Lightweight Men's Pair (LM2-) - Final

Kopac and Vrastil come out of their nation’s Olympic lightweight four and at this year’s European Championships they  finished seventh overall. Today the Czech duo did a big push through the third 500 and gained the lead. Duret and Onfroy, meanwhile, were working their way through the fleet buoyed on by the flat waving roar of support at the finish line. Could they catch the Czech’s?

France hit a 41 stroke rate. The Czech’s were on 40 with Argentina’s Carlo Lauro and Agustin Campassi burning down the outside.  Less than a second separated the top three boats at the finish. Kopac and Vrastil did it. On the medals podium all three crews were full smiles – the French loving the crowd support, the Argentinean’s enjoying their first international medal and the Czech’s cherishing the gold. 

Results: CZE, FRA1, ARG, GBR, FRA3, AUT

Gold – Miroslav Kopacvrastil Jr (CZE)

We felt great. We were disappointed at the European Championships as we came in seventh and wanted more. We are satisfied with this race, we did our best.

Silver – Maxime Labarthe (FRA)

The conditions were perfect for a good performance – the French crowd and the weather. We really felt like it was our race.

Bronze – Agustin Campassi (ARG)

We knew it was going to be a tough race but we had a good last 500 metres. We were happy with the race and it was our first time racing together internationally.

B-final

The Olympic Games going to Rio in 2016 has helped boost rowing in the South American continent. Mexico stepped up a notch today by winning the B-final and finishing seventh overall. Mexico’s Jose Alberto Arriaga and Omar Lopez Leriche came through from the back of the field to pull out a 40 stroke rate sprint which saw them cross the finish line first.

Results: MEX, CHN, FRA2