Zeidler wins European gold; German eight takes silver

Oliver Zeidler dominated the European Rowing Championships in Varese, Italy, securing the men's single sculls title with a new championship record. The Olympic champion clocked 6:36.39 minutes in the final, surpassing his own semi-final record and marking his fourth European title.

Zeidler had previously won in 2019, 2021, and 2024. Last year, he skipped the European Championships due to his studies but still managed to win silver at the World Championships despite limited preparation.

The German eight also made a strong comeback, earning a silver medal after a challenging season. Led by Frederik Breuer, the crew narrowly lost to Romania in a thrilling final. Host nation Italy took bronze. Major rowing nations Great Britain and the Netherlands opted out of the European Championships to concentrate on the World Championships in Amsterdam later this month.

Meanwhile, the German women's eight failed to reach the podium, finishing last in a small field, while Romania took gold. Fabio Kress added another silver for the German Rowing Federation in the non-Olympic lightweight men's single sculls.