Holland Beker goes Synek and Karsten’s way

The top rowing regatta in the Netherlands, the Koninklijke Holland Beker, attracted the current top two single scullers in the world. Ondrej Synek of the Czech Republic won the men’s trophy, the Holland Beker, while Ekaterina Karsten-Khodotovitch of Belarus won the women’s equivalent, the Ladies Trophy.

Synek comes to the Amsterdam regatta from an undefeated season so far this year. Synek has won at both the first and second stages of the 2010 Rowing World Cup and the Holland Beker sees him continue on his winning ways. Synek overtook a fast starting Tim Maeyens of Belgium to finish in the lead by two seconds. This is the third Holland Beker win for Synek.

Maeyens has spent the season so far stroking his country’s men’s quad and he welcomed the Holland Beker as a chance to race the single. Despite scraping through in the single, Maeyens found his rhythm for the final and finished in second ahead of Slovenia’s Iztok Cop. Cop retired from international racing after the first Rowing World Cup in May but he has decided to race in a number of iconic races this year, including the Holland Beker. Dutch sculler, Roel Braas finished fourth.

In the women’s single race, the Ladies Trophy, Karsten won the coveted trophy for the tenth time. Karsten reeled in last year’s Ladies Trophy winner, Mirka Knapkova of the Czech Republic, who led the race in the early stages. Knapkova finished second ahead of Julia Levina of Russia. These three athletes raced in the A-final of the Munich Rowing World Cup earlier in the month. Frida Svensson of Sweden was fourth.

The regatta attracted 500 participants, an increase of about 100 from last year. Crews from Denmark, Great Britain, Portugal, Greece, Sweden and Belgium raced in the team boat section of the regatta.

Conditions for finals day was a warm 30 degrees Celsius with flat water and a slight tail wind.

For full results got to: http://www.hollandbeker.nl/

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