Austria Take Lightweight Four in Fabulous Finals

Austria are the new lightweight men’s coxless four world champions after beating World Cup champions Denmark and Olympic champions France in finals at the FISA World Championships in Lucerne, Switzerland.

And the French weren’t the only Olympic champions defeated, with Romania taking the men’s eight from Great Britain and Australia the women’s eight from Romania.

The lightweight four had been billed as a duel between Denmark and France but the Austrians had other ideas.

They had run the Danes close in semifinals, a result that no doubt boosted their confidence.

Denmark lead for the first half of the race, with Austria right beside them in second. But a strong Austrian push in the middle 500 gave them the lead and the race. France moved from last to third in the same 500, eventually snaring bronze behind Denmark.

Australia earned its first world championship gold and ended Romania’s four year grip on the women’s eight.

They led from just after the 500 metre mark and, once in front, refused to be budged. They had three-quarters of a length as they went into the final sprint. That was eaten up by Romania and Germany in the sprint to the line but they still took gold by 1.30 seconds. Romania was second and Germany third.

Romania seemed to be using the same tactics in the men’s eight. They edged in front in the second 500 and held onto their lead in the final sprint.

Early leaders Croatia were always in the picture but had to settle for silver while Germany confirmed it is back among the world’s best eights with bronze.

Olympic champions Great Britain dropped of the medal pace in the second half, finishing fifth behind USA.

One Olympic champion crew proving it was still very much at the top of its field was the German women’s quad.

They showed they were still the best in the event they have dominated since it was first raced at the World Championships in 1985.

They did have to work for their win though, as New Zealand, Australia and the USA challenged them down the course. New Zealand took silver just under a length behind with USA a further length back for bronze.

And the German men made it a double with gold in the men’s quad. The Olympic bronze medallists and former world champions confirmed they are back at the top after some indifferent form over the last two years.

The race was very close. Ukraine led for the first half but eventually settled for fourth. The Netherlands claimed silver for the second year running, pipping Italy who took bronze.

In the lightweight men’s double sculls, Olympic silver medallists Elia Luini and Leonardo Pettinari defeated Olympic and two-time world champions Tomasz Kucharski and Robert Sycz of Poland.

Kucharski and Sycz attempted to come back on the Italians in the third 500 but it was too late and they had to settle for silver. France’s Fabrice Moreau and Thibault Chappelle pulled off a magnificent finish to go from last place to bronze in the final 500 metres.

The win was a much more cut and dried affair in the lightweight women’s double. Olympic silver medallist Claudia Blasberg and Janet Radnuzel of Germany took gold after controlling the race from the word go.

They had almost a length’s lead by the first 500 and never looked back. Poland’s Katarzyna Demianiuk and Ilona Mokronowska took silver after successfully holding off a late charge from bronze medallists Monica Stan and Irina Acsinte of Romania.

There was more Italian sculling success in the lightweight men’s quadruple sculls. Like their counterparts in the lightweight double, they got into the lead early and could look back on the rest of the field battling for the places. Greece took silver with Japan rowing through to take bronze.

Australia broke the senior world’s best time it set during the heats as it took gold in the lightweight women’s quad. Their time of 6:29.68 was 1.83 seconds faster than its world best on Monday.

The Australians were pushed early on by USA but by the 1500 metre mark had an unstoppable lead. USA took silver, with the Netherlands fighting off Italy for bronze.

The French did not have the luxury of an early lead in their gold medal performance in the men’s coxed four. They came from fourth in the final 500 metres to take the race by half a length over Italy.

Great Britain also put in a strong sprint to take bronze over Croatia who had led for the first three quarters of the race.

Ireland continued to impress in lightweight events with gold in the lightweight men’s coxless pair.

Gearoid Towey and Tony O’Connor took gold over Simon Kolkman and Robert Van der Vooren of the Netherlands a day after Ireland swept the lightweight men’s and women’s single sculls titles. Italy’s Massimo Gugliemi and Giuseppe del Gaudio took bronze over Peter Haining and Nick Strange of Great Britain.

Great Britain did take gold in the lightweight women’s coxless pair though with Sarah Birch and Jo Nitsch rowing through race-long leaders Suzanne Walther and Michelle Whitcomb Borkhuiss of USA in the final sprint.

The Americans took silver over Argentina.

Worldrowing.com will feature more news and follow-ups on the World Championships on Monday.