World Rowing Championships C and D Finals

By Melissa Bray

A number of rowing’s developing nations sprinkled with very accomplished rowers made up the C and D Finals at the 2005 World Rowing Championships in Gifu, Japan.

India’s Pere Karoba got the ball rolling by rating 38 strokes per minute to win the lightweight women’s single D Final. This was followed by the C Final of the same event with 23 year old Giulia Cappabianca of Italy coming in first.

The lightweight men’s single D Final had Samuel Moukoumboulan of Cameroon dominate. This is the first time Cameroon has competed at a World Rowing Championship. Denmark’s Jacob Moeller got one spot better than his last year’s fourteenth place finish when he won the C Final.

It has not been a good regatta for Latvia’s Kristaps Bokums. Bokums won the World Rowing Under 23 Regatta last year but has had a slower season this year. Today he easily won the D Final of the men’s single. The C Final included a World Champion, Olympic Champion and Junior Champion. In a close finish with the United States, Kostiantyn Zaitsev of Ukraine, in his eighth year of international rowing, finished first.

Spain’s Nuria Dominguez was the first Spanish woman rower to make an Olympic final when she raced last year at Athens. Today she finished first in the C Final of the women’s single.

The men’s pair D Final gave India another race at the World Rowing Championships when they easily beat Singapore. The C Final had the United States out in front, rating 35, to finish thirteenth in the world.

Korea were well ahead in the men’s double D Final with the C Final going to Olympic finalists Norway in a close battle with Estonia which was stroked by Silver Sonntak who has spent most of his international career in the quad.

Afternoon racing included more C and D finals, a race for lanes for the men’s coxed four and the adaptive rowing events.

Men’s Coxed Four ? Race for Lanes

Against a fleet of top sweep rowing nations, France finished at the head of the field over the United States, Canada, Italy and Germany. These crews have had a long wait as this is their first time racing at the 2005 World Rowing Championships and today’s results set the boats up for Sunday’s actual final with France and the United States earning the two centre lanes.

C and D Finals

After overtaking Uzbekistan, South Africa finished first in the D Final of the lightweight men’s double. Then Russia’s Vladimir Varfolomeyev and Denis Moisseyev led from start to finish in the C Final.

Germany stayed well clear of Japan to win the lightweight men’s pair C Final and then Thailand followed suit in the lightweight women’s double C Final, beating Uzbekistan by open water.

The Netherlands were unlucky not to advance to the semi-final through Wednesday’s repechage and today they won by a distance in the C Final of the lightweight men’s four. Romania had a similar race in the men’s quad C Final, leading Japan by open water.

Adaptive Events ? Race for Lanes

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

Six nations lined to race for the first time over a 2,000 metre distance and there was no doubt about the lead. Great Britain already had a five second advantage with only 500 metres rowed and the only real fight going on was between Portugal and the Netherlands for second. The Dutch got the edge, finishing second. Great Britain and the Netherlands now race the Sunday final in the centre two lanes.

Trunk and Arms Double Sculls (TA2x)

The rowing talent of Scott Brown and Angela Madsen from the United States outshone the rest of the field. They won this event last year and look like they will dominate this year over the 1,000 metre distance.

Arms Men’s Single Scull (AM1x)

Dominic Moneypenny of Australia used a 51 ? 52 stroke rate and a square blade style for the entire 1,000 metres to finish first over Italy’s Marco Re Calegari. Moneypenny and Re Calegari will now be in the middle lanes for Sunday’s Final.

Slovenia was in the men’s four final at the 2000 Olympics and regular finalists since, but today they raced the C Final to finish thirteenth overall at the 2005 World Rowing Championships.

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