New Zealand’s four break Britain’s long winning streak at the Rowing World Cup

But more likely these athletes are so focused that all they hear is their own breathing and the splash of oars. This is the final Rowing World Cup in Lucerne, Switzerland and this is semifinal racing as crews fight for a spot in tomorrow’s A Final. The biggest upset of the day came in the men’s four when New Zealand broke Great Britain’s winning streak that goes back to 2005.

Women’s Single Sculls (W1x) – Semifinal

France’s Sophie Balmary has been showing a capacity for fast starts, but in semifinal one, facing reigning World Champion, Ekaterina Karsten of Belarus, Balmary could not hold the statuesque Belarusian. Karsten took off at an Olympic pace taking just 1:47 to cover the first 500 metres. This pace was enough to give Karsten a very healthy lead and by the half way point, Karsten had an open water lead. This left the rest of the field to battle for second. Balmary then found herself trying to hold off the top Czech women single sculler, Mirka Knapkova. Knapkova often likes to get out fast at the start but today she must be trying a new strategy. In a very even paced middle 1000 Knapkova overtook Balmary and settled into second. Balmary takes third to earn the final qualifying spot.

The weight of China lay firmly on the shoulders of Xiuyun Zhang as the sole Chinese entry at Lucerne. Zhang lightened that weight by getting out in the lead of semifinal two and building up the psychological advantage of being the leading boat. In the slower of the two semis, Zhang did just enough to stay ahead of former World Champion, Rumyana Neykova of Bulgaria. Neykova is one of Bulgaria’s most accomplished rowers and has already been to four Olympic Games. Taking a break after the 2005 World Rowing Championships to have her second child, Neykova returns to international competition to prepare for the Beijing Olympics.

Behind Neykova the less experienced Julia Michalska of Poland, last year’s under 23 World Champion, held off 2005 under 23 World Champion Iva Obradovic of Serbia. Zhang, Neykova and Michalska move on to the A Final.

Men’s Single Sculls (M1x) – Semifinal

In semifinal one Tim Maeyens of Belgium had the fastest start. Maeyens made it to the final of the Athens Olympics and is working his way towards Beijing, but has had an up-and-down season after illness kept him away from the Amsterdam Rowing World Cup. The Belgian didn’t last long in the lead with first Lassi Karonen of Sweden taking over and then Ondrej Synek of the Czech Republic taking over. But it was reigning World Champion, Mahe Drysdale of New Zealand who had the final say. Drysdale is not known for his fast starts but is a master of coming through from behind and today he did exactly that. Reeling in Synek Drysdale took the lead in the closing sprint. Synek held on to take second with Karonen the final qualifier by finishing third.

Olaf Tufte of Norway has been a lot more consistent this season and he continued with this consistency in semifinal two. This is how the Norwegian did it. After Estonia faded from a too fast start Sjoerd Hamburger took over in the lead. Hamburger was unlucky not to make the A Final in front of his home crowd at the last Rowing World Cup in Amsterdam and here at Lucerne he seems to have found another gear. But the man who is usually always in the lead at the start, Alan Campbell of Great Britain, was right on Hamburger’s tail. So was Olympic Champion Tufte. Hamburger held on as Tufte pushed into the lead. At the line Tufte earns the fastest qualifying time, Campbell qualifies from second and Hamburger takes a spot in the A Final by finishing third.

Women’s Pair (W2-) – Repechage

Romania as a rowing nation puts their emphasis on the Olympic Games and recently they have focused on the women’s eight. Seeing two boats race today in the pair repechages indicate the development of their women’s eight. In repechage one Romania2 of Iona Papuc and Rodicia Serban came through from the back of the field – clawing their way up due to a very slow start – to take the lead over Natasha Howard and Natasha Page of Great Britain. Howard and Page had led for the majority of the race but they did not have the power to hold off the Romanians. In the end it didn’t matter as the top two spots continue on to the A Final.

Repechage two featured the return of 2004 Olympic Champions, Georgeta Andrunache and Viorica Susanu of Romania. One must wonder when a Romanian retires after the Olympic Games, will they be seen again as the next Olympic Games nears. Andrunache and Susanu have reappeared at just that right time and, although they were beaten by the New Zealanders in the heat yesterday, the duo came through in the repechage today ahead of Denmark’s Lea Jacobsen and Fie Graugaard.

Men’s Pair (M2-) – Semifinal

Coming into this season the Australian trials proved to be fascinating with the return of “Oarsome” rower James Tomkins. Would he be placed back with his 2004 Olympic Champion partner Drew Ginn? The answer was “no”. Tomkins currently rows in his country’s eight with Ginn remaining teamed up with his 2006 partner, former sculler Duncan Free. Today Free and Ginn, not surprisingly, got to the lead by the half way point with last year’s 6th place finishers France’s Erwan Peron and Laurent Cadot trying to hold on to the Australians. Behind the two leaders the field was pretty much a procession with Goran Jagar and Nikola Stojic of Serbia firmly in third. Jagar and Stojic won gold at the World Cup last year but haven’t been able to pull it off this season. As the final qualifier for the A Final Jagar and Stojic may be finally finding some of their 2006 speed.

The more intense of the two semis was the second one. It started off with all six crews remaining in touch with each other at the start. Then moving into the middle of the race four crews were still very much in contention for the three qualifying spots. 2005 World Champions and winners of the Last Rowing World Cup George Bridgewater and Nathan Twaddle of New Zealand were in first. Canada’s Barney Williams and Scott Frandsen had second and Sinisa and Niksa Skelin of Croatia were very much on the pace in third. The tall Bridgewater and his shorter partner Twaddle held on to the lead but brothers Skelin were not going to let them have the first place spot easily.

Coming into the final sprint New Zealand held their pace, the Skelins charged and Canada watched out for the challenge coming from Germany. A crooked course by the Germans let Canada hold on to the third qualifying spot at the line with Bridgewater and Twaddle taking first and the Croatians qualifying from second.

Women’s Double Sculls (W2x) – Semifinal

Laura Schiavone and Elisabetta Sancassani of Italy were very focused. They took off ahead of their German rivals Christiane Huth and Peggy Waleska and let Huth and Waleska play catch up. Waleska has spent the last couple of years dabbling in the single sculling role but she’s back with the team and at Lucerne in the double. Walseka has a gold medal from the Olympics but the Italians were giving her no respect and continued to lead. Meanwhile Germany2 slotted into third ahead of Czech juniors Antosova and Varekova. In the final sprint Huth and Walseka managed to reel the feisty Italians back in to take first. Italy qualify from second and the second German boat takes the third and final qualifying spot.

Within the first few strokes of semifinal two Georgina and Caroline Evers-Swindell of New Zealand had the lead. Their long, layback style had them settling into a solid 33 stroke rate pace which left the rest of the field to try and catch them. By the half way point the Evers-Swindell’s, who are known in New Zealand for trumpeting the eating of beef and lamb, had three seconds over Elise Laverick and Anna Bebington of Great Britain. This is Laverick and Bebington’s international debut this season and it looks like they have been building some good speed. Sitting on the British tails was Ala Piotrowski and Jennifer Kaido of the United States. Piotrowski and Kaido earned their spot as the US doubles by winning their country’s trials race and they will be the crew to race at the 2007 World Rowing Champions.

Coming into the line the Evers-Swindell’s held on to take first with Great Britain just a whisker behind in second and the United States qualify from third. Surprisingly the comeback of Romania’s Doina Ignat did not go so well. Finishing fifth means that Ignat, and her partner Aurica Barascu will race the B Final.

Georgina & Caroline Evers-Swindell (NZL):
"We're happy about our race. Going into tomorrow’s race we aren't focusing on one competitor but in fact on all 5 other boats that will be in the final.  Our strategy is Go-Go-Go!"

Men’s Double Sculls (M2x) – Semifinal

Slovenia’s Iztok Cop and Luka Spik finished uncharastically outside of the medals at the Amsterdam Rowing World Cup. Cop commented that the duo still needed to gel and it looks like gelling has been happening. Cop and Spik took off at the head of the field with the fast starting Matthew Trott and Nathan Cohen of New Zealand in hot pursuit. By the half way point Slovenia still had the lead with winners of the Amsterdam Rowing World Cup Tonu Endrekson and Jueri Jaanson of Estonia taking over the second placed spot from New Zealand. The United States also held the pace.

Coming into the final sprint Cohen and Trott released their sprint. This propelled them ahead of Estonia and took them within striking distance of leaders Cop and Spik. The Slovenians reacted taking their stroke rate to 40. Cohen and Trott held on. At the line Slovenia had first, New Zealand second and Estonia qualify from third. The United States were close but, finishing fourth will mean they contest the B Final.

Last season was the season of France’s Adrien Hardy and Jean-Baptiste Macquet. They won the World Rowing Championships and on the way there set a World Best Time. This season hasn’t been going their way but today, on Bastille Day, Hardy and Macquet got their act together and led semifinal two. But Matthew Wells and Stephen Rowbotham of Great Britain were not going to make it an easy ride. The two boats charged down the middle of the Rotsee course with barely a breath between them, France holding the edge. Coming into the final sprint ratings rose and blood pumped and Ioannis Tsamis and Ioannis Christou of Greece charged at 39 strokes per minute. At the line Wells and Rowbotham had secured first by a fraction. France take second and Greece, under the watchful eye of head coach Gianni Postiglione qualify from third.

Trott Matthew & Cohen Nathan (NZL)
"We're really happy with our race and how we stepped it up and kept in front of the US team that had been really pushing for third place the whole time. Rotsee is our favorite place to row!"

Ioannis Tsamis & Ioannis Christou (GRE)
"We are pleased with the race and believe that this is one of the fastest race courses."

Jean-Baptiste Macquet & Adrien Hardy (FRA):
"We knew the British would be strong from their side, since the whole season they had been dominating in the double. But we decided this race we'd focus on ourselves and try not worry about the other competitors… However, the last 500 meters it was hard to ignore the British who kept pushing, hard and in the end, did get us. We'll try and do the same thing going into the finals, focus on ourselves, start a little faster and then hold on!"

Men’s Four (M4-) – Semifinal

Reigning World Champions Great Britain raced in the eight at the last Rowing World Cup. In their place New Zealand won this event. Today Great Britain and New Zealand faced each other for the first time. At the start New Zealand had the edge but with 500m rowed Great Britain, with Tom James in seat three replacing Alex Partridge, had the lead. Head men’s coach Jurgen Grobler prioritises the four and usually brings the next best sweep rower into the crew. But Grobler decided not to disrupt his eight and so James joins this very accomplished crew. New Zealand fought back and with 750m rowed the Kiwis were again in the lead. They held this spot through the middle of the race. They held this spot through the 1500m mark. The sprint to the line was all on. Great Britain took their rating up. New Zealand reacted back. The Czech Republic follow a long way back in third. The line was just metres away, New Zealand still had the lead. At the line New Zealand had broken a winning British streak that goes right back to the 2005 season. New Zealand will be the talk of the British press. What will happen in the final tomorrow?

The Netherlands have been consistently in the top three in all of their races and today they set themselves up for another shot at a brightly coloured medal by leading the second semifinal. Behind them the new Italian priority sweep boat of Mornati, Sartori, De Vita and Carboncini sat comfortably in second with France and Greece battling with each other for the final qualifying spot. The Greek crew is made up of the silver winning under 23 crew from 2006 and they look to be footing it successfully at the senior level. At the finish the Netherlands remained in first, Italy continue in second and Greece push past France to take the third and final qualifying spot.

Lightweight Women’s Double Sculls (LW2x) – Semifinal

Denmark upset the lightweight double order by beating the very strong Chinese at the first Rowing World Cup. Katrin Olsen and Juliane Rasmussen proved that the Chinese were beatable. Today, with no Chinese to race, Olsen and Rasmussen found themselves up against a swift German duo of Berit Carow and Marie-Louise Draeger in semifinal one. Carow and Draeger had the edge at the start before Olsen and Rasmussen took it off them. Carow and Draeger fought back and with just 500m left to row the Germans had the edge. But the Danes didn’t give up. Both crews sprinted and in the process moved far away from the rest of the field. Olsen and Rasmussen had the better sprint and take first. Germany take second and back in third bronze medallists from the Amsterdam Rowing World Cup, Wendy Tripician and Jana Heere of the United States qualify from third.

Canada’s Lindsay Jennerich and Tracy Cameron took bronze at the first Rowing World Cup in Linz and then returned to their home country to continue training. They return to Lucerne to retest their boat speed at the top level before the World Rowing Championships. Great Britain’s Helen Casey and Hester Goodsell were also testing their speed. Poland’s Magdalena Kemnitz and Ilona Mokronowska had the same idea.

With Jennerich and Cameron in the lead a piece at the 900m mark had Casey and Goodsell close the gap on the leaders with Kemnitz and Mokronowska going with them. In the sprint to the line Canada only just held off the British with Poland the third and final qualifying boat.

Lindsay Jennerich & Tracy Cameron (CAN):
"We stuck to a race plan and did not let other crews dwindle our focus."
Cameron: "I think it's going to be the tightest lightweight women’s racing this year. I’m really excited.”

Helen Casey and Hester Goodsell (GBR)
"We knew going into the race that the Canadians would be fast and using a new winding technique we were able to make a strong move at the thousand metre mark and continue it until the finish line. We've got to respect the rest of the crews and realize that it’s the world and the field will be fast but we're positive and excited about our race tomorrow."

Lightweight Men’s Double Sculls (LM2x) – Semifinal

Last year’s silver medallists, Elia Luini and Marcello Miani of Italy did not start off the season well. They finished 7th at the first Rowing World Cup and then yesterday had to qualify for the semifinal through the repechage. It looks like the Italians have got it all back together. They led the first semifinal over two-time silver medallists this season, Zac Purchase and Mark Hunter of Great Britain. But there was very little separating the entire field in this very competitive event. With just 500m left to row Italy had the lead, Great Britain were right on their tails in second and very little separated Sam Beltz and Tom Gibson of Australia and Greece and Japan.

Italy continued to lead through the final sprint with Great Britain finishing just inches down in second and Beltz and Gibson take the third qualifying spot after just holding off Greece.

Denmark’s Mads Rasmussen and Rasmus Quist are the only crew this season to set a World Best Time. They have gone unbeaten since winning at last year’s World Rowing Championships and they took the lead again in the second semifinal. The other crews must have known that they were racing for second but Hungary’s 2005 World Champions Zsolt Hirling and Tamas Varga didn’t know that so well. Hirling and Varga charged after the Danes and kept their boat in touch and overlapping. This tussle at the head of the field opened up a gap between Denmark and Hungary and the rest of the competition.

As the finish line came into view Rasmussen and Quist must have decided they wanted to continue their winning streak and moved away from Hungary who qualify from second. France’s Fabrice Moreau and Frederic Dufour take the third and final qualifying spot to move on to the A Final tomorrow.

Lightweight Men’s Four (LM4-) – Semifinal

Australia have a tradition of doing well in the lightweight four at the Olympics and the other crews know it. Today, as they took on step closer to Beijing, Australia took on Great Britain who have already earned a bronze and silver medal this season. Great Britain, stroked by James Clarke, took the lead at the start before Australia decided enough was enough and relegated the Brits into second. Great Britain came back and as the final 50 strokes of the race came into sight Great Britain had the lead.

Meanwhile Canada who had been spending most of the race trying to push into third, found another gear and charged. Australia couldn’t hold them off. Great Britain finish first, Canada earn second and Australia hold on to qualify from third. Disappointment for Egypt; despite being in third for part of the race, the Egyptians couldn’t hold it and will have to return for the B Final.

World Champions in 2005, France, haven’t been having such a hot season this year. They tried to turn this around in the second semifinal. Taking the lead at the start France held off all challenges that came their way. The first one came from Italy, the second came from the Netherlands. Stroked by Fabien Tilliet France looked far more confident that earlier this season. On this day, 14 July, Bastille Day, France win their semifinal. The Dutch take second and Italy slips back, but still qualifies, from third.

Iain Brambell, Jon Beare, Mike Lewis & Daniel Parsons (CAN):
"Strategy for the race today was to focus on myself. Going into tomorrow, we never know who is going to win so we're prepared for anything but we'll stick to our race paln, focus on ourselves and do what we need to do."

Franck Solforosi, Jeremy Pouge, Jean-Christophe Bette & Fabien Tilliet (FRA):
"Tomorrow's strategy going into the final is to have a good strong start and look to battle with any crew that challenges."

Women’s Quadruple Sculls (W4x) – Repechage

With Great Britain and Germany already through to the final from yesterday’s heats, the rest of the field – five boats – returned for today’s repechage. The challenge was to be in the top four. One boat would not make the final. In a purely pedestrian race, the one missing out boat was decided early on in the game. Switzerland was off the pace. This didn’t stop Romania and Australia racing hard against each other at the head of the field. With 500m left to row Romania had the edge but Australia stroked by Catriona Sens-Oliver, stayed in touch. At the line Romania take first, Australia second and France and Belarus qualify for the final from third and fourth respectively.

Men’s Quadruple Sculls (M4x) – Semifinal

Russia has put together a new quad line up in an attempt to reproduce their 2004 Olympic gold story. It is a mixture of longtime talent and new blood. It might be working. At the opening of the race Russia with their under 23 bronze medal duo (from 2006) in stroke and three – Nikael Bikua-Mfantse and Alexander Kornilov – had the lead. They held this for the majority of the race. But Russia only had a slight margin over the Czech Republic. Conspicuous in his absence, the Czech Republic lined up without their longtime top sculler Vaclav Chalupa. They were still pouring on the power and in the final sprint the Czech Republic earn the lead. Russia qualify from second and Germany1 earn the final qualifying spot in third.

In the faster of the two semis France held a tight rein over the lead. But only just. Italy’s dream crew which includes two members of the 2000 Olympic gold medallists – Galtarossa and Raineri – had the French well in their sights. With just 500m left to row Italy was overlapping with France. Both boats sprinted. France retains first, Italy takes second, but it was a full-on sprint from Romania that really impressed. The Romanians took the pace right up to move from fourth and into the third qualifying spot by overtaking Estonia.

Men’s Eight (M8+) – Semifinal

Canada come to Lucerne on the back of a Henley Royal Regatta win. They come with the very experienced Brian Price in the coxswain seat. They come with the backing of top international coach Mike Spracklen. They led the first of two semifinals. Behind them a newly confident Great Britain held on to second with Acer Nethercott in the coxswain seat. Nethercott got much of his experience racing on the Thames and through involvement in the Oxford-Cambridge boat race. In a race that saw no change in the order the Netherlands sat firmly in third. Canada, Great Britain and the Netherlands earn a spot in the final.

The last semifinal race of the day, race number 144 featured 48 rowers and six coxswains. Croatia contained Olympic medallist and rowing stalwart Igor Boraska. Australia contained Australia’s top rowing medallist, James Tomkins. Germany contained the 2006 World Champions and Belarus had 49 year old coxswain Piotr Piatrynich whose experience dates back to coxing for the Soviet Union.

Germany grabbed the lead and didn’t let go. Russia held on to second and didn’t let go. Australia started off slowly and had to work up from the back of the field to find the third and final qualifying spot. Poland and Belarus were very much on the pace but, despite spending moments in third, could not hold off Australia. Poland and Belarus will race the B Final.