Double Italian Podium at CRASH-B's

The strong Italian lightweight duo Elia Luini and Leonardo Pettinari have proved once again that they are not only the best in their country, or on the water, but are also the strongest lightweight ergsmen in this year’s CRASH-B event in Boston, USA which took place on Sunday (24 February).

While most of the international rowing stars were out on the water of the Guadalquivir in Seville, Spain for the 8^th Team Cup and International Andalusian regatta, others chose to remain in the safety of an indoor sports hall to test, one last time before they head off to international waters, if their winter training really has paid off.

This was the case for 2001 Italian world champions in the lightweight double sculls Luini and Pettinari. Pettinari, for the second year running took the lightweight men’s race in 6:05.70, bettering the time he had set in 2001 by 1.70 seconds.

Crewmate Elia Luini came in second in 6:06.50. The two were followed by US lightweight squad members Steve Warner and Gabe Winkler.

The lightweight women’s event saw the victory of Czech rower Pavlina Krtenova. She managed the 2000 metre challenge in 7:09.10, followed at a comfortable distance by Canadian sculler and world fourth in the double sculls – Gen Meredith in 6:13.50.

Finishing in the same second, at third position the German Svenja Zurkuhl. The three were part of the nearly 100 lightweight women who raced in their category.

276 contestants tried to take on World bronze medallist Vaclav Chalupa in the open men’s event. One succeeded, and Chalupa was beaten in over two seconds by American Jamie Schroeder. The American raced the course in 5:50.30, while Chalupa only managed 5:52.60. The Czech was followed by another American – member of the US men’s coxless four World Championships crew – Eric Mueller in 5:53.20.

A fantastic win in the open women’s contest was the victory of two-time world silver medallist in the double and quadruple sculls – Georgina Evers-Swindell. The New Zealand twin beat last years CRASH-B champion Hurnet Dekkers by an amazing 6.5 seconds. Princeton rower Ali Cox finished third in 6:40.30.

The CRASH-B’s (which stands for Charles River All-Star Has-Beens) were started by a group of 1976-1980 US Olympic and World Team athletes who formed a small regatta in a Harvard boathouse in 1980. Since then, the race has also developed in form, starting off as a 5 mile contest, it is now pursued over 2000 metres owing to training requests of international coaches.