2005 BearingPoint Rowing World Cup opener with a twist

Do you remember that race at the Sydney Olympics when Great Britain’s Sir Steve Redgrave scored his fifth consecutive Olympic gold? If not, don’t fear. The crew will re-enact the race next month at the first BearingPoint Rowing World Cup in Eton, England.

The coxless four of Sir Steve Redgrave, Sir Matthew Pinsent, James Cracknell and Tim Foster will reunite for the first time since their victory in 2000 and they have managed to convince their competitors from the Sydney Olympic final to join them.

British rowing news announced that all three medallist crews from the race – Great Britain, Italy and Australia – will be competing with the exception of one crew member from the Australian four whose wife is due to give birth at around the same date.  New Zealand, Slovenia and the USA are also working on entering.

The British four plan to dust off the same boat that carried them to the Sydney win from its present spot at the River and Rowing Museum in Henley to get in some pre-race practice.
Allowance for the competitors’ increased ages and retirements has the race distance shortened in length. “The course is 500 metres rather than 2000 metres and that’s a big plus point for us,” Redgrave told British Rowing News. “Our hands are softer and so are our biceps,” added Pinsent.

“We’ve been planning a get-together for five years now,” said Foster. “I originally thought that would mean a curry house and a few beers. Now it’s going to be in a boat.”

When the British team takes to the water for a spot of training it will be the first time Redgrave will have sat in a boat in two years while teammates Pinsent and Cracknell raced to gold last year at Athens. Foster remains tied up with rowing, but since 2000, as a coach.

Italy’s four has two members that competed at Athens. Carlo Mornati and Lorenzo Carboncini raced in the men’s eight that won the B-final. Riccardo Dei Rossi and Valter Molea have both retired from international rowing, their last race being at the Sydney Olympics.

Three of Australia’s crew, Geoff Stewart, James Stewart and Bo Hansen, won bronze at Athens while team mate Ben Dodwell finished his rowing career after Sydney 2000.

The Legends Sprint will be part of Eton’s BearingPoint Rowing World Cup main finals day programme on Saturday 28 May and will be raced as a fundraiser for the World Food Programme.

For more information on the event go to: www.wrc2006.com

The World Rowing team values feedback.