World Championship Racing Begins in Banyoles

By Melissa Bray

Banyoles, Spain has been buzzing with rowing fever ever since teams from 54 nations started to arrive last week. A mixture of senior World Championship crews, juniors and adaptive rowers started today at 9.30 CET with flat water, sunny skies and barely a breath of a tail wind. A day of heats in the senior and junior class had crews aiming for either a direct path to the final or advancement to the semi-final.

SENIOR EVENTS

Women's Four

An almost identical time between the winners of the two heats sets this race up for a tight final. Belarus in heat two and stroked by Hanna Nakhayeva, hold a smidgen of an advantage over winners of the first heat, Great Britain. These two crews go directly to the final. But right on the pace and second in heat one was Australia who worked its way up from the back of the field to get within striking distance of Great Britain. By finishing second, the Australians return to race the repechage and will definitely be a strong contender to move forward.

Italy's M2+ at Banyoles
© Getty Images/Bryn Lennon

Men's Coxed Pair

The race was all about finishing first when the two heats lined up as the first boat only would go through to the final. Nothing was decided until the line in heat one. Italy got out to a healthy start holding the position over Spain and Serbia & Montenegro with the United States hanging on to the pace. Then a second half comeback from France accelerated them from the back of the field and into a final sprint with Serbia & Montenegro who had moved easily away from Spain and defending World Champions the United States. Italy finished first with France and Serbia & Montenegro finishing second and third respectively in a photo finish. Italy remained in first and goes to the final while all other crews return for a repechage.

The second heat had Poland overtaking a fast starting Great Britain crew to finish first and take out the fastest qualifying time. But there is very little in it and when Poland meets winner of heat one, Italy, the racing will be close.

Lightweight Women's Single Scull

A definite hierarchy is forming here with experience dominating over the newer crews and the hierarchy is being led by this year's World Cup winner, Nina Gaesler of Germany. But Gaesler had to overtake a strong challenge by Minna Nieminen of Finland who raced last month in the double and just missed out on Olympic qualification. Behind them in third 2001 World Champion, Sinead Jennings of Ireland will have to return, along with Nieminen, for the repechage.

Minna Nieminen of Finland at Banyoles
© Getty Images/Bryn Lennon

The fastest qualifying time took place in the second heat when last year's silver medalist Mirna Rajle of Croatia overtook Bulgaria in the second half of the race opening up a handy gap over the rest of the field in the process. Meanwhile Great Britain's Jo Hammond moved through to second but did not get close enough to strike Rajle.

A slower final heat had Adeline Maddaloni-Gouelle of France unable to keep her initial pace and slip into second behind a strong performance from Denmark's Kirsten Jepsen who easily qualified for the semi-final over France.

Lightweight Men's Single Scull

Four heats required scullers to finish in the top spot for direct advancement to the semi-final. In lightweight rowing this is always an advantage as it means one less time to make weight and with many of these rowers, making weight is often a fine balancing act between food and liquid intake and the required 72.5kg maximum weight. With this in mind Switzerland's Stephan Steiner took off at a cracking pace in heat one and never looked back. By the 500 metre mark Steiner had created a boat length lead over nearest rival Guatemala and apart from a brief challenge from Portugal, the race was all about Steiner.

Mohammed M'Henni of Tunisia, Banyoles 2004
© Getty Images/Bryn Lennon

In heat two France's Fabrice Moreau pushed past Austria and then defending World Champion, Stefano Basalini of Italy to take the lead and remain there until the line. But it was heat three that recorded the fastest time when this year's World Cup winner Peter Ording of Germany commanded an early lead and held it – if only just. Newcomer to the single, Oleksandr Serdyuk of Ukraine has moved from the double after not qualifying for Athens and looks to be a force to be reckoned with when he paced Ording for the full 2000 metres. But Serdyuk in second will have to return for the repechage while Ording goes directly to the semi-final.

Winner of the fourth heat, Denis Moiseyev of Russia has also moved from the double after not qualifying for Athens and showed fine form in the single by overtaking Great Britain's Stephen Lee in the last 1000 metres of the race. For his effort Moiseyev recorded the second fastest time of the event.

Men's Coxed Four

Less intense racing was required as crews aimed for one of the top three spots. But in heat one of the three heats Australia and France still decided to have a major tussle at the head of the field. France broke away to a slight early lead holding it through the first half of the race. Then a piece at the 1200 by Australia accelerated them past France and that is where the Aussies remained. Lithuania also qualify from finishing third.

Heat two followed a similar pattern as Slovenia and Germany paced each other to a photo finish, Slovenia earning the advantage. Both crews go to the final along with Denmark who just missed out on Olympic qualification last month in the straight four.

Equipment failure for Canada in the first 100 metres of the final heat meant the race was delayed. Perennial opponents the United States and Canada showed the rivalry is still strong when they battled each other for the lead, Canada just sneaking ahead in the last sprint of the race. Both crews move to the semi-final along with Italy who finished well back in third.

Lightweight Men's Pair

All of the main crews from this season's World Cup racing have turned up in Banyoles plus extra and close times indicate it will all be on in the final. Today the goal was to make top three in each of the three heats. World Champions Bo Helleberg and Mads Andersen of Denmark have recorded mixed results this season but stamped their name on heat one finishing ahead of Germany. Both boats qualify along with Australia in their first international race of the season.

Winners of the final 2004 World Cup in Lucerne, Italy remained ahead of France to win the second heat. Both boats continue to the semi-final with Poland also qualifying by finishing third.

Currently third in the world Simon Carcagno and Michael Altman of the United States overtook Ireland to win heat three by half a second. Behind the two leaders Chile also qualifies by finishing third.

USA's LW4x at Banyoles 2004
© Getty Images/Bryn Lennon

Lightweight Women's Quad

Two heats required a win in each race for direct advancement to the final and it was no surprise to see World Champions China in the lead of heat one. They held off Switzerland to move directly to the final. But it was the United States in heat two that recorded the fastest time. In a battle with Canada the United States remained in second for 1980 metres before overtaking Canada in the final five strokes of the race. Canada, bowed by Olympic spare Gen Meredith, will now have to return for the repechage.

Lightweight Men's Quad

"Finish first" was the command from coaches as two heats lined up with the top spot being the only direct path to the final. The Canadian rowing renaissance shone in heat one when they took on sculling powerhouse Germany and mowed through them in the second half of the race. This gave Canada the fastest qualifying time of the two heats.

World Champions Italy stepped up to the plate in heat two and obviously wanted the top spot the most. They took a handy boat length lead within the first 500 metres and extending it as the race progressed. Although Daniele Gilardoni is the only returning member of last year's crew, obviously the speed is still there and the United States in second could all but hold on to keep that spot over Spain. Italy continues to the final while the United States will race again in the repechage.

JUNIOR EVENTS

Junior Women's Quad

Heat one and two required a first place finish for a direct path to the final and Germany opened up the proceedings in fine style. The whole German crew missed out on competing at last year's Junior Championships due to illness but the year off did not slow down these women. Not only did they lead the field, they dominated leaving a yawning gap back to second place, the Czech Republic. Even with this dominating lead, the Germans still kept their speed up and qualify with the fastest time.

Romania, in heat two, will be the main threat to Germany after leading their race. But they did not dominate in German style, instead Ukraine gave the Romanians a run for their money. Ukraine, who will return to race the repechage, will definitely be a top contender.

Junior Men's Quad

Twenty countries started, four heats raced and the top boat from each heat advanced to the semi-final. Starting in heat one the Germans again looked in fine form leading from the first few metres over Hungary. Meanwhile, with Germany in front, the race for second swapped between Hungary, Poland and Estonia. At the line Germany remained in the lead with Estonia coming through to second over a fast finishing Russia. Both Estonia and Russia will still have to return for the repechage.

The second heat had Argentina row through Great Britain and then take on leaders Lithuania. Under threat for the lead with 600 metres to go, Lithuania caught a crab and Argentina was able to push past and finish first.

In heat three Italy soon lost an early lead when both the Netherlands and Australia put the pressure on. Australia, stroked by Robert Alderman, finished first and will go directly to the semi-final with the fastest qualifying time. The final heat was led by Slovenia from start to finish. But they did not have it all their own way as Belarus, although never finding the lead, pushed Slovenia to the finish.

Italy's JW8+, Banyoles 2004
© Getty Images/Bryn Lennon

Junior Women's Eight

The winner of each of the two heats earned a place in the final while the rest of the field would have to return to race again in the repechage and Romania showed that the strength of their senior women's eights starts at the junior level. Coxed by Teodora Stoica the Romanians led from the start and never looked back. Using longer strokes as they came into the final sprint, Romania remained ahead of Poland who put in a solid sprint but, even with a higher stroke rate, the Poles could not catch Romania.

Russia led race two from the start leaving Belarus, France and Italy to fight it out for second. But nothing changed for Russia who finished with open water between them and second placed Belarus.

Junior Men's Eight

Wrapping up the day's racing three heats of eights required a top three finish for advancement to the semi-final. Romania again showed the strength of their eights by leading the first heat over Russia. The Russians put up a solid fight and kept their boat in touch with the leaders. The order, however, remained the same with Spain finishing third and also qualifying.

Italy led the second heat but found the initial pace a little too hot slipping back to third behind the Czech Republic and the United States who were pacing each other from lane one and three respectively. With less than 500 metres to go the Czechs had a slight advantage and using a higher stroke rate sprinted the final metres to first. The United States qualify from second and Italy from third.

Nothing changed in the order of the third heat with Germany starting out at the head of the field and remaining there, France following in second and New Zealand back a bit in third. Canada never put in a challenge and Germany, France and New Zealand all continue directly to the semi-final.