Lucerne to Munich ? Part Two

A number of national crews are dotted around Europe as they prepare for the final World Cup in Munich and by the end of July more will have arrived.

The French squad is doing a bit of a reshuffle. Following the results at Lucerne in the men’s eight, the crew will break up into those going to the World Under 23 Regatta and the remainder will divide between the men’s pair and four.  The men’s double and lightweight four will continue in its present form.

The athletes come from a number of different areas in France and will be based in their hometowns for now. They will commence training together again a week before Munich at the summer training centre of Bellecin, France. World silver medallist, Sebastien Vielledent, is recovering from a back strain and, along with doubles partner, Adrien Hardy, the combination was not in top form at Lucerne. They will be looking to regain boat speed for Munich.

Australia hit the ground running in Lucerne. They scored the 6^th highest number of points and launched themselves into 16^th place on the points table boosted by a comeback win in the men’s pair by the recurrent, Drew Ginn and James Tomkins. They flew back to Australia, ?to play with our kids,? and train until Munich. The women’s squad is remaining in Europe at the Radolfzell training camp in Germany.

A number of the crews competing in Lucerne were part of the under 23 squad that will continue their build up to the World Under 23 Regatta in Genoa, Italy, by training in Varese, Italy. Single sculler, Duncan Free, will also train in Varese.

Head Coach, Harald Jahrling, said that the under 23’s impressed everyone, making it through to B-finals. He viewed the senior women as a complex exercise and so far goals had been achieved. ?There is a good team feeling, with everyone happy with the way things have come together thus far,? said assistant team manager, Dean Oakman.

Canada, like Australia, used Lucerne as their 2002 international opener for the men and lightweight women’s squad. The biggest success came in the lightweight men’s four where they struck gold, while the men’s eight broke into the top three. These crews are back training in Canada and will continue their preparation towards the World Championships in September.

With funding for only one World Cup per crew, it is now the senior women’s squad turn. They will head for the Munich World Cup with coach, Al Morrow, and compete in the pair, four and eight at the start of August.

Despite having only three crews at Lucerne, South Africa remains in the top twenty on the points table. The women’s pair achieved their best result to date winning silver against a larger field than in Hazewinkel. All crews are now in Breisach, Germany. The lightweight men’s four will head to the World Under 23 Regatta next week in Italy while the two pairs will remain in Breisach until the Munich World Cup.

Arriving on the 2002 international scene is New Zealand who will leave winter training behind to join the European summer. Four crews with much the same line up as in 2001 will be joined by two ?B’ crews who will compete in Munich as a warm up to the Commonwealth Championships in Nottingham, England. The squad has been holding monthly regattas at their training centre in New Zealand to coincide with the first two World Cup events and comparing their times.

One addition to the men’s four from last year is Rob’s big brother, David Waddell. After a six-year hiatus, he is back in the squad and enjoying the positive training environment as they prepare for their international debut.