A Finals ? BearingPoint Rowing World Cup, Munich

Despite the home crowd advantage not everything went Germany’s way during the Finals of the second BearingPoint Rowing World Cup in Munich, Germany. Despite this being their first international race this season, Italy’s lightweight men showed their depth. Some boats raced for a spot on their World Championship team. Some boats raced to win a medal. Some boats were just happy to make a World Cup Final.

Lightweight single Benedicte Luzy of France prepares to start

Lightweight Women’s Single Scull

Slow times reflected the head wind conditions for the first A-Final of the day made tricky by these scullers having to weigh less than 59 kilos and thus less mass to push into the breeze. Benedict Luzuy of France handled the start the best with just a smidgen of a lead over Daniela Nachzelova of the Czech Republic. But then a big push by Great Britain’s number two sculler, Jennifer Goldsack at the 750-metre mark, propelled her to the lead with Croatia’s experienced Mirna Rajle slipping in behind.

As scullers prepared for the final sprint there was a line of four who all had a chance with Nachazelova having the greatest margin to make up. Rajle used 34 strokes per minute to find the lead, Luzuy finished just behind in second and Nachazelova took the bronze.

Lightweight men’s single sculler Ingo Euler from Germany

Lightweight Men’s Single Scull

Ingo Euler of Germany did it. His decision to leave the double behind and focus on the single paid off in front of his home crowd as he scored his first Rowing World Cup gold medal and he did it in fine form. At the start Euler had a slim lead over Italy before young Zac Purchase of Great Britain found his feet and moved into second. Behind Purchase the battle for third was intense. Italy, the Netherlands and Hungary were all going for that final medal. Who could handle the head wind the best?

Coming into the final sprint, Gerard van der Linden of the Netherlands had found the bronze and as the stroke rates rose Euler remained in the lead with Purchase holding on to second and van der Linden taking a well-deserved bronze.

 

Felipe Leal Atero and Miguel Cerda Silva of Chile race in the lightweight men’s pair

Lightweight Men’s Pair

Finishing times continued to be slow especially in this race as the head wind picked up. The World Best Time in this event has recently been revised and Ireland can now claim their 1994 6.26 as being the fastest in the world. No one was breaking that record here today, in fact, winners Italy were almost a minute slower. This is how the Italians did it.

Egypt got off to their signature roaring start but soon slipped back to second when Chile’s Felipe Leal and Miguel Cerda moved into the lead. But the Chileans couldn’t hold on to their lead for long. As the boats passed through the 1,500-metre mark Italy’s Salvatore Amitrano and Catello Amarante were showing that they had the stamina. Taking it through to the line Italy wins gold with Chile holding on to silver and Great Britain’s second crew having just enough in the tank to get the bronze.

Lightweight Men’s Quad

Three entries with two of them Italian did not leave much to the imagination and that’s just how the race panned out. Italy One took the lead at the start, France slipped into second and Italy Two fell right off the pace in third. Still Italy One kept the pressure on right until the end despite creating a yawning gap over France in second.

Women’s pair crew from New Zealand: Nicky COLES and Juliette HAIGH

Women’s Pair

This race was brought forward to help out the Australian entries who will be racing in the eight later today. With three Australian crews and one New Zealand the Germans and Belarusians can’t be blamed for thinking they were breaking in on an Australasian party. But the Germans gave it a go. Their fast start however didn’t hold. By the 750-metre mark Juliette Haigh and Nicky Coles of New Zealand had taken over rating a steady 35 strokes per minute. Australian’s second crew of Pauline Frasca and Robyn Selby Smith then took up chase with their third crew of Emily Martin and Fleur Chew following suit.

As the home straight came into range New Zealand looked relaxed and willing to drop their rating while the two Australian crews looking exhausted. The order remained the same. New Zealand had done their hard work earlier on and win gold leaving Australia to fill the two remaining medal spots.

Women’s single sculler Ekaterina Karsten from Belarus

Women’s Single Sculls

Belarus’s Ekaterina Karsten has been used to winning the single ever since her junior days 15 years ago. That’s what motivates her. Against some new competition today at Munich Karsten made easy work of her race after reeling in a fast starting Caroline Evers-Swindell of New Zealand.

With the Belarusian in the lead and settling into a long, strong 29 strokes per minute, Mirka Knapkova of the Czech Republic moved easily into second. The real race would have to be for bronze and it was the two sisters, taking time out from their double, Caroline and Georgina Evers-Swindell who filled this role. Caroline decided to keep her rating just above 30, while Georgina’s rating sat just below.

Meanwhile Karsten had open water over Knapkova and both felt no need to do more than 26 to 27 strokes per minute. This was no Olympic Final for them. This left it up to the Evers-Swindells to create the excitement as they battled head to head. In the final sprint George had more in reserve slipping into the bronze medal spot with Karsten in first and Knapkova in second in a repeat of Munich 2004.

Men’s Single Sculls

Single sculling stalwart Valclav Chalupa of the Czech Republic won here last year. But in his 17th season things haven’t been going his way. Fellow countryman Ondrej Synek took over Chalupa’s role as top Czech sculler and today Chalupa couldn’t find his way into the medals.

Instead it was local favourite and 2002 World Champion Marcel Hacker who took to the front of the field over New Zealand’s Mahe Drysdale. But Eton winner Synek used a piece at the 750-metre to overtake Hacker and Drysdale. He then tried to hold them off as Norway’s Olympic Champion, Olaf Tufte, tried to get in on the action. Tufte plans his season around peaking for the World Championships so his lack of speed-work was showing as he slipped back with Hacker pushing on.

Coming into the final sprint Synek had the edge over Hacker who was holding off Drysdale. Taking his rating up to 37 Hacker charged for the line. To the cheers of the crowd Hacker pulled it off. Meanwhile a stumble by Synek 10 metres from the finish allowed Drysdale to take silver with Synek, a long way ahead of Chalupa, in third. Will Chalupa now join a team boat? Will the collapsed Hacker work on lactic acid tolerance? Will Drysdale continue to improve as he puts the water-ski accident further into his past? The final World Cup in Lucerne will give the answers.

Men’s pair crew from New Zealand: Nathan TWADDLE and George BRIDGEWATER

Men’s Pair

Anything can happen during the 250-plus strokes that make up a 2,000-metre rowing race and they did in the pair. Olympic silver medallists Niksa and Sinisa Skelin of Croatia won at Eton and looked to be doing the same here today in Munich. They crept out ahead of Great Britain with Nathan Twaddle and George Bridgewater of New Zealand sitting in third. Around the 750-metre mark the Brits hit a buoy and dropped back giving the Twaddle and Bridgewater a chance to push through. Rating a higher 35 over Croatia’s 32 the New Zealanders were gaining. A piece at 1’250 metres had the New Zealanders within striking distance of the Skelins and as the last 500 metres came into range the Kiwis continued to make gains. Taking their rating to 37 Twaddell and Bridgewater overtook the Croatians then decided to dominate. Clocking 42 as they rowed their last metres Croatia couldn’t compare and slipped into second. Last year’s Munich Champions, Italy pulled out a sprint to finish with bronze.

At the end Twaddle indicated his intentions to aim for Beijing. Did Munich give us a taste of the 2008 Olympics?

A back injury for Germany’s Jan Herzog put them out of the race. They will have to test themselves at Lucerne next month.

Women’s Double Sculls

A repeat of Eton? Almost. As planned Bulgaria’s top single sculler Rumyana Neykova took her boat, with partner Miglena Markova into the lead and that’s where they remained. But aiming to upset the status quo was Amber Bradley and Sally Kehoe of Australia. Charged up from yesterday’s repechage Kehoe and Bradley weren’t giving the Bulgarians much breathing room. Behind them Eton silver medallists Germany were trying to hold on.

A shocking third 500 by Australia let Christiane Huth and Britta Oppelt of Germany pull into second before the Aussies found their rhythm again. As the line came into view Bradley and Kehoe had the best sprint going, reeled in the Germans and went after the Bulgarians. At the line Bulgaria remained in first, Australia in second and Germany slipped back to third.  

Men’s Double Sculls

German’s Christian Schreiber and Rene Burmeister redeemed themselves after their disappointing 2004 season. Today they led from start to finish and in the process earned eight World Cup points for their country. Luca Ghezzi and Federico Gattinoni of Italy, however, kept the Germans honest. Being pushed by Ukraine’s Dmitro Prokopenko and Volodimir Pavlovskij, Italy remained within striking distance of the Germans.

As Ukraine slipped back, Germany’s only threat was coming from Ghezzi and Gattinoni.

Men’s Four

Unlike last year’s Canadian-Great Britain-Germany rivalry, this year in the men’s four is shaping up to be, well, pedestrian. Great Britain’s new line-up look to be untouchable and in today’s Final, with only 200 metres rowed, no one touched them. Stroke Andy Hodge’s quick nail bite at the start before taking his crew to a clear water lead must be the secret. Only 400 metres had been rowed and already no one was going to get close to the Brits. Germany’s Technical Director, Michael Mueller, watching his crew, made little sounds of discontent and then fell silent.

Great Britain hummed along easily at a 33 stroke rate leaving Italy to slip into second with Ireland taking up third. The Irish crew is a mixture of scullers and sweep rowers put together by new head coach Harald Jahrling. It seems to be working. An appreciative clap with a German dog howling her disappointment welcomed Great Britain to the finish line with Italy remaining in second and Ireland forced to take their rating to 40 strokes per minute to hold off Germany’s Under-23 crew.

At the finish Great Britain’s two seat Peter Reed commented, “It is so easy. I love being here in Munich.”

Lightweight Women’s Double Sculls

With Germany’s number one crew out of action due to injury it was up to Berit Carow and Laura Tasch of Germany Two to take up the reigns. But Poland had different ideas. Jumping out to an early lead Poland got their nose ahead of an equally fast-starting Sanna Sten and Minna Nieminen of Finland.

By the half-way point it was a tight three-way horse race with Finland just ahead of Poland who in turn was barely ahead of Germany. Sten and Nieminen must have decided this was their race and managed to inch slightly away from Poland.

As the finish line came into view all three leading crews began to sprint. Finland held on to 37 strokes per minute with Poland at 38 while an exhausted Germany struggled at 35. At the line they all looked exhausted. At the line they all waited in silence for the final result. Finland secured their first World Cup gold medal in a good long time. Germany held on to second and Poland had to be satisfied with third.

After the finish Carow commented that it was a strange feeling being the number two crew, “We are not rowing at the World Rowing Championships, so we really enjoyed rowing here in Munich.”

Lightweight Men’s Double Sculls

A year ago in Munich Italy’s Elia Luini and Leonardo Pettinari rowed together to gold. Today they rowed with new partners, both hoping to be the World Championship crew.

Luini, with ex-Portuguese Bruno Mascarenhas in Italy One, took an early lead rating a solid 37 strokes per minute followed closely by Joerg Lehnigk and Manuel Brehmer of Germany. Last year Brehmer was also in this race but was paired with today’s single winner Ingo Euler. Last year Brehmer finished second, but today going through the half-way point they were in the lead.

No one challenged at the 1,000-metre mark looking content to stay where they were. Then at 1,100 metres Italy Two of Leonardo Pettinari and Stefano Basalini did a big push and nudged into first. With 500 metres left to row Luini had a huge amount of water to make up if he was going to reach Italy Two. The sprint was on.

Pettinari’s push had given his crew enough margin and they couldn’t be caught. Luini took the rating to 39 but remained in third with Brehmer winning silver – again. On the winner’s pontoon after the finish Mascarenhas played the peacemaker between Luini and Pettinari managing to get a smile out of the disappointed Luini. Pettinari admitted, “After Athens we (Pettinari and Luini) tried some new partners. I now really, really enjoy rowing with Stefano.”

Lightweight Men’s Four

This event is definitely in the rebuilding stage as countries try out new combinations and bring young talent into the boats. Betting on a winner would have been tricky. But emerging out of the rebuilding dust is France. They aggressively grabbed this race in the opening metres and never looked back. Germany’s number two crew put up a bit of a fight but didn’t have the stamina to maintain it. Then Ireland attempted a challenge, but the French remained in the lead.

Coming into the final sprint Ireland and Germany One were neck and neck rating 40 and 37 respectively. First Germany pulled into second, then Ireland. At the line a photo finish for second had Germany win by a smidgen. France takes gold and Ireland bronze.

Success for Australia’s eight

Women’s Eight

The six crews in the women’s eight squeezed into the programme earlier to make room for the 500-metre “Sprint for the Cure” charity race later in the day between the United States eight and Germany’s eight.

At the start the US got off to a cracking pace leading for the first half of the race. They had finished second in yesterday’s Saturday final and today wanted first. But the Netherland’s, who finished a very close third on Saturday, had the US in their sights and with 500 metres left to row the Dutch, then Australia, had pulled ahead. Australia, who finished last at Eton, must have had a great three weeks of training and had worked their way to the head of the pack to go head to head with a revved up Dutch crew. Coming into the final sprint, Australia, rating 36, then 37, then 39, pushed past the Netherlands to take gold. The Dutch win silver and the USA gain five World Cup points for their country by winning bronze.

Great Britain’s quad retain World Cup leader status

Women’s Quadruple Sculls

After yesterday’s race for lanes Great Britain looked to be the crew to beat and they spared no one to show that, yes, that was the case. The British early lead just got bigger and bigger leaving the United States and Ukraine to vie for the final two medal spots. Tucked inside the US boat were a couple of Olympic silver medallists from the eight and the experienced Kelly Salchow. But Ukraine’s three Olympians were giving the US a run for their money.

In the final 500 metres the US had the bigger sprint but Ukraine remained in silver position with the British-winning gold. Surprisingly at the back of the field were the two German entries out of the medals in an event they used to dominate.

Men’s Quadruple Sculls

There must be something about training in Eastern Europe that lends itself to fast quads. Today Slovenia, Poland and the Czech Republic took over the top three spots and moved together away from the rest of the field.

Slovenia took an early lead and let the Czech Republic and Poland work out who wanted silver the most. Going through the half-way point it was still too close to call with a rating of 36 seeming to be the universal choice. As the line came into view Slovenia, stroked by single and double sculler Iztok Cop, still had the lead. Poland found silver leaving the Czech Republic with bronze.

Men’s Eight

It took them a year to get to this point, but their persistence has paid off. Italy has won a World Cup gold in the eight. In the process they broke the German’s 2005 winning streak and gave themselves the confidence they needed. Here’s how the race unfolded?

Germany’s early lead soon disappeared as Italy moved up a gear and got in front. But Germany held on. Coming into the final sprint Italy remained in front with Russia charging for the line. A photo finish between Russia and Germany had the unlucky Germans in third with Russia elated by their silver and the crowd happy for gold medal success of Italy, stroked by the blue-eyed Carlo Mornati.

RELATED LINKS
World Cup Standings
Detailed Results
Top 10 rowers of 2004

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