Global Super-Team Unveiled: World Team Announces Roster of Olympic Champions for 2026 Lenny Peters Cup

Global Super-Team Unveiled: World Team Announces Roster of Olympic Champions for 2026 Lenny Peters Cup

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact:

Gene Kininmonth

Event Director, Lenny Peters Cup

gene@triadunitedrowing.com

Global Super-Team Unveiled: World Team Announces Roster of Olympic Champions for 2026 Lenny Peters Cup

HIGH POINT, NC — The World Team has officially announced the international "Dream Team" that will travel to North Carolina to compete in the 2026 Lenny Peters Cup on Saturday, April 18, 2026. Representing five nations—Great Britain, Canada, Austria, Serbia, and Brazil—this roster features some of the most decorated athletes in modern rowing, including five Olympic medals and over a dozen World Championship titles.

The competition will follow a high-stakes Ryder Cup-style format at Festival Park on Oak Hollow Lake. With Team USA hungry for a comeback, the World Team has assembled a lineup specifically designed to dominate the match-race sprints.

 

The World Team Roster

The Returning Veterans

Only two members from the 2025 winning squad return to defend the Cup, providing the essential leadership and course knowledge needed to navigate the Oak Hollow waters:

  • James Rudkin (Great Britain): A 2024 Olympic Gold Medalist in the Men’s Eight and a 2020 Olympic Bronze Medalist. Rudkin is a double World Champion and four-time European Champion. Having successfully transitioned to a career in financial services post-Paris, he remains one of the world's premier power-producers in team boats.

     

  • Magdalena Lobnig (Austria): A three-time Olympian and the first Austrian woman to win an Olympic rowing medal (Bronze, Tokyo 2020). Lobnig holds the World Cup record in the single sculls and is the reigning World Champion in Coastal Rowing, making her the ultimate tactical threat in the match-race format.

     

The International Debutants

Six world-class athletes make their Lenny Peters Cup debuts, bringing fresh speed from the 2024 Olympic finals and 2025 World Cup circuit:

  • Sholto Carnegie (Great Britain): A 2024 Olympic Gold Medalist and two-time World Champion in the British Eight. A Yale University standout and Henley Royal Regatta champion, Carnegie is a master of both sweep and sculling at the elite level.

     

  • Avalon Wasteneys (Canada): A dominant force in women’s rowing with an Olympic Gold (Tokyo) and Silver (Paris) in the Canadian Eight. A former competitive cross-country skier, Wasteneys is known for her immense endurance and "stroke seat" composure.

     

  • Martin Mačković (Serbia): A two-time Olympian and 2025 World Cup gold medalist in the double sculls. A standout alumnus of UC Berkeley, Mačković is a technical specialist in small-boat racing.

     

  • Nikolaj Pimenov (Serbia): A 2024 Olympian who recently secured silver in the double sculls at the 2025 World Championships. Pimenov is renowned for his aggressive racing style and high-cadence finishes.

 

  • Katie Clark (Canada): The 2025 Rowing Canada Senior Athlete of the Year. After a standout collegiate career at UBC, Clark has surged onto the international scene, recently placing 4th in the single sculls at the 2025 World Cup in Lucerne.

     

  • Beatriz Tavares (Brazil): A 2024 Olympian and the reigning South American Champion in the women’s single sculls. Tavares brings explosive sprint speed and a fierce competitive record from the Pan American circuit.

The Race Format & Stakes

The World Team will look to secure 14 total points across eight races:

  • Women’s & Men’s Singles: 1 pt each (4 total)

  • Women’s & Men’s Doubles: 2 pts each (4 total)

  • Mixed Quad Scull DASHES: 3 pts each (6 total)

“This isn't just a group of great rowers; it’s a collection of the best athletes on the planet,” said Gene Kininmonth, Race Director. “With five Olympic medals in one boat, the World Team is the statistical favorite, but the Ryder Cup format at Oak Hollow often rewards the boldest racers over the biggest resumes.”

Event Details:

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