Return to Dominance in the Coxless Pair

Croatian rowing icons Martin Sinkovic and Valent Sinkovic are set to begin their latest campaign with a strategic shift back to the discipline that defined their careers: the men's coxless pair. The brothers, aged 36 and 37 respectively, announced their lineup Monday ahead of their first major test of the season at the World Cup in Seville from May 29 to 31. Last year, they competed in the coxless four alongside brothers Anton and Patrik Loncaric, securing silver at the European Championships. However, that configuration failed to meet their high standards, prompting a return to the duo format where they have historically dominated global rowing.

"Valent expressed a stronger desire for the coxless pair, and it makes sense given the Loncaric brothers can now row together," Martin explained. "We are really enjoying it and happy to be back."

Preparation for Los Angeles 2028

The decision is also calculated with the future in mind, specifically the new sprint race format introduced for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. This format emphasizes technical precision, an area where the Sinkovics remain among the world's elite. Their coach, 74-year-old Nikola Bralic, has adjusted their training regimen to account for age-related changes in explosive power. "I am aware that explosiveness and strength decline with years, so we have intensified work on that," Bralic said. "I believe we will return to the level we held 12 years ago within a year."

The Seville World Cup offers a critical benchmark against top-tier rivals. "The Poles and Serbs are coming, the first and second from the World Championships," Valent noted. "The Dutch are there too. It will be super competition and super races."

Training Disrupted by Algae on Jarun

Despite their elite status, the brothers face mundane logistical hurdles. Training on Jarun lake in Zagreb has been severely hampered by excessive algae growth, which they claim city services have failed to address adequately. Valent criticized the deteriorating conditions: "The state is getting worse every year. For us to row, a machine needs to come every day to collect and clean it, but it doesn't. I don't know what the problem is. We are asking for this to be resolved because we must return here after the World Cup."

Coach Bralic confirmed the impact on their schedule, revealing that a recent session was cut short by half due to the debris. "Today's training was totally impossible," he said. "I am sure the problem is administrative, but we have nowhere else to train. Algae is not just a problem for us, but for the citizens of Zagreb who surely enjoy seeing a clean and tidy Jarun. We all know this won't be fixed until the entire lake is dredged."

With the Seville regatta approaching, the brothers hope to leave the local infrastructure issues behind and focus on reclaiming their place at the pinnacle of the sport.