Race by Race report - Group B Heats

Some close racing and a world best time marked Group B heats at the FISA World Rowing Championships in Lucerne, Switzerland this afternoon (Tuesday).

Detailed results, including split times are available in the Race Tracker.

A still, cloudy start to the day finished with torrential rain and thunder and lightning but most races were unaffected.

Lightweight men's coxless pair (first to final): Ireland's Gearoid Towey and Tony O'Connor took heat one by a length over promising Dutch duo, Simon Kolkman and Robert Van der Vooren. Veteran Peter Haining and Nick Strange of Great Britain took the second heat, looking to go one better than their 2000 world silver medal. They rowed through Chile's Cristian Yantani and Miguel Cerda in the final 500 metres.

Lightweight women's quadruple sculls (first to final): 2000 silver medallists Australia look determined to take gold this year, setting a new world best time in their heat. They recorded 6:31.51, smashing the old best of 6:36.63 and beating USA in the process. In heat two, the first two boats were also within the old best as Spain took the heat in 6:33.21 over first half leaders Netherlands.

Lightweight men's quadruple sculls (first three to semifinal): Denmark led defending champions Japan from the start to take heat one, with Japan rowing through Ireland in the second 500 to hold second. Ireland qualified third. Italy has been strong in this event in the last three years and showed they are a still up for gold in 2001, taking heat two by 5 seconds over Germany. Greece was third. 2000 bronze medallists Spain rowed through the Netherlands in the final few hundred metres to take heat three by half a length. Argentina was third.

Men's coxed four (first to final): USA and Romania attacked the race with equal determination – both looking for a direct route to the final. They fought each other throughout the course, with USA pipping Romania by a canvas to win. Another duel followed in heat two, with France eventually getting the better of an early tussle with Italy by a length.

Lightweight women's double sculls (first three to semifinal): Olympic silver medallist Claudia Blasberg and partner Janet Radunzel of Germany took heat one by two lengths over Poland's Katarzyna Demianiuk and Ilona Mokronowska. Austria's Martina Miesgang and Barbara Pirker also qualified. Romania is the defending Olympic champion but Monica Stan and Irina Acsinte are not the crew from Sydney. They look set to defend the title well though, with a convincing win in heat two. USA's Catherine Humblet and Mary Obidinski got the better of a battle for second with Dailin Taset and Marleni Mesa of Cuba. In heat three, Canada's Gen Meredith and Fiona Mile and the Netherlands' Kirsten Van der Kolken and Michiel Van Eupen took it to the line. Neither crew was prepared to concede as they stuck together down the course, Canada eventually opening up almost a length's lead to win. Great Britain's Jane Hall and Helen Casey were third.

Lightweight men's double sculls (first to semifinal): Sydney bronze medallists Fabrice Moreau and Thibaud Chapelle of France held off a fast, late sprint by Mads Rasmussen and Rasmus Quist to win heat one. Olympic silver medallists Elia Luini and Leonardo Pettinari of Italy took heat two by a comfortable margin over Japan's Kaszushi Ura and world lightweight quad champion Daisaku Takeda. In a clean sweep by the Sydney medallists, Olympic champions Tomasz Kucharski and Robert Sycz took heat three. They had two and a half lengths on Petr Klicpera and Vaclav Malecek of the Czech Republic. Germany's Ingo Euler and Manuel Brehmer took the fourth heat with little difficulty over Juan Zunzunegui and Ruben Alvarez of Spain.

Lightweight men's coxless four (first to semifinal): World Cup champions Denmark took heat one after shaking loose an early Australian challenge to finish with 4.48 seconds to spare. In heat two, Olympic champions France had to fight a little harder for their win. Canada held on for the first half of the race, sitting just half a length behind. But France was able to move away in the final few hundred metres to finish almost two lengths ahead. Austria and Italy fought early on in heat three but Austria had more for the heats and took first place by a length.

Women's quadruple sculls (first to final): Olympic champions Germany took control of heat one early on and won with the clear water margin they have come to expect. Australia was second. New Zealand took heat two but not without a fight. USA led them until the 1250 metre mark when the New Zealanders made a move and edged through, eventually winning with clear water.

Men's quadruple sculls (first to semifinal): Heat one produced a great race, as Italy , USA and Ukraine fought for the sole semifinal spot. Eventual winners Italy were too strong for the rest and finished first by almost a length. USA was second and Ukraine third. The rain came down for heat two as Poland took control of a top field. They had moved away from the rest of the tightly bunched field by the 1500 metre mark and crossed the line 1.78 seconds ahead of Australia. The Czech Republic was third. The rivalry between Sydney silver medallists the Netherlands and bronze medallists Germany continued in heat three. The two boats swapped the lead down the course until the Dutch got the better of Germany by 0.63 seconds on the line.

Women's eight (first to final) Great Britain took heat one after a classic eights battle with Germany. Germany was out of the start faster, but Great Britain was in still in touch. By the 1000 metre mark Germany had a lead of two-thirds of a length but the British were coming back at them. The boats drew level at the 1500 metre mark before Britain pulled away to win by just over half a length. And there was more great racing in heat two. This time Australia won after seeing off Romania and Belarus. The three crews would not give an inch in the first 1500 metres but Australia had more and finished a third of a length ahead of Romania. Belarus was third.

Men's eight (first to final): Romania took heat one after pulling away from early leaders Russia. Olympic bronze medallist Croatia were just off the winning pace finishing third, 3.44 behind the Romania. Germany took heat two by two-thirds of a length over the fast new-look US crew. Olympic champions Great Britain were a further half length back in third.

The lightweight women's coxless pair is also in this group but is a direct final which will be raced on Sunday.

Group A repechages begin tomorrow, with Group B on Wednesday.