Who to Watch in Munich - 2002 Zurich Rowing World Cup

It’s the last stop between here and the World Champs – Munich, Germany. The final World Cup Regatta starts on Thursday, August 1 at the Olympia-Regattaverein. Built for the 1972 Olympics it is just outside Munich in Oberschleissheim.

Women’s single scull

With Ekaterina Karsten of Belarus racing the quad and Lucerne winner, Roumiana Neykova, of Bulgaria not competing in Munich, the field is open for World Champion, Kathrin Rutschow-Stomporowski of Germany to dominate in her home country. Current yellow jersey holder, Miroslava Knapkova of the Czech Republic will be fresh from the Under 23 Regatta and has been making huge progress this season against her more experienced opponents.

Men’s single scull

Marcel Hacker will be wanting to make a clean sweep of the World Cup series in his lead up to the World Championships and he will face a similar line up as in Lucerne. Again, he is likely to be pressed hard by Norway’s, Olaf Tufte, and Slovenia’s, Iztok Cop. Jueri Jaanson, has also thrown his name into the mix, making his 2002 World Cup debut.

Women’s Coxless Pair

The Romania pair of Georgeta Andrunache (Damian) and Viorica Susanu are currently the flagship for Romanian rowing with consecutive wins going into the final World Cup, and coach, Nick Giogo, is expecting nothing less. The real battle is likely to be for the silver. Belarus and South Africa finished within a canvas of each other at Lucerne. South Africa had the better sprint to take silver after trailing at the 1000 metre mark. Canada had two entries, including World Championship bronze medal holders, Jacqui Cook and Karen Clark. They will be hoping to test their boat speed before Seville.

Men’s Coxless Pair

In Lucerne there was an upset. The Australian pair of Drew Ginn and James Tomkins, flew in, bagged the gold medal, breaking the British duo of Pinsent and Cracknell’s 25-race winning streak, and then flew out again. This has given the Brits a bit of a shake up and they are likely to come back stronger having a better idea of what to focus on in their training.

Meanwhile the Skelin brothers, Sinisa and Niksa, got a taste of being in front at Lucerne. They were the first crew to go through the ½ way mark and still kept attacking, finishing a mere bow ball behind Great Britain.

These two crews will not meet Australia until the World Championships so will want to test how their boat speed has improved in the last three weeks using each other as benchmarks. Pinsent and Cracknell will want to continue their domination of this event.

Women’s Double Scull

The German women scullers have regrouped again. At Lucerne the number one crew of Britta Oppelt and Julia Heitmann didn’t perform to expectations and have been replaced by number two crew, Magdalena Schmude and Christiane Huth, who finished in the bronze medal spot and continue to improve in this event.

But it’s Frances Houghton and Deborah Flood of Great Britain who have been dominating the women’s double, winning both of the World Cup regattas this year and taking home Great Britain’s only gold from Lucerne. However, nothing is ever certain in top-level racing and Lithuania hit the ground running in Lucerne, grabbing the silver medal. They will be back in Munich along with silver medal World Champions, the Evers-Swindell sisters, Georgina and Caroline, of New Zealand. “We want to build on last year and keep building for next year,” Caroline Evers-Swindell told the New Zealand Herald.

Men’s Double Sculls

No crew dominated leading into the finals at Lucerne, but World Champions, Akos Haller and Tibor Petoe of Hungary, finally came out on top and retained the yellow jersey. Milan Dolecek Jr. and Ondrej Synek of the Czech Republic continue to hold on to the silver spot, but Germany’s very experienced Andre Willms and Andreas Hajek will be looking to please the supporters on their home turf.

Keep an eye out for France. They were silver medallists in 2001 and did not perform to expectation in Lucerne due to a comedy of mishaps in transport to get to the event as well as Sebastien Vieilledent nursing a back strain. If everything is back on track they could be medal contenders.

Men’s Coxless Four

Great Britain’s number one crew and winners at Hazewinkel, are back after illness kept them away from Lucerne and with New Zealand making it’s 2002 World Cup debut in this event the field has opened up to some exciting racing. Without Italy racing there is definitely a spot on the podium up for grabs. Germany took gold at Lucerne after finishing third in Hazewinkel and France will not want to contend with another fourth this season.

Slovenia is also there having retained the same crew who came fourth at the 2000 Olympics.

Lightweight Women’s double Sculls

Great Britain is getting closer. Tracy Langlands and Helen Casey are creeping up on the dominating combination of Germany’s Janet Raduenzel and Claudia Blasberg. But they will need to watch out for the Dutch crew. Marit Van Eupen and Hedi Poot who have been promoted to the Netherland’s number one combination after coming third in Lucerne ahead of their fellow Dutch rowers who will instead compete in the lightweight single.

Making their international debut in this event is Thailand and Mexico adding to the truly global dimension of lightweight rowing.

Lightweight Men’s Double Sculls

Without World Champions and yellow jersey holders, Italy, at Munich the field is up for challenge. Germany’s Peter Ording and Manuel Brehmer have two silvers going into the final World Cup and will want to go to the top medal spot. However, they have some new blood to contend with as a number of crews are making their international season debut. This includes Australia, Hong Kong, Japan and Turkey.

The Fench lightweight four – looking to break that curse?
© Getty Images

Lightweight Men’s Coxless Four

Always tight racing, the lightweight four was a photo finish for silver between Italy, Austria and France in Lucerne.  But it was Canada who stole the race, leading by the 1000 and staying in that position. Munich will see another dimension. The dominating Danes are back after illness kept them away from Lucerne and although Canada isn’t able to make the trip, Australia is sending a line up that includes Olympic medallist and team captain, Simon Burgess. France, like their open weight counterparts, have been burdened with two fourths this season and will want to break that curse. 

Women’s Quadruple Sculls

Ukraine is going for their third win with two golds so far this season, despite Germany reorganising their crew. But Germany is close and now that the crew has had more time together, they will be a force to contend. Joining the race for the first time this season is New Zealand with three of the same rowers as the 2001 silver medallists and coach, Dick Tonks, believes the crew is better prepared.

Denmark and Great Britain are hot on each other’s tails with barely one second separating the two crews at Lucerne. Sarah Lauritzen is back in the Danish boat after missing Lucerne due to back problems.

Men’s Quadruple Scull

It’s not often that you have two winners but it happened in Lucerne with Ukraine and Italy crossing the line together in first place. This left Poland to race for third. With neither Italy nor Poland competing at Munich, it looks like Ukraine will have a clear run. However, keep an eye out for Slovenia. Olympic Champion, Luka Spik is going for third time lucky. Having gone through the double then the single already this season, Spik joins the quad. Germany has also changed one crew member, adding Stephan Volkert, with the hope of making the medal dais at Munich.

Women’s Eight

The Canadian women’s eight are part of the rebuilding process following post-Olympic retirements and they make their international season appearance at Munich. If they do anything like their men’s eight did, women’s coach, Al Morrow, will be happy.

Romania, Germany and Belarus have been racing each other all season with Germany taking away two golds. Romania is also rebuilding the eight and younger members include bow seat, Rodica Florea, who is just 19 years old. Germany has kept their same line up, while Belarus has coxswain, Valiantsina Khakhlova, back after illness took her away from coxing at Lucerne.

Men’s Eight

The North American crews upset the status quo at Lucerne with USA taking gold and Canada bronze. Germany managed to grab silver and without the North Americans competing at Munich they will want to finish the regatta off on a German note. But keep an eye out for Olympic Champions, Great Britain who have reshuffled their crew, adding the men’s four who impressed at Lucerne. Also new to the event this season is Australia and Uzbekistan. Both crews are untried and it won’t be until they race in the heats at Munich that their speed will be determined