Competition in the USA

Olympic heroine about to return to her old love

Magdalena Lobnig also relies on two boat handlers for coastal rowing - one of them is her sister Katharina (left)(Bild: Lukas Sinzinger)

Magdalena Lobnig has dedicated herself to coastal rowing after her Olympic bronze medal in Tokyo 2021. "It's much more exciting!" says the rower from Völkermarkt, who will be back in a flat-water boat at the start of the season in April. In the USA, she will be competing for the "rest of the world" in the continental competition.

After the Olympic Games in Paris last year, Magdalena Lobnig announced that she no longer wanted to row on flat water. Instead, she switched to coastal rowing - including double World Championship gold and the founding of the Austrian federation's new coastal base in Völkermarkt. But now Lobnig is about to return to flat water in the very first race of the new year. 

From flat water to the raging sea: Magdalena Lobnig.(Bild: Lukas Sinzinger)

"Just a brief interlude"
As part of the Lenny Peters Cup, she will be competing in the first continental match between the USA and the rest of the world in the USA at the beginning of April. "It's a real honor and really cool that they approached me. But it will only be a short intermezzo - I'm more comfortable with the short distance," emphasizes Lobnig, who will be rowing in the single scull over 1500 m in the new Olympic distance. She also has to compete in the quadruple sculls and the mixed double sculls.

At the training camp in Sabaudia (Italy) last week, she was already back in the flat water boat. "I wanted to get out again after ten kilometers," laughs the 34-year-old. "But then I managed to complete the twelve. But I was also glad when I was back in the coastal boat."

Magdalena Lobnig's training for coastal rowing now also includes sprint training.(Bild: Lukas Sinzinger)

World Championships in Rio de Janeiro
After all, that's where her sporting future lies if she wants to compete in the beach sprint at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. "That's much more exciting. The sea appeals to me much more," says Lobnig. Although the discipline is Olympic, the federation is not (yet) holding its own World Cup series this year. The World Championships will not take place until the fall in Rio de Janeiro. Lobnig will be competing in the regatta series organized by her boat builder "Filippi" in Italy - where there is €20,000 in prize money for overall victory.