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Women’s Eight National Team 2026: Lineup for the First World Cup is Set

29. April 2026

BY Lars Wichert

The Women’s Eight of the German National Rowing Team has started the 2026 season. Following the squad decisions at the German Small Boat Championship, the lineup for the first World Cup at the end of May in Seville is set. AUGLETICS supports the team as main sponsor.

This year, the German Small Boat Championship on the Olympic regatta course Oberschleißheim (Munich) served as the first official assessment for the women’s sweep rowing national team. The final placements in the women’s pair are indicative for the composition of the Eight – the flagship of German women’s rowing. For AUGLETICS as a sponsor, the start of the season is a promising starting point: the team shows unity, new athletes have been integrated, and the next goal is clearly defined.

Lineup for Seville is Set

The first World Cup of the season in Seville is scheduled for the last weekend of May. Before that, the entire national team, including the men’s and sculling boats, will meet for a training weekend where the lineups will be finally reviewed. German champion Lene Mührs described the approach: individual boat classes are compared based on percentages achieved to determine if the lineups make sense. It also serves as a shared preview of the racing season.

New Strengths in the Team: Schendekehl and Greiten Switch to Sweep Rowing

One of the most interesting developments in the women’s sweep squad is the switch of the two Olympic medalists from the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Tabea Schendekehl and Pia Greiten were part of the successful quadruple sculls there, which secured the bronze medal. With the move from sculling to the women’s national eight, the path the German Rowing Federation has taken becomes clear: greater permeability between the discipline groups.

Tabea Schendekehl was already part of the women’s eight last year and thus has experience within the team. Heading into the first World Cup, the 27-year-old will initially form the coxless pair with Luise Bachmann. Pia Greiten, who also comes from the medal-winning four at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, will, however, start the season as a member of the women’s eight.

Olivia Clotten described the integration as straightforward: cooperation in the eight and four is already going well, while the pair is still in the initial adjustment phase.

“Now it’s fun again to be a team – a bit of stress is gone, and you have a new goal to train towards together.”

Boat Line-ups for the World Cup Seville

Tailwind from Oberschleißheim: DKM Provides Clear Assessment

At the German Small Boat Championship on the Olympic regatta course Oberschleißheim – venue of the 1972 Games – the duo Lene Mührs and Hannah Reif (Kettwiger RG / Frankfurter RG Germania) convincingly won the women’s pair.

Mührs simply stated the result: “We achieved our goal.”

HISTORIC DETAIL: FIRST PRIZE FOR WOMEN IN 143 YEARS OF DRV

At the DKM 2026, AUGLETICS donated a special prize for a women’s competition for the first time in the history of the German Rowing Federation: 500 Euros and a trophy for the winners of the women’s pair. Won by Hannah Reif – who comes from the Brandenburg district of Dahme-Spree, the home district of AUGLETICS’ company headquarters.

Women's Eight: Ambitions for the New Olympic Cycle

The Women’s Eight is the flagship of German women’s rowing. Last year, the boat attracted attention at the World Championships: only 17 hundredths of a second separated them from a medal – an award last achieved in 2006 (silver). The team believes it is on the right track. Tabea Schendekehl, after the positive performance at the last World Rowing Championships, clearly outlined the strategy for the upcoming seasons:

“We showed what we are capable of. That was a good start to the new Olympic cycle.”
— Tabea Schendekehl, Bronze Medalist Olympic Games Paris 2024

With the World Cup in Seville as the next stop and a stable squad structure, the team looks optimistically towards the coming months. AUGLETICS supports the Women’s Eight in this endeavor.

About the author

Lars Wichert

Lars Wichert ist Sportwissenschaftler und ehemaliger Leistungssportler im Rudern. Er war 13 Jahre Teil der deutschen Nationalmannschaft. Dabei kann er auf zwei Teilnahmen an den Olympischen Spielen sowie drei Weltmeistertitel zurückblicken. Er war nach seiner Ruderkarriere als Trainer tätig und konnte mit seinem Team die Europameisterschaft gewinnen. Mittlerweile ist er in seiner Freizeit im Triathlon unterwegs und hält dort die Weltbestzeit der Amateure über die Ironman-Distanz. Lars verfügt über das Wissen als Trainer, Leistungssportler und Sportwissenschaftler, sodass sich jeder angesprochen fühlen kann. Sein Ziel ist es, Spaß an der Bewegung zu vermitteln und zu verdeutlichen, dass mit geringem Aufwand viel für die Gesundheit getan werden kann – denn es gibt keine bessere Vorsorge als die in seine eigene Gesundheit. Lars Wichert è uno scienziato dello sport ed ex atleta agonista di canottaggio. Ha fatto parte della nazionale tedesca per 13 anni. Ha partecipato a due Olimpiadi e ha vinto tre titoli mondiali. Dopo la carriera di canottiere, ha lavorato come allenatore e ha vinto il campionato europeo con la sua squadra. Nel tempo libero pratica il triathlon e detiene il record mondiale amatoriale sulla distanza Ironman. Lars dispone delle conoscenze necessarie come allenatore, atleta agonista e scienziato dello sport, in modo da poter soddisfare le esigenze di tutti. Il suo obiettivo è quello di trasmettere il piacere del movimento e di dimostrare che con poco sforzo si può fare molto per la salute, perché non c’è prevenzione migliore che quella della propria salute. Lars Wichert is a sports scientist and former competitive rower. He was a member of the German national team for 13 years. He can look back on two Olympic appearances and three world championship titles. After his rowing career, he worked as a coach and won the European Championship with his team. He now spends his free time competing in triathlons and holds the world record for amateurs over the Ironman distance. Lars has the knowledge as a coach, competitive athlete and sports scientist, so that everyone can feel addressed. His goal is to convey the fun of exercise and to make it clear that a lot can be done for one’s health with little effort – because there is no better prevention than taking care of one’s own health. Lars Wichert est scientifique du sport et ancien athlète de haut niveau en aviron. Il a fait partie de l’équipe nationale allemande pendant 13 ans. Il a participé à deux reprises aux Jeux Olympiques et remporté trois titres de champion du monde. Après sa carrière d’avironneur, il a travaillé comme entraîneur et a remporté le championnat d’Europe avec son équipe. Aujourd’hui, il consacre son temps libre au triathlon et détient le record mondial amateur sur la distance Ironman. Lars dispose des connaissances nécessaires en tant qu’entraîneur, athlète de haut niveau et scientifique du sport, ce qui lui permet de s’adresser à tout le monde. Son objectif est de transmettre le plaisir de bouger et de montrer qu’il est possible de faire beaucoup pour sa santé avec peu d’efforts, car il n’y a pas de meilleure prévention que celle de sa propre santé.

Lars Wichert

Lars Wichert ist Sportwissenschaftler und ehemaliger Leistungssportler im Rudern. Er war 13 Jahre Teil der deutschen Nationalmannschaft. Dabei kann er auf zwei Teilnahmen an den Olympischen Spielen sowie drei Weltmeistertitel zurückblicken. Er war nach seiner Ruderkarriere als Trainer tätig und konnte mit seinem Team die Europameisterschaft gewinnen. Mittlerweile ist er in seiner Freizeit im Triathlon unterwegs und hält dort die Weltbestzeit der Amateure über die Ironman-Distanz. Lars verfügt über das Wissen als Trainer, Leistungssportler und Sportwissenschaftler, sodass sich jeder angesprochen fühlen kann. Sein Ziel ist es, Spaß an der Bewegung zu vermitteln und zu verdeutlichen, dass mit geringem Aufwand viel für die Gesundheit getan werden kann – denn es gibt keine bessere Vorsorge als die in seine eigene Gesundheit. Lars Wichert è uno scienziato dello sport ed ex atleta agonista di canottaggio. Ha fatto parte della nazionale tedesca per 13 anni. Ha partecipato a due Olimpiadi e ha vinto tre titoli mondiali. Dopo la carriera di canottiere, ha lavorato come allenatore e ha vinto il campionato europeo con la sua squadra. Nel tempo libero pratica il triathlon e detiene il record mondiale amatoriale sulla distanza Ironman. Lars dispone delle conoscenze necessarie come allenatore, atleta agonista e scienziato dello sport, in modo da poter soddisfare le esigenze di tutti. Il suo obiettivo è quello di trasmettere il piacere del movimento e di dimostrare che con poco sforzo si può fare molto per la salute, perché non c'è prevenzione migliore che quella della propria salute. Lars Wichert is a sports scientist and former competitive rower. He was a member of the German national team for 13 years. He can look back on two Olympic appearances and three world championship titles. After his rowing career, he worked as a coach and won the European Championship with his team. He now spends his free time competing in triathlons and holds the world record for amateurs over the Ironman distance. Lars has the knowledge as a coach, competitive athlete and sports scientist, so that everyone can feel addressed. His goal is to convey the fun of exercise and to make it clear that a lot can be done for one's health with little effort – because there is no better prevention than taking care of one's own health. Lars Wichert est scientifique du sport et ancien athlète de haut niveau en aviron. Il a fait partie de l'équipe nationale allemande pendant 13 ans. Il a participé à deux reprises aux Jeux Olympiques et remporté trois titres de champion du monde. Après sa carrière d'avironneur, il a travaillé comme entraîneur et a remporté le championnat d'Europe avec son équipe. Aujourd'hui, il consacre son temps libre au triathlon et détient le record mondial amateur sur la distance Ironman. Lars dispose des connaissances nécessaires en tant qu'entraîneur, athlète de haut niveau et scientifique du sport, ce qui lui permet de s'adresser à tout le monde. Son objectif est de transmettre le plaisir de bouger et de montrer qu'il est possible de faire beaucoup pour sa santé avec peu d'efforts, car il n'y a pas de meilleure prévention que celle de sa propre santé.