International Class Events ? Poznan World Cup Finals

Poznan saved the best for last. With windy cross-winds earlier in the week, Sunday’s finals opened to cloudy skies, some rain and flat water with international class event opening the day.

Lightweight Women’s Single

With the top scullers aiming for the Olympic double event, the single field opened up to some new names at the international level and aptly it was Poland that led the day. Julia Michalska set the tone for a new generation of women’s rowing in Poland as she led from the front in a show of mature, controlled rowing. Behind her China’s Fengjun Fu was holding the pace with a gap back to Adeline Maddaloni-Gouelle of France.

The order remained the same and no challenges were thrown out in the last sprint with the horn-blowing home crowd waving on Michalska.

Lightweight Men’s Single

France and Germany got away to a fine start with Portugal in hot pursuit. Peter Ording of Germany currently ranks third in the world and was slowly moving away from the rest of the field. But it was Denmark’s Jacob Moeller who was working his way back from an average start to challenge first France, then Portugal. In a show of determined power, Moeller reduced a five second deficit to come within calling distance of Ording. At the line Ording held onto first with a very happy Moeller punching the air for his second place win. Portugal’s Luis Teixeira Ahrens remained in third.

Lightweight Men’s Pair

They raced for lanes yesterday and today they raced for World Cup medals. Great Britain’s Ben Webb and John Warnock decided to reverse their average performance yesterday and go after the French. Franck Solforosi and Franck Bussiere, however kept just enough of a gap between them and the Brits to control the race. Switzerland remained ahead of Austria to finish third.