World Rowing Championship first day of finals

By Melissa Bray

New Zealand has the most successful day ever in the history of their country's rowing winning four of the seven Olympic events. Byelorussia's Karsten makes the women's single look easy. An audience of 27,000 shows up and Great Britain's men's four caps off an unbeaten season.

The 2005 World Rowing Championships in Gifu, Japan turned on another hot and humid day with athletes rowing into a head wind on the first day of finals at the Nagaragawa International Regatta Course.

World Champions in the women's four: Selby Smith, Martin, Frasca and Hornsey

Women's Four (W4-)

Australia dominated earlier in the week during the race for lanes but today Germany showed that they had been holding back. At the start Australia, who will also compete in the eight tomorrow, found themselves behind the Germans.

Germany, led by stroke Christiane Hoelzel, then paid dearly for their fast start and by the half way point not only had Australia taken to the head of the field, but they had moved to an open water lead. Australia then continued to make bigger gains and their tandem rigged boat formed a gaping hole back to the rest of the field.

Germany meanwhile could only hold on to second with no challenge coming from Belarus in third. Korea, at the back of the field, had dropped off the pace within the opening strokes. The Australian national anthem was the first to play today. Germany received silver and Belarus win bronze.

Quote:
Germany's Kerstin Neumann
?Our goal was to be in the W8+, not being selected was hard. But as we saw that we had a good chance for a good result it was not so bad anymore. We are very pleased with this 2nd place. For Beijing, the goal is to be in the W8+ as international events are considered second class in Germany, but really, what are we rowing for? For success and not for money!?

Men's Coxed Pair (M2+)

Sam Conrad and Hardy Cubasch of Australia along with coxswain Marc Douez easily won the race for lanes earlier in the week. Did the other crews have an answer today? Dario Cerasola and Edoardo Verzotti of Italy gave it their best shot. But the Australians were too powerful and had an open water lead rating a solid 33 strokes per minute.

The Australian lead continued to increase with Italy staying comfortably ahead of the United States. With only three crews entered in this event every crew was guaranteed a medal and on the medals podium the Australian national anthem played once again.

Quotes:
Sam Conrad, Australia
?We were disappointed that only three crews were participating, but both other crews here are quite strong (especially Italy). It was a good experience (it is Cubasch's 1st World Rowing Championships, and Conrad's 2nd). We are still young. We both hope to be in the eight next year, and through until Beijing.?

 

World Champion in the lightweight single, Marit van Eupen of the Netherlands

Lightweight Women's Single (LW1x)

At her second World Rowing Championships Cuba's Ismaray Marrero jumped off the start and into the lead. This didn't seem to bother favourite Marit Van Eupen of the Netherlands who soon took over from the Cuban with Bénédicte Luzuy-Dorfman of France the only one able to hold Van Eupen's pace.

Van Eupen comes to these Rowing World Championships as an Olympic medallist from the lightweight double but never having won a World Champion title. Earlier in the season Van Eupen gave the double a go with a new partner, but returned to the single in time for these Championships. Today she became the 2005 World Champion in dominating style.

This left Luzuy-Dorfman to fight with Spain's Teresa Mas De Xaxars Rivero. Mas De Xaxars Rivero spent the first half of the race at the back of the field and had made up huge ground to not only challenge Luzuy-Dorfman but overtake her. Back on the international scene after a four year absence, last racing to seventh in the lightweight double at Sydney.

Van Eupen stayed well in the lead to win her first World Champion with the better sprint by Luzuy-Dorfman earning her the silver and Mas De Xaxars Rivero winning bronze.

Quotes:
Bénédicte Luzuy-Dorfman, France
You stopped rowing for several years, why?
?Yes, after Sydney, as I had two children, a girl and a boy.?
What were your motivations for coming back?
?With the children it was good to sometimes have a break and be alone, so I got back in a boat every now and again. I went to the French Championships, and it went well, so one thing led to another, and I came back. I started training again in July 2004. It's too early to think about Beijing, we will see how things go with the children.?

Marit van Eupen, the Netherlands
On her plans to go back into the double: ?I do a lot of training in the single. I like the single, so it was not a problem to change. The coach decided at the last moment to let me start in the single.?

?I am already thinking about Beijing, but will take it step by step. I will not go back into last year's double, it was a very good double, but it is in the past.?

 

World Champion in the lightweight single, Vasileios Polymperos of Greece

Lightweight Men's Single (LM1x)

Greece's Vasileios Polymeros comes to the final with the fastest semi-final time after he completely dominated his race. What would be the answer from the rest of the field? Great Britain's 19 year old Zac Purchase thought he might just have it and a very aggressive start by Purchase placed him in second behind the flying Greek man.

Also sticking to the pace surprise qualifier Tim Eichmann of Switzerland was showing that his awesome semi-final race was no fluke. But by the half way point there was no doubt about the superiority of Polymeros. Polymeros last year claimed the title of Greece's most successful rower when he won the first Olympic rowing medal for Greece in the lightweight double and today he added to his collection and got closer to the status of Greece's rowing God.

Polymeros continued to increase his lead leaving the only possible race for silver and it was France's Fabrice Moreau that was making the biggest impact. Rating 41, then 43, then 45 Moreau sprinted past Eichmann and went after Purchase. The gutsy Purchase, at his first World Rowing Championships, held on and at the line Greece takes gold, Great Britain silver and France bronze.

Quotes:
Fabrice Moreau, France ?It was really hard. I came into the last 500 metres a length behind the 2nd and 3rd, but I know from my previous races that I am capable of coming back in the last 500 to 250 metres so I was counting on that, and it is what helped. I had a stress fracture on my ribs earlier this season, so to get to this result is great!?

Lightweight Men's Eight (LM8+)

The two crews met in a race for lanes earlier this week with Italy comfortably winning. They met again today in the final and a very similar race panned out. Italy took the lead at the start and increased it throughout the 2,000 metre course. Italy sat on a steady 36 stroke rate through the body of the race and displayed a very comfortable and confident rowing style. Japan followed into silver medal position.

Quotes:
Martino Goretti, Italy: ?Racing against only one other is not very motivating, but we only found out about it late, and we had done the training and prepared at our best during the year. We did a great result in Lucerne, 8 seconds ahead of Ireland. Due to this and the distance, this may have prevented others from coming. Other crews may have been a bit scared, as we have proven that we would be hard to beat.?

Mirka Knapkova of the Czech Republic wins silver in the single

Women's Single Scull (W1x)

Coming into this Rowing World Championships there was no doubt about who the leader would be, the question was by how much would she dominate? Ekaterina Karsten of Belarus has had very little competition this season. The group of three top dogs from this event was down to one. Rumyana Neykova of Bulgaria had chosen to compete in the double this season and Katrin Rutschow-Stomporowski of Germany is pregnant with twins.

After Karsten took the lead she looked content to sit in first and put on a display of textbook rowing technique.

In second, and not surprisingly, Mirka Knapkova of the Czech Republic found herself battling with newcomer to the world of international single sculling, Michelle Guerette of the United States. As Karsten slipped into an easy 28 strokes per minute, Knapkova and Guerette went head to head. It was all going to come down to the sprint.

Knapkova had a bit more to give and wins her first Rowing World Championship medal ? a silver. Guerette wins the first medal for the United States in this event in 17 years and Karsten becomes World Champion for the first time since 1999.

World Champion in the single: Mahe Drysdale of New Zealand

Men's Single Scull (M1x)

There was much more uncertainty over who would win in the men's single event. All six finalists had shown that they had medal potential coming through the semi-finals. It would come down to who had prepared the best for these head wind, hot, humid conditions.

At the start Mahe Drysdale of New Zealand got off the line first followed closely by Ondrej Synek of the Czech Republic. Drysdale comes to these World Rowing Championships having recovered from a serious accident earlier this year when he was hit by a water skier while training. Synek and Drysdale raced for the first time at the BearingPoint Rowing World Cup in Munich where Drysdale got the better of Synek as Synek appeared to bag it just before the finish.

The slower starting current Olympic Champion, Olaf Tufte of Norway had a bit of ground to make up from a slower start as Drysdale continued to power on at the front of the field. Had the New Zealander gone out too hard? Rating 30-31 strokes per minute over Synek's 34, Drysdale continued to keep a boat length advantage. Then Tufte started to charge. In the final sprint the Norwegian, rating 41, overtook Synek. The Czech cracked. With 50 metres left to row Synek gave up. Drysdale won his first Rowing World Champion title, Tufte took silver and Synek takes home bronze.

At the back of the field disaster had struck for former Rowing World Champion, Marcel Hacker of Germany, who struggled with boat problems.

Olaf Tufte, Norway:
You had a good race, but it was not enough for gold?
?No, Drysdale today was amazing, he was good, he was surviving the waves from the boats out there?he was the best man today, no doubt! He's a real Champion. I had a really tough year this year with illness and media stress. I can't be disappointed. I really thought I would be able to have this race, but today, it was too fast for me.?

Do you plan to race in double?
?There are four people in the country who are rowing for fun, so for now I'm in the single.?

Julliette Haigh and Nicky Coles of New Zealand win gold in the pair

Women's Pair (W2-)

New Zealand and Australia have an intense sporting rivalry and today they got to play it out in the women's pair. Both qualifying for the final through their heats five days ago, this would be the first times these two crews had met.

Coming into the event New Zealanders Nicky Coles and Juliette Haigh had the upper hand having won both BearingPoint Rowing World Cups that they had raced this season. But Natalie Bale and Sarah Outhwaite of Australia had won the other. Today it was the Australian's, stroked by 19 year old Bale that took an early lead. Coles and Haigh seemed unconcerned and by the half way point had worked their way into nearly a boatlength lead making their 34 stroke rate look easy.

Australia, rating 31, slipped into second but only just ahead of the United States. Meanwhile, Vera Potchitaeva and Valerya Starodubrovskaya of Russia were starting to move through the field. Starodubrovskaya has been plugging away internationally for 11 years now while Potchitaeva has two Olympics behind her. But there was no doubt about the leaders. At the line Coles and Haigh had become World Champions for the first time and put them one step closer to the Beijing Olympics. Bale and Outhwaite held on to the silver and will have another medal chance when they race in their country's eight tomorrow, and Potchitaeva and Starodubrovskaya earn bronze.

Quotes:
How can you explain the success of New Zealand this year?
Coles: ?Our coach, Richard Tonks, he's an incredibly hard coach. He has worked very, very hard with us here, but is has so paid off. He's awesome.?
You only raced one other time on Monday, how did you spend your time here?
?We still did a bit of training, watching TV, and just trying to relax, trying to do not too much shopping!?

Nathan Twaddle and George Bridgewater of New Zealand win gold

Men's Pair (M2-)

A theme was starting to form. The last two raced had gone to New Zealand and leading this event was another New Zealand crew. Nathan Twaddle and George Bridgewater were taking no chances at the start and their strong, 42 stroke rate propelled their boat into the lead. At 22 years old, 203cm stroke Bridgewater has power to spare. Earlier this year he finished second at the Indoor Rowing Championships clocking 5.47 for the 2,000 metre race. The more experienced Twaddle is in his fourth international season.

An initial burst by Greece soon saw them fading with South Africa's Ramon Di Clemente and Donovan Cech moving back from a slow start to take on the New Zealanders. While Cech and Di Clemente held on to second rating 34, Twaddle and Bridgewater retained 37 strokes per minute. Meanwhile the Italian's, Luca Agamennoni and Dario Lari, at a 34 stroke rate, were establishing themselves in third.

Surprisingly Olympic silver medallists, Croatia were back in fourth and struggling to maintain the pace.

Coming into the final sprint New Zealand moved to a greater lead with South Africa and Italy in a heated battle. At the line Twaddle and Bridgewater had won their first World Champion title, South Africa added silver to their World Championship collection and a very happy Italy earned bronze. Cech and Di Clemente now become the only men's pair to have won a medal at every world championship between 2001 and 2005.

Ramon Di Clemente and Donovan Cech of South Africa win silver in the men's pair

Quotes
Lari
This is your first season together. Have you focused on technique?
?We didn't focus on a special type of preparation. We've just got a great feeling together, probably because we come from the same city, Livorno. We've got no plans for the future. We'll go on step by step as we did for Gifu.?

Rumyana Neykova of Bulgaria in the women's double

Women's Double Sculls (W2x)

When you're at the top the pressure of expectations is tremendous. At the BearingPoint Rowing World Cup in Lucerne, New Zealand had their three year wining streak broken when the youth mixed with the experience of Miglena Markova and Rumyana Neykova of Bulgaria, piped them in the last stroke. New Zealand's Caroline and Georgina Evers-Swindell share almost the same rowing experience and exactly the same birthdays.

Caroline picked up rowing first and raced internationally for the first time 10 years ago and hasn't had a break since. Georgina joined her sister in the sport and together they competed in a double in 1996. Today, as defending World Champions, they were leading and had a boat length lead over Markova and Neykova with 600 metres rowed. Could the Bulgarians come back?

Meanwhile a three way battle was going on for third between Amber Bradley and Sally Kehoe of Australia, Germany and Great Britain. But the New Zealanders and Bulgarians were completely in a class of their own at the head of the field.

At the line the Evers-Swindell had added another World Champion title to their collection of two, Bulgaria finished with silver and Kehoe, 18, of Australia wins her first senior rowing medal, bronze, while Bradley adds bronze to her senior collection.

The Slovenians and Italians in the double reaching the finish line

Men's Double (M2x)

Slovenia's Iztok Cop and Luka Spik (gold in 2000, silver in 2004) have been turning up all over the place. Yesterday they raced in the semi-final of the quad and today they were back on the water in the double. Both are professional athletes with Cop keeping us updated at www.iztokcop.com and Spik can be seen in Ljubljana driving his sponsored Skoda car. Today they opened the race with their signature aggressive start with the aim of dominating the rest of the field.

By the half way point Germany's Christian Schreiber and Rene Burmeister sat in second but only had a quarter of a second on Luca Ghezzi and Federico Gattinoni of Italy. In the third 500 the Italians then did a piece that not only propelled them past the Germans but also got them within striking range of the Slovenians.

Slovenia would have to sprint. Rating 38 Cop and Spik drove to the line. They had done enough. Italy, on 37, crossed in second while a suffering Germany could only just hold off Bulgaria to take third. This gives Cop and Spik their first Rowing World Champion title since 1999. But the happiest crew was the Italians with Gattinoni, 21, winning his first senior World Rowing Championship medal.

After the race Schreiber, suffering from heat and exhaustion could barely make the medal ceremony and was taken away, with his winning flowers and medal, on a stretcher to receive medical help. Schreiber was one of two athletes that suffered in the heat today. Both are now fine.

Quotes
Iztok Cop:
How was the race?
"Up until now the rowing conditions have not been tough enough for us."
Is it hard to row today in the double and tomorrow in the quad?
"Physically it's ok but mentally it is difficult because you have to be focused."
What boat is more competitive? Double or quad?
"Both are the same. All six boats racing in the quad tomorrow are equally competitive.
What is the secret of your success?"
Iztok Cop: "hard work and spirit, our experience (20 years for me and 13 for Luka)
Luka Spik: differences in personalities."
What keeps you in rowing?
"Motivation is a challenge when you are getting older and to keep on getting faster."

Great Britain, World Champions in the four

Men's Four (M4-)

Great Britain completed their first season together undefeated when they rounded it off today with a win in the four. Stroke Andy Hodge will now have to cut his hair and Peter Reed can still make claim to never having lost an international race. Bow man and senior member of the crew adds to his Athens Olympic gold and Alex Partridge makes it one step closer to Beijing after a punctured lung stopped him going to Athens. This is how they did it:

Taking the lead from the start Great Britain settled into a 34 ? 35 stroke rate as the Netherlands followed the same stroke rate in second. After overtaking New Zealand, Canada, containing three members of last year's silver medal coxed four, established themselves in third. Nothing changed as these three leading crews headed for the line. Great Britain win gold, the Netherlands silver and Canada win bronze.

Adaptive Events

Great Britain's adaptive crew lead the way

Legs, Trunk and Arms Mixed Coxed Four (LTAMX4+)

The race for lanes yesterday saw Great Britain completely dominate. Today Portugal decided to take the British on at the start. Great Britain had to fight back and it took them half the race to overtake the fading Portuguese. Portugal then had to deal with the very consistent Dutch. At the line Great Britain had won gold, the Portuguese had held on for silver and only half a second back, the Netherlands finish with bronze.

Trunk and Arms Double Sculls (TA2x)

There is no doubt about the speed and skill of Scott Brown and Angela Madsen of the United States. The duo rowed in perfect time together indicating their time in the boat together which includes a 59 km coastal race. The unstoppable Madsen is currently training for a transatlantic rowing race in 2006. Madsen admits, though, that she can't get Brown to join her.

Madsen and Brown finished first, successfully defending their 2004 title, with Italy in second and France following in third.

Arms Men's Single Scull (AM1x)

In yesterday's race Dominic Moneypenny of Australia easily won. Today Moneypenny followed the same strategy of using a 51 ? 52 stroke rate and a square blade style. But Italy's Marco Re Calegari had been taking note of Moneypenny's technique. Today Re Calegari was hot on Moneypenny's tail and challenging for the full 1,000 metres.

Moneypenny held on. At the line the Australian had won, but only just over the Italian with Ron Harvey of the United States finishing with the bronze.

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