Adaptive rowers race at the Rowing World Cup in Bled

Arms and Shoulders Men’s Single Sculls (ASM1x) – Heats

Divided into three heats this event attracted an impressive 15 entries with World and Paralympic Champion, Tom Aggar of Great Britain, the definite favourite. These athletes, who are allowed to use their arms and shoulders, had to finish in the top three if they wanted a direct path to tomorrow’s semifinal. Heat one featured Aggar who has never lost a race in his rowing career. Aggar led the way at the half-way point of the 1000m race with his main competition coming from fellow countryman Andrew Houghton. Aggar and Houghton remained in the leading two positions with Russia’s Alexey Chuvashev holding on to third. At the finish Aggar had the fastest qualifying time of the three heats with Houghton and Chuvashev earning a place in the semifinal from second and third respectively.

Heat two opened with Andrii Kryvchun of Ukraine in the lead. Kryvchun finished second to Aggar at last year’s World Rowing Championships and it looks like his pace has remained through his winter, off-season training. Spain’s Edorta De Anta Lecuona battled with Karol Doherty of Ireland for second. De Anta Lecuona prevailed taking second with Doherty still qualifying for the semifinal from third.

The only representatives from Australia at this Rowing World Cup is their adaptive team and first to race was Benjamin Houlison. Houlison finished with bronze last year and he made easy work of heat three leading over Luciano Luna De Oliveira of Brazil. Efrem Morelli of Italy made a strong bid to challenge Luna De Oliveira but the Brazilian was just that bit stronger. Houlison, Luna De Oliveira and Morelli earn a spot in the semifinal.

Legs, Trunk and Arms Mixed Coxed Four (LTAMix4+) – Heats

The two heats in this event raced to finish in first place to earn a direct route to the final and heat one featured reigning World Champions, Great Britain. The crew of Kelsie Gibson, Naomi Riches, James Roe and Ryan Chamberlain with Rhiannon Jones in coxswain seat has two changes from the World Champion crew, Chamberlain and Gibson coming in for 2010. Great Britain was confronted with a strong challenge from Ukraine, but managed to prevail. Ukraine must now race in the repechage.

The second heat featured last year’s silver and bronze medallists in this event, Italy and Germany. Right from the start Germany showed their boat speed and jumped out to a handy lead. Italy had no answer and will have to do a lot of work to make up the gap. Germany moves on directly to the final.