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World Sculling Finals 2024

Olympic gold medalist and world champion Oliver Zeidler has claimed victory in the inaugural head-to-head rowing duel in Berlin, defeating Dutch rower Simon van Dorp. The 28-year-old Zeidler dominated the nearly 2,300-meter course along the Spree River, outpacing van Dorp, the Paris 2024 bronze medalist, on the challenging and unfamiliar curving waterway. Cheered on by an enthusiastic crowd lining the riverbanks, Zeidler secured a decisive win, collecting the total winner’s trophy. Total prize money was €10,000.

Oliver Zeidler: “It was a tough, demanding race. But halfway through, I found my rhythm and felt great. This win was the cherry on top of an incredible season,” said Zeidler after the race.

Photo credit: Jo Karg/ World Sculling Finals

Coverage

The world was watching. On October 12th, Olympic and World Champion Oliver Zeidler faced Simon van Dorp, the Netherlands’ rowing powerhouse, in a high-stakes, head-to-head duel in the heart of Berlin. Watch the coverage:

The Ultimate Rowing Race

It was a stunning revival of the historic “World Sculling Championship” duel format, Zeidler and van Dorp—both towering figures in rowing—went stroke for stroke in a contest that promises to be nothing short of spectacular.

Oliver Zeidler

World Champion and Olympic Champion Paris 2024

Simon van Dorp

Vice World Champion and Bronze Winner Olympics Paris 2024

Berlin

The decision to hold this monumental race in Berlin, with the prominent Reichstag as its backdrop, adds a sense of grandeur and drama to this epic shoppen . Zeidler and van Dorp, two of the strongest men in the sport, had an epic duel at the Göttersee in Lucerne just before the Olympics, dominating both the rowing ergometer and on the water. This duel isn’t just about speed—it’s about glory and honour.