International Events open Rowing World Cup II in Munich, Germany

Lightweight Women’s Single Sculls (LW1x)

Two heats in this boat class meant the winner of both races would qualify directly for the A Final.

Juliane Rasmussen from Denmark has largely raced in the lightweight double over the past years, racing at two Olympic Games and winning a world bronze in the double. She made the Final earlier this season in Banyoles in the lightweight single, and is looking to do at least just as well here in Munich. Her main competition in this morning’s heat came from Germany’s Laura Tibitanzl who has medalled regularly in the lightweight single and who today is racing at her first World Rowing regatta of the season. Tibitanzl took the lead at the start, but only just.  Rasmussen was close behind and after the 500m mark took the lead and stayed there. At the line, Denmark had qualified directly for the Final. The remainder of the field will have a second chance to qualify in the repechages.

Sara Karlsson is best known for the years she spent racing in the lightweight double with her twin sister Lena. This season she is racing alone, in the single, and in Banyoles she finished fifth. Her main rival in Heat Two was Daniela Reimer of Germany, World Champion in the lightweight double in 2005. Reimer started out strongly and fought hard for first – but in the last quarter of the race had no energy left to hold on to the qualifying spot. Karlsson, who had been following close behind in second, in a final push, grabbed first and will go directly to the Final.

Lightweight Men’s Single Sculls (LM1x)

A total of three heats saw nine athletes qualify for the semifinals – the top three positions in each heat.
Adam Freeman-Pask of Great Britain is a relatively new face at international senior level. Last year he finished thirteenth at the World Rowing Championships, but at the Rowing World Cup in Banyoles a few weeks ago he took bronze. He is aiming to do just as well here in Munich and in Heat One had firmly secured the lead by the half-way mark. At the line, a three-second gap separated Freeman-Pask from the rest of the field. Two Austrian athletes took the second and third qualifying spots: Joschka Hellmeier and Dominik Sigl.

The New Zealanders are back in Europe, and Duncan Grant is among them. Grant is a two-time World Champion in this event and also holds a world bronze. The focus of his competition in Heat Two would not be to win but to keep up and finish second and third. Grant led the field in commanding style. Ondrej Luzek of the Czech Republic and Austria’s Florian Berg will also move on to the semifinal.

Japan’s most successful rower, Daisaku Takeda, lined up in Heat 3. His main competition came from Germany’s Felix Oevermann who started out in the lead. Takeda, however, was keeping his energy for the end of the race. Oevermann could not fight back Takeda’s attack in the final 500m and fell behind in second. Ingo Voigt, also from Germany, took the third qualifying spot.