Olympic Gold Medalist James Rudkin Joins World Dream Team to Race USA for Lenny Peters Cup
High Point, North Carolina - British Olympic gold medalist James Rudkin has joined the World Dream Team to race Team USA for the Lenny Peters Cup in North Carolina on April 12, the LPC Race Committee is pleased to announce.
James was a member of the British Men's Eight crew that won gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
I'm very excited to visit the United States, and especially North Carolina where I've never been before! It will be great to race the best of the USA alongside my International Teammates," says the double Olympic medalist,.
The Lenny Peters Cup sees 8 rowers (4 men & 4 women) from around the world compete against 8 rowers from the United States in a match race format played out in three boat classes: Single Sculls, Quadruple Sculls, and Mixed Quadruple Sculls.
A four time European Champion and two time world champion, James Rudkin has proven himself an incredible partner in team boats throughout his career. He won an Olympic bronze medal in Tokyo in the British men's eight, the same boat that he also won numerous European and World Championships in.
In Paris, James was again a member of the men's eight. this time winning gold, with the Netherlands taking silver and the United States earning bronze.
WATCH THE PARIS OLYMPIC FINAL RACE HERE
James was brought up in a rowing family; his father, Andrew, enjoyed a successful career as a sculler. James first rowed at the age of seven and was mostly coached by his dad throughout his junior years.
His first taste of international rowing was at a GB vs France J16 match, followed by the Coupe de la Jeunesse and then the Junior World Championships.
James then went to Newcastle University to study History and Politics and develop his rowing further under the tutelage of legendary Italian coach Angelo Savarino. His key transition was moving from two blades to one in a program where heavyweight athletes undertook sweep rowing almost exclusively. It clearly paid off as he was selected for three U23 World Rowing Championships, ending with a silver medal in the men’s four in 2016. “If you can move a single, you can move a pair, a four or an eight,” explained James. “If you want to make a good sweep rowing crew, you should definitely know how to scull well”.
In 2022, he won the Grand Challenge Cup at the Henley Royal Regatta in the seven seat of a composite Leander/Oxford Brookes crew. In 2023 again in Leander Club colors, he was at seven in the Leander/Oxford Brookes eight for another Grand Challenge Cup victory.
James is philosophical about his path to success saying above all else though, staying firmly in love with the sport carries the most weight. “The most important thing is to enjoy your rowing,” says James. “Focus on the process and don’t worry too much about the outcome.”
Race director Gene Kininmonth said he is thrilled to have James Rudkin join the world team. "The Lenny Peters Cup is about showcasing the best of rowing to young rowers aspiring to be the champions of tomorrow. James is proof that one can perform successfully at the highest level of sport and yet still have a balanced lifestyle with a future after international rowing. He won Olympic gold in 2024 and is now a manager in the financial serves industry."
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James Rudkin made his Olympic debut in Tokyo where he won Bronze. He went on to win the gold medal in the Men's Eights event at the Paris Olympics.
Team USA is selected by USRowing’s High Performance Director following the US Winter Speed Order event on March 23. The World Team is selected following acceptance of invitations by athletes selected on Olympic results, world rankings, and recent racing results.
What is the format of racing? Scullers will compete in head-to-head competition for points. There are 24 points on offer over the three rounds of racing.
Round One will see each USA athlete race an overseas athlete in the single sculls over the Olympic distance of 1,500 meters with each winner earning one point for their team. The draw for the single sculls races will be randomly assigned.
Round Two: USA will race the World Team in Quadruple Sculls over 1,500m, with the winning male and female crew each winning 4 points.
Round Three: each team races in Mixed Quad Sculls. The winning crews each earn 4 points for their team. In the case of a tie, the winning crew in the final Mixed Quad race will win the Lenny Peters Cup.
The event is held in conjunction with the Bethany Medical North Carolina Rowing Championships, presented by the Lenny Peters Foundation. RP3 Ergometers will sponsor a warm up area - the RP3 ROW ZONE - for rowers on race day.
James Rudkin at the Paris Olympic Games where he won gold in the men's eight. 