Success at the 2026 German Collegiate Rowing Championships for the Kassel University Rowing Team

From July 10 to 12, the Kassel University Rowing Team (KURT) competed in the German Collegiate Rowing Championships in Krefeld. After an intensive preparation phase, the rowers from Kassel competed in numerous boat classes and celebrated a successful competition weekend with one gold medal, one bronze medal, and many other strong finishes.

Following successful heats on Friday, the first final races were on the schedule for Saturday. In the novice division—the gig class for students who first learned to row through university sports programs—the Kassel men’s four secured the bronze medal with a strong third-place finish in the A final. The women’s four also qualified for the B final but, unfortunately, had to withdraw from the final race at the last minute due to the high temperatures.

The Kassel boats also performed impressively in the Challenge division, the racing boat class for students who began their rowing training through university sports programs. Maximilian Rohner finished sixth in the men’s single sculls heats despite strong competition. The women’s Challenge four finished sixth in the A final, while the women’s double scull, with Clara Fahrenbach and Samira Boddin, won the A final, securing the gold medal for the University of Kassel.

On Sunday, additional single scull and mixed races took place. Julia Hädrich finished sixth in the women’s single scull, advancing to the A final among a field of eleven competitors. Lina Trier placed fourth in the lightweight single scull. The Challenge Mixed Eight initially finished fourth but moved up to third place following the disqualification of another team. In the Challenge Mixed Four, the Kassel boat won the B final and finished the competition in seventh place overall. The Novice Mixed Four finished fifth in the C final in the regatta’s largest field of 25 registered boats.
This year’s University Championships also marked a special farewell. For the team, it was the last regatta using the loaned boats from the Ruderwerkstatt, as well as the final competition for the long-standing regatta coaching team of Simon and Sascha. Special thanks therefore go to Daniel Riechmann and the Ruderwerkstatt, who have provided the team with several racing boats since February for training in Kassel, the training camp over Ascension Day, the Kassel Rowing Regatta, and the German University Championships. Thanks to this support, the University of Kassel was able to field a larger number of Challenge boats this year.

The team would also like to thank its coaches and all the volunteers. With several training sessions per week on the Fulda River, additional training days, video analysis, crew selection, and many hours of volunteer work, they laid the foundation for the team’s successful participation in the German University Championships. Simon and Sascha have built up today’s regatta team over many years and have supported the rowers not only athletically but also personally. For this, the entire team extends its heartfelt thanks to them.

We would also like to thank the University of Kassel’s University Sports Department for organizing and providing the AHS bus, as well as the cooperating clubs RKC, RVC, and RG Kassel, whose vehicles, boats, and other equipment made our participation in the championships possible.

Following their success at the German Collegiate Rowing Championships, the Kassel University Rowing Team is already looking ahead to upcoming events. The rowing tour is scheduled for August, followed by the next major competition highlight in October: the Kettwig Fall Cup. At the same time, the team is looking forward to seeing both new and familiar faces at the various water sports courses at the boathouse.

Contact:
UNIsport at the University of Kassel
Email: hochschulsport[at]uni-kassel[dot]de