Opening Ceremony Sets Under 23s off with a Bang

Australia's coxswain Robert Williams
© FISA

By Melissa Bray

The tone was set when Poznan, Poland turned on an opening ceremony display complete with choir, stunt bikers and a firework display that lit the skies of the Malta Regatta Course.

Rowers from 45 countries then took to the water today for a morning of heats at the World Rowing Under 23 Regatta – the Senior Bs. Bumpy water and a light head wind varied in strength throughout the morning and caused problems for some crews as "shipwreck" crabs were announced on a number of occasions.

Lightweight Women's Single Scull

Four heats required rowers to finish first if they wanted a direct route to the semi-final. All other boats would return for this afternoon's repechage. The early morning light saw many of these lightweight rowers warming up and ensuring their bodies weighed no more than 59 kilos. At 9am CET they took to the water and it was Russia's Ksenia Potapova who opened the day of racing by winning heat one and in the fastest qualifying time.

Greece's Alexandra Tsiavou had to work her way past Lithuania then take on Denmark to find the lead in heat two. Sine Christiansen of Denmark however, held on to Tsiavou and it was not until the final sprint that Tsiavou got her nose in front and in qualifying position.

Carola Tamboloni of Italy took out heat three by leading the whole race and after going through the 1000 metre mark Tamboloni had enough of a lead to take the pressure down although still keeping an eye on Mexico in second.

Daniela Nachazelova of the Czech Republic competed last week in the World Championships and today she led the final heat to a win. This will take Nachazelova directly to the semi-final.

Lightweight Women's Double Scull

Two heats with the top boat moving directly to the final had last year's silver medalists Germany, with a new line-up, easily in the lead. Despite the huge gap back to Italy in second, Germany look like the team to beat as they not only qualify for the final, they also took out the fastest qualifying time.

But Germany will need to be wary of heat two winners, Canada. Luisanne Lavigne and Lindsay Jennerich of Canada had enough of a handy lead that they could keep an eye on Japan in second and only do as much work as necessary to retain the lead that takes them straight to the final.

Women's Single

A strong field of three heats demanded a top three finish for these scullers to gain the direct path to the semi-final and leading the way in heat one was Iva Obradovic of Serbia & Montenegro. Obradovic was pushed by local hero, Julia Michalska of Poland who won gold at the first World Cup for 2004 – also in Poznan – as a lightweight sculler. Today Michalska finished second against her heavier counterparts and moves on to the semi-final along with third placed Katie Greves of Great Britain.

Heat two featured Sally Kehoe who won gold last week at the Junior World Championships and today Kehoe of Australia continued her quest for the 2008 Olympic Games by winning her heat over Lidia Veroeci of Hungary. Austria's Sandra Wolfsberger also moves on to the semi-final with her third place finish.

Current champions of this event, Germany, selected Magdalena Schmude to contest the single this year. Schmude, who raced at the Under 23 regatta last year in the double, had to overtake a fast starting Leva Semeta of Latvia and Slovenia to find the lead in the second 1000 metres of the race. Semeta follows in the footsteps of a Latvian silver place last year in this event. She held on to second with Sonja Keserac of Croatia taking out the final qualifying spot by finishing only half a second behind Semeta in third.

Women's Double

The bright red boat of Germany led heat one of three heats and the goal was to finish in the top three to go directly to the semi-final. Anne-Katrin Kochan and Ane Katrin Thiele of Germany demonstrated their intentions of being in the top three to move directly to the semi-final by taking the lead. Meanwhile behind them Romania and Norway headed for the line neck-and-neck. Norway had the edge and both boats qualify for the semi-final. Thiele and Kochan qualify with the fastest time.

Latvia's Kigita Kaviere and Liga Liepa had a huge margin over last year's champions Australia with only 500 metres of the race rowed in heat two. This left the new Australian line-up of Suzanne Brown and Tara Kelly to stay firmly in second ahead of Poland's combination of Magdalena Kwasniewska and Patrycja Pytel. Kwasniewska and Pytel are the same crew that finished with silver in 2003 but this year they will have to continue in their quest for medals by racing through the repechage.

The final heat had a late entry by the Czech Republic, Libuse Bruncvikova and Irena Neffeova, leading the way. Behind them Switzerland retains the same combination that finished tenth as juniors in 2002. Both 20 years old, Stefanie Ahrens and Regina Naunheim of Switzerland, move on to the semi-final from second place. Austria also qualifies by coming third in a spread-out field.

Women's Pair

Winning each of the two heats meant a day off tomorrow and a direct path to the final. Romania's Alina Poncisei and Ana-Maria Apachitei, in heat one, already have solid international experience. Poncisei has three golds at the junior and under-23 level while Apachitei has two and they were clear leaders with only 500 metres raced. Not content just to lead, Poncisei and Apachitei decided to push further and further in front opening up a yawning gap and giving a new meaning to the word domination.

This event was won by Romania last year and the duo put in a fine bid to go in that direction again. Behind them Poland held off a late race sprint to finish second over Latvia, but will still have to return for this afternoon's repechage.

Germany's Johanna Roenfeldt and Christina Gerking dominated heat two from the start. This left Australia in second and although they kept the pressure on through the first half of the race, they seemed content to return for the repechage as they took the pressure down in the second half.

Women's Four

The aim was a first place finish to ensure a spot in the final and Australia, who finished second last year, made sure this was in the bag. They held off a strong challenge from Belarus and Great Britain to finish with the fastest qualifying time.

But the Australians time was only a fraction faster than winners of the second heat, Canada. Canada, using long, controlled strokes, was comfortably in the lead over last year's gold medalists, Germany who had their hands full with Romania pacing them down the course. Marlene Sinnig of Germany is the only remaining rower from the 2003 boat and they had to use a higher stroke rate to try and stay in contact with Canada. Canada easily qualifies while Romania and Germany will race again in the repechage.

Lightweight Men's Single Scull

Marcello Miani of Italy became a World Champion last week when he stroked the lightweight quad to gold and today, in the single, he led heat one of four heats. Miani needed to be in this position to earn a spot in the semi-final and with the only challenge coming from Jose Czcy of Argentina Miani managed to stay in the lead and move on to the semi-final.

Heat two started off as a battle between France's Mathieu Mallein and Ondrej Vetesnik of the Czech Republic. Vetesnik got the upper hand leaving Mallein to return for this afternoon's repechage.

At the front of the field of heat three Kristof Dekeyser of Belgium and Switzerland's Mario Gyr went head to head after working their way past Denmark and Serbia & Montenegro. As Dekeyser and Gyr went into the final sprint they had moved clean away from the rest of the field. At the line less than a second separated Dekeyser and Gyr with Dekeyser winning the battle and moving directly to the semi-final.

It took until the final heat for the fastest qualifying time to be revealed. Defending champion, Bine Pislar of Slovenia was challenged by Germany's Erick Knittel and in the process they opened up a huge gap over the rest of the field. Neither Pislar nor Knittel conceded and the two raced the full 2000 metres with Knittel finally getting the better of Pislar. Pislar will return for the repechage.

Haver and Jarvis, success in their new boat
© FISA

Lightweight Men's Double

The winner of each of the three heats would go directly to the final and in heat one France got a good start over last year's silver medalists, Peter Lorinczy and Kornel Szabo of Hungary. But Lorinczy and Szabo rose to the challenge and despite a ten second deficit going through the middle of the race, both boats were neck-and-neck coming into the last 500 metres. The sprint for the line left results to a photo finish. Hungary had snuck through to win.

As the head wind continued heat two got under way with Canada's John Haver and Morgan Jarvis taking a huge lead in the first quarter of the race. Rowing the distinctive black boat with riggers situated behind them Haver and Jarvis were well in control. Behind them Great Britain and Hong Kong challenged each other in second and third, but the Canadian's remained in front and move directly to the semi-final.

The final heat presented one of the tightest races of the morning when Italy, Greece, Slovenia and Germany challenged each other. But as the race progressed a spread began to appear. First Italy caught a boat-stopping crab after the half way point and Greece's Elias Pappas and Evangelos Koulourizos began to move ahead. By the closing metres of the race, Slovenia and Germany had conceded to Pappas and Koulourizos who did not need to sprint to move on to the semi-final.

Lightweight Men's Quad

A spot in the final was the incentive for crews to finish first in the two heats and last year's champions Poland showed that they are on their way to a repeat performance. Lukasz Pawlowski returns to the bow of Poland's boat and together with his team mates they won heat one ahead of Germany who return with two crew members, Olaf Beckmann and Peter Krueger, that finished with bronze in 2003.

Greece qualified directly for the final from heat two when they led the field over Austria and Japan and despite their open-water lead, Greece sprinted to the fastest qualifying time.

Lightweight Men's Pair

The first of two heats had James Clarke and Paul Kelly of Great Britain lead by a huge margin that grew as the race progressed. This puts Clarke and Kelly directly into the final with Ireland returning for the repechage after finishing second.

Heat two was delayed because of a breakage in the Italian boat. Once the breakage was fixed, four of the five boats took off at a cracking pace with Germany in the lead. France then had a go at being first before Ahmet Yumrukaya and Emre Vural of Turkey took over. Turkey move directly to the final.

Lightweight Men's Four

Choppy conditions in the first 1000 metres made it challenging for the competitors as racing continued in the first of three heats. The aim was to finish in the top three for a direct path to the semi-final. Denmark had a small advantage over Germany in the opening metres of the race. Felix Otto remains in the German crew that finished third last year and by the half way point they had found the lead.

The Germans retained the lead and head directly to the semi-final along with Denmark in second and last year's silver medalists, France in third.

After catching up to a fast starting Russia, Canada had got their nose in front of the Russians with half the race gone. Then Russia decided that they were happy just to qualify and the pressure seemed to lessen. This gave Canada a chance to move out in front with Russia and the Netherlands qualifying from second and third position respectively.

Heat three recorded the fastest qualifying time when Italy and the Czech Republic took off with last year's champions, Australia in hot pursuit. The three boats challenged each other down the course with Italy remaining in the lead with their higher rating. The Czech Republic and Australia also qualify.

Men's Single

Twenty-four countries started in four heats with the goal of coming first for a spot in the semi-final and it was 2003 junior champion, Aleksandr Kornilov of Russia who showed his class in heat one. Kornilov stayed ahead of Australia's Mitchell Punch who rowed last year at the World Championships. Kornilov remained in the lead and move to the semi-final.

Kristian Oestergaard of Denmark recorded the fastest qualifying time by pushing past Estonia to take first in heat number two. No crews seemed eager to sprint and everyone else will return for the repechage. In heat three Latvia's Kristaps Bokums led from start to finish with no serious challenge being presented to his spot. Bokums moves on to the semi-final.

Great Britain's Colin Smith stroked Oxford's eight in the Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race earlier this year. Now in a single he controlled the final heat and had such a comfortable lead that Smith did not need to sprint as he moves on to the semi-final.

Men's Double

Three heats were racing and the top three from each would move directly to the semi-final. Belarus led heat one. Aliaksandr Novikau and Dzianis Mihal of Belarus finished fourth in the quad as juniors last year and today they qualify directly for the semi-final with Ukraine and Greece also qualifying from second and third respectively.

Latvia's Janis Andins and Girts Atslega led heat two but had to hold off an aggressive final sprint from Estonia to keep the lead. Estonia and Portugal also qualify. The final heat was delayed after Moldova flipped on the way to the start line. But the Moldavians got back in their boat and the race began with Germany in the lead. Marco Spielau and Rene Burmeister of Germany raced the World Cup season this year and Burmeister has a silver medal from last year's Under-23 regatta and are surely the favourites in this event. Behind the Germans Russia and Lithuania also qualify.

Germany advances in the quad
© FISA

Men's Quad

In the first of two heats crews were aiming to be the leading boat to take them directly to the final. What seems to be developing into a trademark, the Latvian crew led from start to finish. This left 2003 champions Australia to chase from second. Australia retains stroke, Nick Hudson from last year's gold medal crew, but today they will need to continue their quest for gold by racing through the repechage. Latvia move on to the final by finishing first.

Germany finished outside the medals last year. Today they owned heat two. Moving away from the start with Lithuania, the Germans soon had a small lead. A strong middle 1000 by Poland, however, put the German lead under threat and both crews had to sprint for the line. Germany did the better job and earn themselves a rest day.

Men's Pair

First place in each of the four heats would go directly to the semi-final and Germany's Florian Schercher and Urs Kaufer put themselves in this position right from the start. Kaufer has the experience of two junior championships and won a silver medal in 2001 in the coxed pair. Now stroking the straight pair, Kaufer kept his boat in the lead and did not need to sprint to hold the spot over Great Britain in second.

Three boats came out of the start together in heat two. Belarus, Romania and Croatia went through the first 500 together. But the pace was a bit too hot for Croatia leaving Belarus and Romania to battle it out through the middle of the race. Romania was the stronger combination. Lifting their rating to 38 strokes per minute in the last 500, Belarus could not respond. Romania goes to the semi-final.

Serbia & Montenegro and Canada took off at the head of the field with Canada having the first half advantage. But they did not seem able to respond to Goran Jagar and Nenad Uzunovic of Serbia & Montenegro's second half speed. Uzunovic and Jagar move directly to the final.

Argentina gave it their best shot in heat four, moving with Poland at the head of the field. Poland's Lukasz Kardas and Dawid Paczes, however, were able to underrate the Argentinean's and stay in front. Kardas and Paczes earn a spot in the final.

Men's Four

Australia and Croatia headed off from either sides of the course in the lead of heat one. Only one boat would qualify directly for the final of the two heats and both countries wanted it. Coming into the final sprint Croatia lifted their rating hoping to get an edge, but Australia stuck right with them and a stronger Australian crew advance to the final.

Germany's blitzing opening pace put them in the lead of heat two. Despite a challenge from Italy and then Great Britain, Germany continued to move further away from the rest of the field and on to a comfortable win.

Men's Coxed Four

Dragging a 50 kilogram coxswain down the course seems to suit Great Britain when they lead heat one. The goal was to finish first for a direct path to the final and Great Britain did that by leading the entire race. Australia in heat two had almost the same dominating performance. They left the starting area with Romania but managed to shake the Romanians off with a piece through the 1000 and develop a larger lead over the rest of the field including last year's gold medalists, Germany.

Men's Eight

Two heats with the first boat going to the final had Canada overtake a fast starting Ukraine to take the lead in heat one. The Canadians are defending champions and with four of the same members that won gold last year they look to be favourites. Once the Canadians had the lead they did not look back moving on to the final and sending all other boats to the repechage.

Heat two was won by Germany but it took 1500 metres before the other crews would let Germany have it.

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