And not one stroke more ? BearingPoint World Cup's afternoon of racing

Sometimes the finish line just doesn’t come soon enough especially if this is your third race of the regatta. That was obvious today as the horn indicating an end to the race and crews stopped instantly ? not one stroke more was to be had.

Knapkova moves onto the final

Women’s Single ? Repechage

Two boats from each repechage would qualify for the final and it was no revelation when last year’s yellow jersey winner, Miroslava Knapkova of the Czech Republic took an early lead and continued to increase the gap between herself and Alina Makhneva of Belarus. Despite keeping well ahead of Sweden in third place, Makhneva showed the pressure of racing 2000 metres, gasping for air at the finish.

The second repechage was all over by the 750-metre mark. With three boats starting and the top two continuing on to the final Denmark could not match the pace. Astrid Jespersen had to yield to the superior speed of Great Britain’s Alex Beever and Nuria Dominguez Asensio of Spain who will continue to the final.

Men’s Single ? Semi-final

An exhausted field follows Germany’s Hacker to the finish in the Men’s single semi final

The action began in the first semi-final with the top two single scullers in the world meeting again. World Champion Marcel Hacker of Germany and sliver medal holder, Iztok Cop of Slovenia paced each other down the course. For the rest of the field it was all about racing for the third and final qualifying spot and it was Ivo Yanakiev of Bulgaria who took up the challenge. Yanakiev is not a new name having finished fifth in the Sydney Olympics. He set his own race keeping well ahead of the next contender.

 

A Swiss single sculler to take over the mantle from Olympic gold medallist, Xeno Mueller may be emerging. Andre Vonarburg looks to be on the up and up in the world of single sculling. He won the Swiss trials last year and although he could not row at the World Championship, Vonarburg is still in the game. Vonarburg led his semi from the start and from lane two kept an eye on the rest of the field.

Vonarburg’s main challenge came from Argentina’s Santiago Fernandez who kept his boat very much in contact going through the middle of the race. But coming up behind the two leading boats was a flying Austrian. Ralph Kreibich was making up for a slow start and challenged through the 1250 metre mark. Fernandez answered the challenge. In the last 400 metres of the race Kreibich continued to sprint into second position while a tired Fernandez held onto third and final qualifying.

Women’s Pair ? Repechage

The aim was the top four spots and the lead changed several times throughout the race, an indication of various race plans and each crew’s will to win. Bulgaria set the pace at the start taking a slight early lead over Katie Hammes and Lianne Nelson of the United States. The Americans then made their move taking Yuliya Bichyk and Natallia Helakh of Belarus with them. Bichyk and Helakh won bronze last year and have been consistent finalists but not always making it to the medals podium.

Germany’s number one crew attacked the field and the duo moved from fifth position into a qualifying third spot. But with 500 metres to go the race was still on. Germany’s number two crew changed gear. In a gusty display of effort Andrea Unger and Bettina McIntyre pushed from fifth position through Bulgaria, then Germany One and then the United States to take second at the line. By that stage Belarus had cemented their first place position leaving USA One in third and Germany One in the final qualifying spot ? fourth.

Men’s Pair ? Repechage

The top two boats advanced to the final in the men’s pair and the Czech Republic made certain that they would be there. Adam Michalek and Petr Imre continue to improve finishing ninth in 2001 and sixth in 2002.  They used a fast start to get an early lead and put them in an enviable position to watch the rest of the field.

And the rest of the field was worth watching. Giedrius Zadeika and Einius Petkus of Lithuania have finished a consistent eighth overall in both 2001 and 2002 and were after the Czechs. But it was the Slovenians that Lithuania had to keep an eye out for. With 400 metres to go Slovenia opened up their sprint and their will to get into a qualifying spot. Lithuania held on denying the Slovenians of a place in the final.

Djordje Visake of the Serbia and Montenegro men’s pair

The second repechage had Germany’s number two crew setting the pace. Jan Westphalen and Tobias Kuehne held a slim lead over Serbia & Montenegro’s Djordje Visacki and Nikola Stojic who come into this event as fifth in the world. But Visacko and Stojic were not happy with the number two spot and inched ahead in the closing metres of the race. Both crews will continue to the final. Special mention must be made of Egypt who held onto the pace but finished in third and qualify for the B-final.

Women’s Double ? Repechage

Ekaterina Karsten is best known for her expertise in the single but today she teamed up with Volha Berazniova to qualify in the double. Karsten and Berazniova of Belarus won bronze in 2001 in this event and their compatibility on the water was obvious. Hungary with Gitta Barz back in the boat after missing Milan kept the Belarusians honest. The two crews went through the half way point neck and neck. But with the top four boats qualifying Hungary took the pressure down and Belarus followed suit finishing the race in long 26 strokes per minute style. The final two qualifying spots went to the United States who finished in third comfortably ahead of Chile in fourth.

Men’s Double ? Semi-final

No doubt about it, Ondrej Synek and Milan Dolecek of the Czech Republic are stamping their name on this season. The duo won silver in Milan last month and today qualified with the fastest time in the first semi-final. Although the Czech’s led from the start they still had to contend with an experienced German crew. Andreas Hajek and Christian Schreiber of Germany know about winning medals and today they had their own cheerleaders in the grandstand complete with football-style banners.

The cheering must have helped the Germans as they held onto their second place ahead of the final qualifiers, Great Britain.

The second semi pulled off the first photo finish of the day. What started off to be a reasonably clear-cut race for the top three spots turned into a panicked race to the line when Austria decided they were not content with being fourth.

Ukraine, Slovenia and Germany Two had been holding onto the qualifying positions up until the 500 to go but Raphael Hartl and Christof Uhl of Austria decided this was it and changed gear. On the line the top four crews were too close for the judges to decide and the photo had to reveal the qualifiers ? Ukraine, Slovenia and Austria.

Men’s Four ? Repechage

Two repechages with the top two crews advancing put the heat on in the men’s four. Slovenia took out the fastest qualifying time followed by Germany’s number two crew and they will be joined by Poland’s number one and two crew in the final.

Lightweight Women’s Double ? Semi-final

The Germans looked to be the favourites coming into this event after easily winning in Milan last month. But the Netherlands keep improving. These two crews rowed a race of their own in the first semi-final as they matched each other stroke for stroke ahead of the rest of the field. A faster finish gave Germany first place with the Dutch right behind them.

This left Spain’s duo to take the third qualifying spot in the faster of the two semis.

Great Britain had an easier time of it in the second semi. Although disappointed by finishing sixth in Milan, today they put themselves into a middle lane in the final by using a fast start to sit just in front of the field. Behind them China, The United States and Denmark were vying for the second and third position and it was disappointment for the Danes who will not advance. The United States duo of Lisa Schlenker and Rachel Anderson finished third behind China and in doing so, according to the US trial system, qualified for the World Championships by making it into the final six boats.

Lightweight Men’s Double ? Semi-final

They began their 2003 international season yesterday and today Greg Ruckman and Steve Tucker of the United Stated threw down the gauntlet to all other doubles by winning the first semi in the fastest qualifying time. In doing so Ruckman and Tucker beat a very experienced German duo and posted a faster time than Milan’s silver medal winners, Hungary.

But the Americans didn’t have the race all their own way. An impressive opening 1000 by Japans entry put Kazushige Ura and Daisaku Takeda in the lead. With USA moving into first, Japan finished in second and Germany also qualified by coming third.

Hungary and Denmark battled it out in the second semi-final pacing each other down the course and taking the top two spots. Meanwhile a fast finish by Spain earned them the final qualifying place and denied Argentina of the honour.

Half of the Dutch lightweight four

Lightweight Men’s Four ? Semi-final

After Chile’s impressive performance in the repechage yesterday, they met the World Champions, Denmark in the semi-final today. Chile held onto the pace but were forced to sit behind the Danes who kept an eye on the field from first position. The United States, who were bronze medallists in Milan, also qualified by finishing in third.

The second semi was decided with 500 metres to go. The Netherlands led the way with Germany and Austria in second and third qualifying spots respectively.

Men’s Quad ? Repechage

The quad had a format of two repechages with position one and two of each advancing to the final and, oh la, la, what a final it will be. These four qualifying boats finished within two seconds of each other and best performance must go to the Swiss. At Milan they finished well out of the medals but today they won their repechage in the fastest qualifying time.

Joining them in the final will be Milan’s gold medal winners, Poland as well as Austria and Belarus.

Men’s Eight ? Repechage

The depth and size of German rowing showed itself today when their number two crew qualified for the final by coming second. Ahead of them Great Britain rowed a consistent, solid race to take first. Also qualifying are the Czech Republic and Egypt.

Women’s Quad

A race for lanes produced an upset today when the United States took first place. Danika Harris, Sarah Jones, Laurel Korholz and Hilary Gehman did this ahead of the German crew packed full of Olympic medallists. And also ahead of winners in Milan, Ukraine who had to contend with fourth behind a newly constituted Great Britain crew.

Women’s Eight

Racing for lanes five boats and 45 bodies lined up in the women’s eight and again Germany showed the depth of their country’s rowing. Almost a repeat of the first World Cup the United States took the lead ahead of Germany. But the surprise third finisher what Germany’s number two crew who finished ahead of Ukraine and Belarus.