Exciting Races in Juniors Reps

Germany leads the results in the early stages of the FISA Junior World Rowing Championship, with its crews qualifying for the next stage of racing in all 14 boat classes after repechages were completed today (Thursday).

Thirty-five countries have also made the grade, qualifying either for tomorrow's semifinals or Saturday's finals.

Italy has ten boats in finals or semifinals, while Russia has nine, Romania eight and Belarus and the Czech Republic seven each.

But crews from countries where rowing is also a minor sport performed well to qualify today – Hong Kong, Japan, Peru and Argentina are all through to the next stages.

Some close races marked the day as the young rowers gave it their all in the last chance that had to make the next stage of racing.

Conditions were much improved on yesterday's windy and changeable weather, with the only rain conveniently falling at lunchtime.

In the men's coxed four Ukraine qualified for the finals first, leaving behind a scrap for the next qualifying spot between Croatia, Australia and the USA. Croatia edged ahead in the final 500 metres and took the place safely. Italy won repechage two comfortably, with Great Britain in second.

Russia took the women's coxless pair with an authoritative row, with USA rowing through France in the final few hundred metres to take the second finals place. Romania won repechage two, with Germany safely in second.

In the men's coxless pair the three qualifying places were settled early one – Germany won but the Netherlands and Norway also made the cut. Russia shook off a feisty Czech Republic challenge to win the third rep, with Lithuania third.

USA and Poland duelled for the length of the course in repechage 2 of the women's coxless four, with USA having enough at the end to finish 0.72 seconds ahead. Poland still qualifies. Australia took repechage one convincingly over Great Britain.

All the victories were decisive in the men's coxless four. Belgium, Germany, Australia and Italy won a repechage each, while the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Spain and South Africa also qualified for the semis.

Bulgaria's Miglena Marrova was a cut above the rest of the field in repechage one of the women's single. She finished 10.55 seconds ahead of second qualifier Eva Semeta of Latvia. Norway's Inger Anne Himle Halrynjo really had to fight hard to win repechage two by just 0.14 seconds over Martina Ernst of Switzerland.

Repechage three was much more clear cut for Maria Olsen of Denmark who beat Iwona Kwiakowska of Poland to first place. And Italy's Camilla Gossetti won the final repechage by 8.10 seconds over Ireland's Eimear Moran.

Hiu Fung Law of Hong Kong rowed through Canada's Craig Smallwood and Latvia's Reinis Laguns to take the first men's single sculls repechage. Laguns also qualified for the semifinals.

Bulgaria's Martin Yanakiev also had a fight on his hands in repechage four, shaking off his course-long rival Oleg Vinogradov of Estonia in the final two hundred metres to win by 1.08 seconds.

David Pignone of Italy won repechage two over Aliaksei Reziankou of Belarus second. France's Julien Despres took the third rep, with Ryan Gaudin of New Zealand second.

With six boats looking for four finals spots in the men's coxed pair, competition was tight. Germany prevailed after a strong second half, with Italy second, Russia third and Peru fourth.

Poland pulled off an impressive final 500 metres to take repechage two of the women's double off leaders Belgium. Both qualify for the semifinals. The Czech Republic rowed through early leaders France to win repechage one by more than a boat length.

Russia held off Belarus to take repechage three while Australia was convincing in their repechage four win.

Argentina held on to the end to beat Ukraine by 0.98 seconds in repechage one of the men's double. Ukraine also make the cut for the finals. Austria won repechage two over Belarus.

Norway rowed a commanding race to win repechage three by 6.47 seconds over Russia, while Croatia did the same in repechage four to beat Switzerland by 7.81 seconds.

Germany staked its claim to a place in the women's quadruple sculls finals with win of 9.70 seconds over Great Brtain who also made the cut. Romania took repechage two over Spain.

In the men's quadruple sculls, Poland rowed through Russia and Croatia to take repechage three, with Russia qualifying second for the semifinals. The winners of the rest of the repechages – Ukraine, Japan and Netherlands – led their races from the beginning. Czech Republic, Spain and Slovenia all qualified in second place.

The junior women's eight was all Germany's, as they blitzed the course with an 8.26 second win. USA came in second, holding off Russia by 0.18 seconds. New Zealand was fourth, with all four boats qualifying for the final.

Poland won the sole junior men's eight repechage, beating Spain and Ukraine who also qualified.

More details over every race plus full, split time results are available on the official event website www.wedau-rowing.com

Semifinals begin tomorrow (Friday) at 14:00 CET