B Finals benchmark progress at the Lucerne Rowing World Cup

These B Finals featured a number of crews who are still hoping to qualify for the Beijing Olympics. From these races they will get a benchmark for their chances.

Women’s Single Sculls (W1x) – B Final

Julia Michalska of Poland has set her sights firmly on a future of single sculling. The 22-year-old has qualified for the Beijing Olympics but is thinking more towards the next Olympics for her chances to take a medal. Today she finished seventh overall by winning the B Final. Sophie Balmary of France, who seems to be digressing in her results in the last couple of years, started as Michalska’s main challenge but then fell back to third with Frida Svensson of Sweden pushing through to second.

Men’s Single Sculls (M1x) – B Final

The top two boats in this race, Sjoerd Hamburger of the Netherlands and Karsten Brodowski of Germany are the 2005 and 2006 under-23 world champions respectively. There is every indication that they will be part of the next generation of top scullers. Today Hamburger overtook Brodowski to finish first and earn one World Cup point for their country. Kenneth Jurkowski of the United States came in third after throwing out a better sprint over China.

Women’s Pair (W2-) – B Final

They may be reigning World Champions, but today Yulia Bichyk and Natallia Helakh of Belarus could only manage a B Final result. They made the best of it, however, and led from start to finish shaking off first Australia Two and then China Two to cross the line in an open water style first. Bichyk and Helakh finish seventh overall and there’s no doubt they will be back stronger when the Olympics come around.

Men’s Pair (M2-) – B Final

Four years ago Vaclav Chalupa of the Czech Republic raced in the A Final of the men’s single at the Olympic Games. Now that Ondrej Synek is the Czech Republic’s top sculler, Chalupa has been trying other boats. This season the decision has been made for him and partner Jakub Makovicka to try and qualify the pair for the Beijing Olympics. Today they raced to win the B Final shaking off a strong challenge from Australia’s number two crew. Coming in third Ireland are also hoping to qualify for Beijing in the last chance regatta later this month.

Women’s Double Sculls (W2x) – B Final

Two lightweight combinations, the United States and Finland showed that they can foot it with the open weight rowers. With Australia’s Catriona Sens and Sonia Mills in the lead, the United States slipped into second. In the USA boat, Jennifer Goldsack used to row for Great Britain but there is every chance that she will represent the USA in the lightweight women’s double event. At the line Australia take first, Hykel and Goldsack take second and Finland earn third.

Men’s Double Sculls (M2x) – B Final

Germany’s Clemens Wenzel and Falko Nolte finished with silver at the first Rowing World Cup. Today the best they would be able to do would be seventh overall. What will this do to affect their chances of being the boat for the Olympics? Making the best of the situation, Wenzel and Nolte got to the front of the field in a tight race with Belgium and the Netherlands. In the final sprint Belgium’s Tim Maeyens and Christophe Raes took their rating to 37 strokes per minute and closed in on Germany. Maeyens has already qualified for the Beijing Olympics in the single, but his country is now trying the doubles option. On the rowing course Germany remained in front to earn one World Cup point for their country.

Men’s Four (M4-) – B Final

Through the last decade Great Britain and Germany have been at the top of the field in this event. Today they raced each other in the B Final. Great Britain has had to piece together their four following injury and thus have used this regatta for “racing experience”. Germany is still deciding their final line-up for the Olympic Games and at this regatta have put two entries against each other. Their number two boat made it to the A Final, while Germany One raced in the B Final.

Turning the race into a two-boat event Germany and Great Britain went head to head. Coming into the final sprint both boats were rating 40 strokes per minute with the Germans looking smoother and longer in the water. Germany crosses the line just ahead of Great Britain. Canada take third.

Lightweight Women’s Double Sculls (LW2x) – B Final

Great Britain has already qualified this boat for the Olympics, but today Helen Casey is racing with a new partner, Laura Greenhalgh. Will this be the chosen Olympic line-up? Final decisions are still to be made. Today Casey and Greenhalgh led the B Final for the first 1000m ahead of Katrin Olsen and Juliane Rasmussen of Denmark who are the chosen Olympic crew for their country. Coming back from a slow start New Zealand’s Candice Hammond and Louise Ayling are hoping to qualify for Beijing later this month at the last chance qualification regatta. The New Zealanders used a strong second 1000 to close the gap on Great Britain and Denmark. Denmark finish first and earn one World Cup point, Great Britain slip back into second and New Zealand take third.

Lightweight Men’s Double Sculls (LM2x) – B Final

The top German double has changed numerous times over the last couple of years with Manuel Brehmer the only regular. Today Brehmer raced with Jonathan Koch. The duo got out in front and controlled the race by keeping a keen eye on Canada. Douglas Vandor and Cameron Sylvester of Canada still have to qualify for the Olympics and are using this race as a warm-up to the qualification regatta in two weeks. Both Germany and Canada got their rating up into the high 30s as they charged for the line. Germany remain in first and Canada take second. World Champions Denmark did not start due to illness.

Lightweight Men’s Four (LM4-) – B Final

In true lightweight four style the racing was so tight that at the line barely half a second separated the top four boats. Australia had got their nose ahead at the start and looked to be the dominating boat, but in the rush for the line any advantage Australia had gained was whittled away. Still the four Australians managed to cross the line a bow ball ahead of the United States. The Netherlands and Poland, both rating above 40 strokes per minute added to the flurry for the line.

Men’s Quadruple Sculls (M4x) – B Final

Australia have not prioritised the quad but they surprised their country by finishing in the A Final at the first Rowing World Cup. Already qualified for the Olympics, Australia overtook Cuba and then went after Egypt to find the lead. It took them until the final sprint to get in front of the gutsy Egyptian effort stroked by Olympian Aly Ibrahim. Egypt take second and will move on to try and qualify for the Olympics in two weeks time.

Women’s Eight (W8+) – B Final

Two boats in this B Final kept very close to each other. China had a slight advantage over New Zealand and remained that way for the entire race, using a 40 stroke rate to cross the line first. Both boats will meet again at the last chance qualification regatta. There are two spots available and likely to be other countries after an Olympic berth, but China and New Zealand will have this racing experience to build on. 

Men’s Eight (M8+) – B Final

The two boats racing today still hope to qualify for the Beijing Olympics. The Netherlands took a medal at the Athens Olympics but have not been doing so well in the last couple of years. France also hope to qualify. Today France overtook the Netherlands to finish first and seventh overall.