The Croatian Coastal Beach Sprint Championship was held on 20 and 21 June 2026 in the waters of Gradsko kupalište in Crikvenica. In this discipline that combines beach running and rowing through waves, our juniors won gold and silver.
Croatian Coastal Beach Sprint Championship · Crikvenica
National championship by the sea
Around 50 competitors from 12 Croatian clubs gathered in Crikvenica to compete for national titles in Coastal Beach Sprint. Veslački klub Jadran Rijeka was the technical host, in cooperation with the Croatian Rowing Federation.
The competition started on Sunday morning with time-trial qualification races, followed by knock-out elimination races. Spectators could see everything that makes this discipline so attractive: running to the boat, launching into the sea, rowing around buoys through waves and sprinting back to the finish.
Gold and silver for VK Neretvanski Gusar
In the junior categories, our rowers achieved an excellent result and reached the podium twice:
- 🥇 Nika Cetina and Roko Mijić — Croatian champions in the junior mixed double, Jmix C2x
- 🥈 Nika Cetina — Croatian vice-champion in the junior women's single, JŽ C1x
In the junior women's single, the Croatian title went to Franka Boc of VK Zagreb, silver to our Nika Cetina, and bronze to Una Grozdanov of VK Jadran Rijeka.
In the junior mixed double, Nika Cetina and Roko Mijić won the national title for VK Neretvanski Gusar. Silver went to Franka Boc and Vito Vidić of VK Zagreb, while Matea Bukša and Domagoj Ožanić of VK Jadran Rijeka won bronze.
Nika and Roko were accompanied in Crikvenica by coach Ivan Rebić and club secretary Davor Gnječ.
Senior winners
In the senior categories, Croatian titles were won by:
- SM C1x — Mihael Girotto, VK Glagoljaš; silver Mate Brandt, HVK Vukovar; bronze Bepo Brate, HVK Mornar
- SŽ C1x — Martina Kaić, VK Trešnjevka; silver Mia Goić, VK Glagoljaš; bronze Mihaela Mihaljević, VK Trešnjevka
- Smix C2x — Mihael Girotto and Mia Goić, VK Glagoljaš; silver Lea Farac and Bepo Brate, HVK Mornar; bronze Martina Kaić and Jonathan Nicosia, VK Trešnjevka
Roko continues with the national team
There is no rest for Roko Mijić after Crikvenica. Immediately after the championship, he continues with a ten-day training camp as part of the Croatian rowing team.
The call-up follows a series of excellent performances, including sixth place in Europe at the U19 Championship in Brandenburg.
Beach Sprint growing in importance
Beach Sprint has been included in the official programme of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, making the discipline increasingly important in Croatian rowing. The competition in Crikvenica once again showed how attractive it can be for both competitors and spectators.
After Crikvenica, we now turn toward our home waters. On Saturday, 11 July 2026, Metković will host the XI Neretva Open, the traditional eights race on the Neretva River, co-organised with the Dalmatian Rowing Association.
Congratulations to Nika and Roko on their medals in Crikvenica, and to all medal winners at the national championship. See you soon on the Neretva!
