Day Two Continues at the BearingPoint Rowing World Cup

Argentina’s Morales second in the semi
© Getty Images/Gary Prior

By Melissa Bray

Cool temperatures, sporadic rain, flat water and occasional slight tail winds was the story for this afternoon’s assortment of semi-final, repechage and preliminary final racing.

Women’s Single Sculls Semi-final

The hard work all happened in the first half of the race as three of the fastest women in the world sorted out their positions. Germany’s Kathrin Rutschow-Stomporowski, Mirka Knapkova of the Czech Republic and Rumyana Neykova of Bulgaria demonstrated their superiority by shutting out the rest of the field in the opening strokes of the race. Rutschow-Stomporowski was in the lead, Knapkova followed and World Champion Neykova sat in third. Knapkova has been sitting in the shadows of Rutschow-Stomporowski and Neykova for the last couple of years, but today she showed courage.

Knapkova grabbed the lead from Rutschow-Stomporowski going through the middle of the race and led this talent-packed field. Rutschow-Stomporowski, however, did not want to finish second and with 600 metres to go the German pulled back into the lead. There was little in the way of a final sprint with Germany rating 28 strokes per minute at the front. Knapkova finished in second and Neykova in third. All boats move on to the final.

Ekaterina Karsten of Belarus led the second semi but had a tougher time of it, when Irina Fedotova of Russia went after the Belarusian with confidence. Fedotova was very much in touch with the leader at the 500-metre mark and was still within striking distance through the middle part of the race. Karsten, however, stayed on her game through the third 500 and got just enough of a lead to feel a little more comfortable going into the final sprint. Rating 30 strokes per minute Karsten crossed the line first followed by Fedotova.

Meanwhile Switzerland’s fastest woman, Carolina Luethi, was rating 36 strokes and holding on to third position. She had been in third for the entire race and the crowd loved it. Luethi moves on to the final with Karsten and Fedotova. 

M1x Fernandez Argentina
© Getty Images/Gary Prior

Men’s Single Sculls Semi-final

Vaclav Chalupa of the Czech Republic is on a roll. He won at Munich last month and today led the first semi-final over World Champion Olaf Tufte of Norway. Chalupa has been working on getting out of the blocks quicker and today he did exactly that. Ahead of Tufte in the opening strokes of the race, Chalupa kept the pressure on by maintaining a very consistent pace. Tufte, in second, was in touch but unable to overtake. Both boats rated in the low thirties coming into the final sprint.

Behind the two leaders Santiago Fernandez of Argentina held doggedly on to the final qualifying spot. Fernandez is preparing for his third Olympics and today, although not quite within striking distance of the two leaders, Fernandez was still close to the pace. Along with Chalupa and Tufte, Fernandez moves on to the final.

Marcel Hacker of Germany led the second semi from the start ahead of Nils-Torolv Simonsen of Norway and Andre Vonarburg of Switzerland. Simonsen recently qualified for Athens in the double but his partner had to head back to Norway for a job interview leaving Simonsen to race the single. Simonsen’s strategy must have been to stick with Hacker and for half of the race that is exactly what he did. Meanwhile Hacker’s former training partner, Vonarburg, was just holding on to third over Switzerland’s second sculler Reto Niedermann. About 50 metres before the line Hacker finally felt comfortable enough to button off with Simonsen finishing second and Vonarburg qualifying ahead of Niedermann in third. 

 

 

Women’s pair repechage
© Getty Images/Gary Prior

Women’s Pair Repechage

Five crews lined up with four moving on to the final and the qualifying decision was made very early on in the piece when Russia’s second crew dropped off the pace. It thus came down to a race for pride and 2001 and 2002 World Champions, Romania decided they wanted to be at the front. Georgeta Andrunache and Viorica Susanu finished first in Poznan in May but had to race today’s repechage after being beaten by Belarus in the heat. With 500 metres down Romania, using a long reaching, rocking style, had clear water over World Champions, Cath Bishop and Katherine Grainger of Great Britain. Bishop and Grainger looked content to sit in second but still pulled out a final sprint of 35 strokes per minute. The leading order did not change with Russia number one finishing third and Germany also qualifies from fourth position.

 

Men’s Pair Semi-final

Semi-final one saw the return of Croatia. Niksa and Sinisa Skelin missed Munich so met Italy’s Giuseppe De Vita and Dario Lari for the first time today. The Skelin’s were prepared. They knew about the fast starts of the Italians and took De Vita and Lari on at their own game. Croatia had their nose just in front with 500 metres down and retained the pressure. With half of the race gone Croatia still held on to the lead although it was rather tenuous. Both boats sprinted for the line with the Skelin’s rating 36 to the Italian’s 37 strokes per minute. Croatia remained in front.

Toby Garbett and Rick Dunn are the new pair combination for Great Britain and they are trying to retain the prominence of the pair for their country. Today they improved on their Munich finish by moving on to the final from third position.

In the second semi-final Canada’s David Calder and Kyle Hamilton put themselves in an easy position for tomorrow’s final. Calder and Hamilton established an early lead by charging out of the starting blocks. With only 500 metres down the Canadians had more than a boat length lead over Germany’s Gregor Hauffe and Toni Seifert and even more over the rest of the field. Half of the race was over and Canada had extended this lead as Walter Naneder and Marcos Morales of Argentina pushed into second.

Coming into the final sprint Canada and Argentina remained at the head of the field. The real battle meanwhile was going on for the final qualifying spot. Germany’s third spot was being threatened by a sprinting New Zealand and Germany knew it. Taking the rating up to 40 strokes per minute Hauffe and Siefert were holding on. New Zealand, at 43, ran out of metres and Germany got to qualify by less than one tenth of a second.

Women’s Double Sculls Repechage

A top two finish was necessary in each of the two repechages to move on to the final. Repechage one opened with Ala Piotrowski and Carol Skricki of the United States leading the way. But there was nothing between the top three crews as Germany’s second crew of Marita Scholz and Christiane Huth and Australia retained the pace. As the race progressed past the boat park and into the last 750 metres, the United States and Germany had moved away from Australia with Germany aiming for the lead. Scholz and Huth remained in front with the United States qualifying from second.

Ironically the United States missed out on qualifying for the Olympics earlier this week, but today they beat Australia who will go on to Athens.

The second repechage recorded the faster times when Great Britain’s Sarah Winckless and Elise Laverick went head to head with Elisabetta Sancassani and Gabriella Bascelli of Italy. Winckless and Laverick had the upper hand at the start and were holding off Russia when Sancassani and Bascelli started to move. The Italians pushed past Russia and went after Great Britain and with 500 metres to go Italy had the lead. Sancassani and Bascelli, both at 21 years old, have been together since 2002 and already have a World Championship medal to their name. They retained the lead stroking 34 as the Brits took their rating up to 37. But the order did not change. Both boats move on to the final.  

M2x Cuba
© Getty Images/Gary Prior

Men’s Double Sculls Semi-final

Italy’s Alessio Sartori and Rossano Galtarossa and Iztok Cop and Luka Spik of Slovenia left the starting blocks together with the advantage slightly pointing to the Slovenians. Milan Dolecek and Ondrej Synek of the Czech Republic remained solidly in third. Cop and Spik finished second to Sartori and Galtarossa in Munich last month, but today the duo was still in the lead with half of the race completed. However, this was about to change. Moving through the 1200 metre mark, Italy pulled out a piece that took them into the lead. Slovenia held on and into the final sprint both boats were pacing each other, rating 35 strokes per minute. Italy remained in front. Sartori and Galtarossa move on to the final along with Slovenia and the Czech Republic.

Current World Champions, Sebastien Vieilledent and Adrien Hardy of France did not have an easy time of it in the second semi. Coming out of the blocks in second behind Leonid Gulov and Tonu Endrekson of Estonia, France knew from yesterday’s heats about Estonia’s early pace. Gulov and Endrekson then started to run out of steam. Through the third 500 they allowed France, Hungary and Germany to pass them putting them out of qualifying position. Something needed to be done.

France was now in the lead and Germany had taken second and Akos Haller and Tibor Petoe of Hungary had the third spot with only 500 metres to go. Taking the rating up, Estonia pushed for the line with France and Hungary following suit. Germany could not hold the pace and France, Hungary and Estonia move on to the final from finishing first, second and third respectively.

 

 

M4- Semifinal
© Getty Images/Gary Prior

Men’s Four Semi-final

This race has been a fingernail biting display of closeness in the last couple of years, but it now appears that two crews have taken control. Great Britain and Canada both won their respective races from leading comfortably and both recorded almost identical times.

In the first semi-final Canada followed the method of their pair rowers and took an early lead followed closely by New Zealand. The Canadians, stroked by Barney Williams, burst onto the scene in 2003 when they won gold at the World Championships and coached by rowing guru Mike Spracklen they have dominated so far this season.

With Canada in front the rest of the field had not yet decided who would be second and third. Poland was definitely in with a chance and by the half way point Australia had moved into third. As the final 500 metres unfolded, Canada remained in front but did not feel the need to fully sprint. Australia won over Poland in the fight for second. All three boats will meet again in the final.

The second semi was all about Great Britain. Finally racing with their number one line-up Matthew Pinsent, Alex Partridge, Steve Williams and James Cracknell got into the front and by half way had a boat length lead over the rest of the field. Behind them the United States were putting in a gallant effort to remain in second and Slovenia held on to third. Great Britain was still enjoying the lead. After finishing fifth in Munich, with Cracknell absent, the Brits looked comfortable back in the position they enjoy – first. The final sprint came down to Slovenia and the United States fighting for second. At the line Great Britain remained in front, Slovenia in second and the US qualified by finishing in third.

Two illnesses in Germany’s four stopped them from continuing today.

LW2x Romania
© Getty Images/Gary Prior

Lightweight Women’s Double Sculls Semi-final

It is unusual in an event where all athletes weigh pretty much the same for a boat to be leading by open water. This is how Germany’s Daniela Reimer and Claudia Blasberg performed the first semi-final. With only 600 metres rowed Reimer and Blasberg had opened up a gap over Romania’s two crews. It is also unusual for crews to be able to close such a wide leading gap, but that is exactly what Constanta Burcica and Angela Alupei of Romania did in the second half of the race. Moving past their number two crew, Burcica and Alupei had their boat overlapping with the Germans following a piece at the 1750 metre mark. Reimer and Blasberg were under threat as the Romanians sprinted for the line. Germany held on and both crews go to the final.

But the happiest crew at the finish line was Spain’s number two boat of Maria Mas De Xasars Rivero and Eva Mirones Sola. They had started the race completely at the back of the field and worked their way into fourth through the middle 1000. Taking advantage of a fading Romania Two, the Spaniards pushed past to be the third qualifying boat. Tears flowed as Mirones Sola thanked God after the finish.

Canada’s Fiona Milne and Mara Jones in the second semi-final, like the Germans, also had open water by the half way point over Great Britain and the Netherlands. Milne and Jones retained this margin coming into the final 500 with Kirsten van der Kolk and Marit van Eupen of the Netherlands being the only crew close enough to challenge. The order did not change and these three crews will now meet again in the final. 

 

 

 

LM2x USA
© Getty Images/Gary Prior

Lightweight Men’s Double Sculls Semi-final

France’s Pascal Touron and Frederic Dufour have a medal from both World Cups this year and they are looking in fine form to make it three after winning today’s first semi-final. France started off the race at the head of the field with Germany’s Manuel Brehmer and Ingo Euler following closely behind. But it was Spain that had grabbed the second spot as crews moved through the middle of the race. However, this position for Spain did not last as Greg Ruckman and Steve Tucker of the United States moved up on the field.

This has been a big week for Ruckman and Tucker. Earlier in the week they were racing at the final Olympic qualification regatta and by finishing first they secured themselves an Olympic berth. Today they raced again from behind, pulling it out in the final sprint with a stroke rate of 39 to move into second. Germany hung on to third and also go to the final.

An early lead by Denmark was not enough to sustain them in the second semi-final as first Vasileios Polymeros and Nikolaos Skiathitis of Greece, then Hungary’s Zsolt Hirling and Tamas Varga moved ahead and finally World Champions Elia Luini and Leonardo Pettinari of Italy pushed past. But there was absolutely nothing between Italy, Greece and Hungary coming into the final 500 metres. At this point any one of them had the opportunity to win. Italy, however, wanted it the most. They had conserved energy earlier on in the race and had enough to spare. Rating 39 strokes per minute Italy pushed past Hungary then Greece and finished in first just as the line was crossed.

All three crews move on to the final.

Missing from this race was Ireland’s top Olympic prospect, Sam Lynch and Gearoid Towey. They had to pull out earlier today due to illness.

LM4- Italy Semifinal
© Getty Images/Gary Prior

Lightweight Men’s Four Semi-final

Consult your statistics. This is only the second time since 1994 that World Champions Denmark have not been in a final and it happened today in the first semi-final of the final World Cup of 2004. Denmark had the lead at the start before Italy took over followed very closely by the Netherlands. Half of the race had been rowed and Denmark was still in qualifying position, holding on to third. But a slower third 500 by the Danes had Canada moving through to third.

With 500 metres left to row, the order remained the same ? Italy finished first, the Netherlands second and Canada qualify from third.

The second semi-final was all about Ireland and Australia. Paul Griffin, Niall O’Toole, Eugene Coakley and Richard Archibald of Ireland led over Australia at the start. But only just. Right next to each other, in lanes five and four, the two crews paced each other stroke for stroke.

Also holding on to the leaders pace, Spain remained within striking distance and as these three crews went into the final sprint only one second separated them. Ireland still had a slight advantage with Australia in second and Spain in third. But a race is not over until the final red buoy and it was Australia, rating 42, who ended up on top, but only in the final five strokes.  All three crews continue on to the final with only two seconds separating the six crews that qualified from these two races.

Germany’s four did not race after withdrawing for medical reasons.

 

W4x Australia
© Getty Images/Gary Prior

Women’s Quadruple Sculls Repechage

World Champions Australia have yet to find their rhythm. After being beaten in the heat they were beaten again in the first of two repechages when the United States overtook them in the second half of the race. But the Aussies will have another chance tomorrow as both the United States and Australia advance to the final.

The second repechage was clear-cut as Russia and Great Britain played with the top two qualifying spots. Russia chose to lead for the first half of the race before they let the British slip by with 700 metres to go. The two boats remained in close contact with each other, Great Britain crossing the line first.

 

 

 

 

M4x Czech
© Getty Images/Gary Prior

Men’s Quadruple Sculls Semi-final

The German World Champions have discovered some new challenges. After missing Munich due to illness, Germany came to Lucerne back on form. But today they found themselves in third position behind Australia and the Czech Republic in the opening of the first semi-final. Germany, however, did not give up and going through the middle of the race less than a second separated the top three boats.

At the line Australia, stroked by Shaun Coulton, had the upper hand with the Czech Republic in second and Germany squeaking through to the final in third.

The second semi-final was just as close. Russia moved out to an early lead over Poland and retained enough of an advantage to keep their bow in front of the Poles for the majority of the race. With these two crews battling at the head of the field, Italy and Belarus had their own fight going on to get the third qualifying spot. Italy retained third up to half way before Belarus pulled out a damaging piece going through the 1200, propelling them into third. The Belarusians remained in this spot and in the process denied Italy of the A final. At the line Poland qualifies for a middle lane in the final by finishing first with Russia and Belarus also moving on to the final.

Women’s Eight Preliminary Final

Six crews in this race for lanes finally got to stretch their legs today and it was no surprise to see 2002 World Champions and winners from Munich, the United States, taking the leading spot. Olympic Champions, Romania followed closely behind, but it was the Dutch that were coming into their own. The Netherlands had qualified earlier this week for the Olympics and must have been feeling confident. Overtaking first Germany and then Romania, the Netherlands went after leaders, the United States. However, the US, rating 35, hung in there and held off the Dutch in the final sprint. Romania finished in third.

Men’s Eight Repechage

Italy has put together a new eight. At Munich they tested the waters and finished fifth in the final. Today they stepped up the pace leading the field over second in the world, the United States with Egypt in third. A strong middle 1000 by the US pushed their bow just ahead of Italy as the two countries opened up more of a lead at the head of the field. Coming into the final sprint the US, rating 37, worked at holding off Italy at 38 strokes per minute. They succeeded. The United States finished first, Italy second and a photo finish between Egypt and the US number two crew, made up of Harvard University students, determined the third place. Egypt held on to third with all four boats qualifying for the final.

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