poland, and Great Britain.
In contrast, the men's four without coxswain, featuring Sevillian Jorge Knabe, and the men's quadruple sculls, led by fellow Sevillian Gonzalo García, did not qualify for the medal finals and will compete in the B finals.
Beyond the sporting competition, the Seville 2026 Rowing World Cup received the Sustainable Event seal from the Spanish Olympic Committee. This recognition, presented at the Reales Alcázares, attests to the adherence to environmental and social criteria in sustainability, mobility, recycling, accessibility, and inclusion.
The competition will conclude this Sunday with the B finals and the thirteen A finals, where Spain will aim to convert its strong performances into medals, thus closing a successful World Cup that places Seville at the center of international rowing.
