World Champions Created - 2004 Junior Championships

Gold for Montrone and Tranquilli of Italy
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By Melissa Bray

Last year's World Rowing Junior Championships made headlines when rough water on the Athens Olympic course caused 6am starts and 1000 metre only racing. Today Lake Banyoles, Spain was a complete contrast when it turned on another fine day of perfect conditions with just a hint of a tail wind.

A-Finals

Junior Men's Coxed Four

If this opening event is an example of what's to come this will be a day of exciting racing, close finishes and no clear winner until the final stroke.

Ukraine boated the same crew that finished seventh last year at Athens and another year together put them in the lead of the final of the 2004 Junior World Championships. But Canada had other ideas and grabbed the front spot through the middle of the race with Great Britain sticking closely to them. Ukraine did not seem to react, slipping into third. Meanwhile current World Champions Australia sat at the back of the field behind last year's silver medalists, Italy in fifth.

Coming into the final 400 metres it was still anybody's race with Canada holding a slim lead, if only just, over Ukraine and Great Britain. The sprint was on. Ukraine pushed the hardest. Great Britain held on and Canada went into overdrive. At the line Ukraine took the gold, Great Britain silver and Canada finished with bronze.

Junior Women's Pair

Three crews at the front had split the field in half. Australia's Annika Naughton and Natalie Bale, in their second year together after winning silver together last year, led the way. Lavinia Tinelli and Cristina Romiti of Italy followed very closely behind and Germany's Pia-Sophie Zubrowski and Sonja Ziegler sat comfortably in third. With Naughton and Bale opening up a lead the real battle was going on for second. Italy and Germany were challenging and rechallenging each other from lanes three and four. This continued through the middle of the race and with 400 metres to go there was still nothing in it.

As Germany switched into survival mode, hunched down in their boat, Italy had just enough energy to pull ahead and take the silver over Germany. Naughton and Bale add a second medal to their international collection, this time gold.

Two golds for Ani and Nita of Romania
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Junior Men's Pair

The Romanian domination had begun. Ciprian Nita and Leon Ani had already proved themselves to be the favourites when they executed a perfect semi-final race yesterday. ll other crews knew they were the ones to beat and it was Yianis Tsilis and Pantazis Tsousis of Greece that threw down the gauntlet and grabbed an early lead from Romania. This, however, did not last long as the powerful Ani and Nita, demonstrating a powerful push, charged through the 700 metre mark and into the lead leaving Tsilis and Tsousis to hold on to second over Martins Slimbahs and Janis Skujenieks of Latvia.

But the Greeks kept at the Romanians retaining second in the process. Meanwhile with 400 metres left to race the real competition was going on for bronze. Nothing separated Latvia, Serbia & Montenegro and Canada and these crews were running out of metres.

At the line Nita and Ani had won World Champion status, Tsilis and Tsousis took silver and, in a photo finish, Slimbahs and Skujenieks held on to bronze by a mere quarter of a second over Serbia & Montenegro and Canada.

Junior Women's Four

After missing last year's World Championships due to illness, Germany was back with vengeance and today they demonstrated their talent in the four when they took off at the start to open up an astounding length by the 200 metre mark. With only 500 metres gone Germany had developed a handy lead over the rest of the field. This left Australia, Belarus and the United States to battle it out for second. And they did. Going through the 1000 metre mark these three boats were dead even. The silver medal would have to be decided by second 1000 willpower and endurance.

Germany continued to hold a handy lead as Belarus and Australia moved away from the United States. Belarus, who retain Nina Bondarava and Volha Plashkova from last year's crew, pulled out the best sprint keeping their strokes long with Australia following suit. Meanwhile the United States could find no speed in their short, choppy strokes. At the line Germany wins gold, Belarus silver and Australia get the bronze.

Junior Men's Four

They will race later today in the eight and they had already demonstrated their ability to successfully race twice yesterday in the semi-finals. Romania's Cristian Sarbu, Ionel Strungaru, Marius Orosz and Adrian Bucevschi got out to a solid early lead over Croatia with Germany holding on in third.

The Croatians have retained the same line up that finished fourth in 2003 which include twins Marin and Branko Begovich. Romania have retained Orosz from last year's bronze medal crew and at the 1000 metre mark only two metres separated these two crews. It was turning into a game of cat and mouse at the head of the field.
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Coming into the final sprint Croatia had found the lead. Romania then pounced. Pouring on the power Romania moved ahead of Croatia. These two crews take the gold and silver respectively with Orosz earning his second junior medal. Meanwhile Canada had pulled out an awesome sprint demanding a photo finish with Germany. The Germans just held on to take bronze.

Junior Women's Single

It is not often that a single sculler manages to gain a three second lead by the first 500 metres. It is unusual that a three boat length lead is gained by the 700. Camelia Lupascu of Romania did just that today. From races earlier in the week everyone knew about Lupascu's awesome starts. Could anyone catch this lead? Chrysoula Bougla of Greece decided it was up to her.

In a gutsy effort Bougla, with 750 metres left to row, took chase. It worked. Bougla began to close in on Lupascu. But Bougla wasn't the only attacker. Australia's Sally Kehoe had played around all week but today, from third position and a four second deficit at the 1500 metre mark, Kehoe poured it on and demonstrated for the first time her ability to rate high.

Both Greece and Australia continued to reel in Lupascu, but it took them until the end. In the last three buoys Kehoe got the lead winning her second junior gold, Lupascu hung on to second and Bougla earned a well deserved 2004 Junior World Championships bronze medal.

Cohen silver and Frateanu gold in the men's single
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Junior Men's Single

Milan Uzunovic of Serbia & Montenegro took off out of the blocks like a man possessed. This left a row of five boats almost even through the firsts half of the race and brought the crowds at the half way point boat park rushing to the shores to cheer on their respective country. Uzunovic continued to hold on to the lead but, as the last 500 metres came into view, Uzunovic realised there was still a lot of rowing to do.

Meanwhile the statuesque Romanian, Daniel Frateanu had pulled himself into second with last year's silver medalist Nathan Cohen of New Zealand opening up a gap on the remainder of the field in third. As Uzunovic hung on, Frateanu pulled out a piece that took him into the lead and ahead of Uzunovic with 250 metres to go. Cohen was also sprinting. It was all going to be decided in the last 50 metres. Frateanu held on to first, Cohen gained his second silver medal and Uzunovic becomes the third fastest junior in the world for 2004.

Junior Men's Coxed Pair

Whoever won this event was going to make history as 2004 is the last year that the coxed pair will be raced at the Junior World Championships. Andriy Pryveda and Oleksandr Pakhomov with coxswain Ivan Voloshchuk for Ukraine made no bones about wanting that historical position.

Pakhomov and Voloshchuk looked relaxed and had opened up over a length which increased it to an open water gap by the half way point. This left last year's silver medalists Italy to aim for another silver followed by Poland. Meanwhile Pakhomov and Voloshchuk had gained such a huge lead that it looked like they were conducting their own race. A spread out procession at the line had Ukraine winning easily, Italy taking silver and Poland win bronze.

Junior Women's Double

Gabriela Varekova and Jitka Antosova of the Czech Republic and last year's silver medalists, Viviana Bulgarelli and Laura Schiavone of Italy had already met yesterday in the semi-final when they conducted a major scuffle at the head of the field. Today they did it all again.

But first current World Champions Australia gave the leading spot a go when they got ahead of Italy at the start and tried to stick with Antosova and Varekova. The attempt did not last long and by the half way point Bulgarelli and Schiavone were in second and gaining on Antosova and Varekova with Susanne Herbrand and Stephanie Schiller of Germany challenging Italy from third. As crews moved into the finishing zone Antosova and Varekova had firmly established a lead leaving Italy and Germany to decide second and third. At the line the Czech Republic became Junior World Champions, Italy earned silver and Germany took bronze.

Junior Men's Double

Italy's Domenico Montrone and Andrea Tranquilli have already built up a solid international standing having raced the last two years at the Junior World Championships and today they demonstrated what results experience can bring. Taking an early lead, Montrone and Tranquilli demonstrated beautiful, leverage rowing that was propelling them further and further away from their nearest rivals.

Meanwhile Australia's early showing had fallen away as Germany and Poland found their rhythm moving them into medal contention. None of these crews, however, were even close to reaching Italy leaving Germany and Poland to fight for second. Coming into the finish it was Poland's sprint that paid off as Artur Sledzik and Dawid Kubiak got their bow ahead of Germany with 240 metres to go.

Montrone and Tranquilli add gold to their collection Sledzik and Kubiak gain silver and Felix Loeffler and Robin Ehrminger win bronze for Germany.

Germany wins gold in the quad
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Junior Women's Quad

Charlott Goldstein, as stroke of the German quad, got her crew out where they wanted to be at the start – in first. Behind them Romania were one second back and opening up a gap over Ukraine. The medal winning order looked well established as crews moved into the final sprint. But it is never wise to pick your medal colour until the final buoy and Ukraine demonstrated that when they sprinted after Romania snatching silver in the last 20 metres of the race ahead of Romania.

Germany win gold and Romania take away the bronze.

Junior Men's Quad

Slovenia and Russia came out of the start together and from lane four and six respectively they paces each other over the first half of the race with the Netherlands not far behind in third. It was a case of attack and counterattack as Slovenia tried to break away from Russia's grip. But Russia was having none of that and continued to demand a shot at the lead.

The Netherlands meanwhile were improving all of the time and a piece at the 1200 metre mark brought them closer to the leading boats and away from a strong German challenge in fourth. But the Slovenians and Russians were still tussling as the charge for the line continued. Slovenia retained the lead winning the only medal for their country at this regatta. Russia finished just behind becoming silver medal winners for 2004 and the Netherlands rowed a very consistent race to take bronze.

Junior Women's Eight

Russia and Romania met last year in Athens where Romania became the World Champions and Russia finished with bronze. Today Russia took on Romania again with four of the same crew members as last year while Romania retained three of the same members.

As the six final boats left the starter?s hands Russia was in front and by the 400 metre mark they had a two metre advantage over Romania with Germany in third. This close margin remained as the two leading boats paced each other through the middle of the race. But as the second half of the race unfolded Russia was struggling to hold off the World Champions who, attacking through the 1250 metre mark, had got their bow in front.

Meanwhile the red and white of Poland was moving up on the field and posing a huge threat to Germany's medal chance. It all came down to the final sprint and in a mass of 54 athletes in six boats Romania got the edge over Russia who were taken to a photo finish for second by Poland. Russia just held on to take silver and a very happy Poland earned bronze.

In Romania's boat Andreea Airoaiei, Mihaela Coteata and Adriana Rapa earn their second gold while 15 year old six seat, Mihaela Coteata, becomes the youngest gold medal winner at this regatta.

Junior Men's Eight

Romania and Germany took off together at the head of the field in the final race of the Junior World Championships with Germany getting their nose into the lead as the 750 metre mark came into view. But Romania were fighting back. Six of their crew had already won gold medals earlier today in the pair and four and they were on fire.

The fresh German crew however was keeping the power on and coming into the final sprint very little separated these two leading crews. Meanwhile the Czech Republic, who had shown promise through the heats and semi-finals, were working their way up from fifth place past Russia and going after Germany leaving Czech head coach Premsyl Panuska biting his nails on the sideline.

In the charge for the line Romania, rating 38 for the last 500 metres, moved ahead of Germany who could not hold off the Czech Republic on the outside. Six of Romania's crew earn their second World Championship gold, the Czech Republic take silver and Germany win the bronze.

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