Adaptive rowers race for gold at Munich World Cup

AS Women’s Single Sculls (ASW1x) – Final

The adaptive finals began with an upset. World Champion Nathalie Benoit of France was the boat in the lead. Instead the lead was well and truly owned by Alla Lysneko of Ukraine. Despite Benoit’s current World Champion title, Lysenko is no slowpoke when it comes to rowing. She holds the World Best Time and is the 2009 World Champion. Today Lysenko left everyone in their wake with Benoit having no chance of breaking into Lysenko’s lead.  A 42 stroke rate totally dominated Benoit’s 39 stroke rate as Benoit pumped along in her red, white and blue boat.

At the finish Lysenko had won by a hefty 14 seconds over the 2000m distance. Benoit took second and Moran Samuel of Israel earned bronze.

Results: UKR, FRA, ISR, POR, HUN, RUS

AS Men’s Single Scull (ASM1x) – Final

This event began with a large field of 18 entries, narrowed down to the final six following this morning’s semi-finals. The semis saw Great Britain’s Tom Aggar (World Champion and World Best Time holder) and Benjamin Houlison of Australia coming through as the strongest boats. Aggar and Houlison slipped into the centre lanes at the start of the 1000m race and took off out of the starters hands.

Initially the pack of six rowers remained reasonably close, but as the metres slipped by Aggar began to open up a lead. The former rugby player, Aggar proved to be far more powerful than the rest of the field and once he got away from the pack, no one could catch him. Aggar again showed that he is the fastest in the world and as World Best Time holder and Olympic and World Champion, Aggar has set the standard that everyone else must aspire to.

Behind Aggar Russia’s Alexey Chuvashev (fourth in 2010) took on Benjamin Houlison and together they charged for the line. Chuvashev gave it his all, making big swings with his head and shoulders and rating 41 strokes per minute. Houlison, rating 35 was not quite keeping up. Chuvashev earns silver and Houlison is the bronze medallist.

Results: GBR, RUS1, AUS1, AUS2, BRA, FRA

TA Mixed Double Sculls (TAMix2x) – Final

Iryna Kyrychenko and Dmytro Ivanov of Ukraine are the reigning World Champions and it looks as if they are on track to repeat this again later this year after today’s win.  Kyrychenko and Ivanov got into the lead at the start with Perle Bouge and Stephane Tardieu of France chasing hard. But the Ukrainians managed to do just enough to stay in the lead and at a 42 stroke rate they were out-stroking France by 7 beats per minute.

Meanwhile Great Britain’s Nicholas and Samantha Scowen had moved on up on the leaders and using long strokes and lots of body swing, they were closing the gap. But the Brits had left it too late. France held on to second with Ukraine taking first.

Results: UKR, FRA, GBR, AUS, ITA, ISR

LTA Mixed Coxed Four (LTAMix4+) – Final

Using a stroke rate of 35 strokes per minute, Great Britain1 led from start to finish. Of the boats in this event, Great Britain looked the most together and the smoothest through the water. Even catching a crab could not stop the British from leading. The crew recovered quickly and remained in the lead.

Germany, who followed in second, looked to be working a lot harder than the leading British crew but they still held on to second over Great Britain’s number two crew. Great Britain1 crossed the line first and looked very satisfied in their position.

Results: GBR1, GER, GBR2, FRA, IRL, UKR