FISU World University Games - Rhine-Ruhr 2025

After qualifying at the adh (Allgemeiner Deutscher Hochschulsportverband) German University Rowing Championships, the two teams from the University of Kassel took part in the FISU World University Games 2025 last weekend (26/27 July 2025). Among the many outstanding junior and young university athletes from all over the world who raced in Duisburg this year, the rowers from the University of Kassel competed in the novice four format in front of an international audience against the other qualifiers from the German University Championships in Krefeld (4-6 July 2025).

In the Novice Four races, the teams competed as mixed boats: Two men, two women and a helmsman each made up the five-person boat crew. The first boat from the University of Kassel was formed by Stine Böcher, Carina Kirch, Oliver Kempf, Lennart Warnecke and helmswoman Elke Hafermann. The University of Kassel's second boat was made up of Nils Krahmer, Joana Mattes, Lena Schöneweiß, Lennard Fröhlich and cox Nele Fuchs. Sven Becker and Clara Fahrenbach accompanied the teams as coaches and umpires and, in addition to race support, took care of the equipment set-up and supplies.

In order to qualify for the subsequent final races, the two teams each started in a preliminary race. The first team, coxed by Elke Hafermann, secured fifth place in the first heat (1:50.30 minutes) in a close race, thus qualifying for the B final. The second boat with Nele Fuchs secured third place in the second, also close, preliminary heat and qualified for the A final with a time of 1:48.59 minutes.

In the finals the following day, Stine Böcher, Carina Kirch, Oliver Kempf, Lennart Warnecke and Elke Hafermann won third place in the B final with a time of 1:59.79 minutes in a race worth seeing. The other boat with Lennard Fröhlich, Nils Krahmer, Lena Schöneweiß, Joana Mattes and Nele Fuchs had to admit defeat in a neck-and-neck race in the A final against the University of Essen-Duisburg for third place. The team finished in fourth place with a time of 2:11.52 minutes. In the overall standings, Elke Hafermann's team came 9th out of 12, while Nele Fuchs' team came 4th out of 12.

The athletes from the University of Kassel are satisfied with their results and are returning home after this unique experience. After a wonderful weekend at the regatta, which the team spent with each other and with rowers from other teams, the joy of having had the unique opportunity to take part in the FISU World University Games outweighs everything else. The teams are proud to have represented the University of Kassel at such a major international sporting event.