KNRB Reveals TeamNL Rowing Selection for 2026
After an intensive period during which the annual selection trials took place at the Bosbaan, the Royal Dutch Rowing Federation (KNRB) today reveals the definitive TeamNL Rowing selection for the 2026 season. The squad consists of 38 athletes, including four new entrants, three of whom come from the Talent TeamNL Rowing Development Program.
Below is the selection of women and men, each divided into sculling and sweep rowing groups. Boat line-ups will be announced at a later stage.
Women’s Sculling Group
Name | Rowing Club
Benthe Boonstra | A.A.S.R. Skøll (Amsterdam)
Karolien Florijn | A.S.R. Nereus (Amsterdam)
Lisa Bruijnincx | K.S.R.V. Njord (Leiden)
Margot Leeuwenburgh | K.S.R.V. Njord (Leiden)
Marieke Keijser | A.R.S.R. Skadi (Rotterdam)
Roos de Jong | D.S.R. Proteus-Eretes (Delft)
Tessa Dullemans | D.S.R.V. Laga (Delft)
Willemijn Mulder | D.S.R.V. Laga (Delft)
Women’s Sweep Group
Name | Rowing Club
Bente Paulis | A.S.R. Nereus (Amsterdam)
Claire de Kok | K.S.R.V. Njord (Leiden)
Hermijntje Drenth | R.S.V.U. Okeanos (Amsterdam)
Hannah Heideveld | A.A.S.R. Skøll (Amsterdam)
Ilse Kolkman | G.S.R. Aegir (Groningen)
Linn van Aanholt | A.R.S.R. Skadi (Rotterdam)
Lisanne van der Lelij | A.U.S.R. Orca (Utrecht)
Nika Vos | A.A.S.R. Skøll (Amsterdam)
Tinka Offereins | R.S.V.U. Okeanos (Amsterdam)
Vera Sneijders | E.S.R. Thêta (Eindhoven)
Ymkje Clevering | A.G.S.R. Gyas (Groningen)
Men’s Sculling Group
Name | Rowing Club
Lucas Keijzer | A.S.R. Nereus (Amsterdam)
Mats van Sabben | A.A.S.R. Skøll (Amsterdam)
Melvin Twellaar | G.S.R. Aegir (Groningen)
Percijn van Haeringen | A.A.S.R. Skøll (Amsterdam)
Simon van Dorp | Willem III (Amsterdam)
Thijs Ruiken | K.S.R.V. Njord (Leiden)
Men’s Sweep Group
Name | Rowing Club
Eli Brouwer | U.S.R. Triton (Utrecht)
Finn Florijn | A.S.R. Nereus (Amsterdam)
Gert-Jan van Doorn | A.S.R. Nereus (Amsterdam)
Jan van der Bij | A.A.S.R. Skøll (Amsterdam)
Jorn Salverda | A.A.S.R. Skøll (Amsterdam)
Lennart van Lierop | A.A.S.R. Skøll (Amsterdam)
Mick Makker | A.S.R. Nereus (Amsterdam)
Pieter van Veen | U.S.R. Triton (Utrecht)
Ralf Rienks | D.S.R.V. Laga (Delft)
Rik Rienks | A.S.R. Nereus (Amsterdam)
Sander de Graaf | E.S.R. Thêta (Eindhoven)
Wibout Rustenburg | A.A.S.R. Skøll (Amsterdam)
New Names
With Percijn van Haeringen, Thijs Ruiken, Hannah Heideveld, and Marieke Keijser, the TeamNL Rowing selection includes four new athletes. With the exception of Hannah Heideveld, all of them have progressed from the Talent TeamNL Rowing Development Program. Heideveld recently returned from the United States, where she rowed for Rutgers University in New Jersey.
Marieke Keijser was previously part of the National Rowing Team up to and including the Tokyo Olympic Games. During that period, she became European champion and won Olympic bronze in the lightweight women’s double sculls together with Ilse Paulis.
Martine Veldhuis is also part of the selection but follows a customized training program with individual training sessions and competitions due to her clinical internships.
Marieke Faber, Director of Elite Rowing at the KNRB, said:
“A careful selection process has been completed in which all data from the selection trials was assessed by our technical staff, also taking into account other criteria such as previously delivered performances. I am very much looking forward to the World Championships on home soil, for which we are doing everything possible to enable our athletes to perform at their very best.”
Season 2026
In 2026, the Staatsloterij World Rowing Championships will take place in Amsterdam. For the first time in twelve years, world rowing titles will again be contested in the Netherlands. In the build-up to the World Championships, TeamNL Rowing will compete in two World Cups and participate in three altitude training camps.
Date | Event | Location
13 February – 5 March | Altitude Training Camp | Sierra Nevada, Spain
21 April – 11 May | Altitude Training Camp | Zell am See, Austria
29 – 31 May | World Rowing Cup | Seville, Spain
26 – 28 June | World Rowing Cup | Lucerne, Switzerland
5 July – 9 August | Altitude Training Camp | Obertraun, Austria
24 – 30 August | World Rowing Championships | Bosbaan, Amsterdam
