Testing their speed at the Rowing World Cup

But, watch out, sometimes crews hold their cards close and don’t give away too many secrets about what they can really do. Read on about how the races for lanes unfolded at the Rowing World Cup in Banyoles, Spain.

Women’s Pair (W2-) – Race for Lanes

Five countries entered this event and today they had an opportunity to blow off the cobwebs and warm themselves up for tomorrow’s Final. Before the start it was anyone’s guess who would take this race with Great Britain (Olympic finalists) perhaps being the favourites. France took an early lead which was soon swamped by Mayya Zhuchkova and Alevtina Podvyazkina of Russia. Great Britain then found their pace and moved up on the Russians. Louisa Reeve and Olivia Whitlam of Great Britain both raced at the Beijing Olympics finishing sixth in this event. Russia held on to Great Britain, but the British had enough push to take first. Russia finish second and Italy finish third.

Women’s Single Sculls (W1x) – Race for Lanes

It is unusual for the women’s single to be made up of just six entries, but, in a post-Olympic year often boat dynamics change as coaches and athletes decide where their focus should lie. Two of the crews, Katherine Grainger of Great Britain and Brett Sickler of the United States, are world champions in team boats (Grainger in the quad and Sickler in the eight), but unknown quantities in the single. Frida Svensson of Sweden is the most accomplished single sculler of the line-up with Spain’s Nuria Dominguez Asensio also known for her single sculling. Grainger, who regularly wins Great Britain’s trials in the single, took the lead and already by the first 500m mark had an open-water lead. Sickler slipped into second with Dominguez and Svensson going head to head. By the final 500m Svensson had dropped back slightly but then the Swede decided to pull out a sprint. At the line Grainger had finished first, Sickler second and Dominguez only just held on to third over Svensson.

Women’s Quadruple Sculls (W4x) – Race for Lanes

Yesterday Great Britain’s Anna Bebington and Annie Vernon raced in the double. Today they joined up with Katie Greves and Beth Rodford to lead the quad race for lanes. Great Britain was second in this event at the Beijing Olympics but only Vernon remains from that silver medal crew. This new line-up kept comfortably ahead of the Netherlands and will definitely be favourites to take gold in tomorrow’s Final.

Men’s Quadruple Sculls (M4x) – Race for Lanes

It is not often a crew can stay at the top of their game for consecutive years and it is not often that a crew of four or more members stays as the same line-up for so many years. Poland have managed to do just that. They come into 2009 as three-time consecutive world champions and Beijing Olympic champions. They remain as Konrad Wasielewski, Marek Kolbowicz, Michal Jelinski and Adam Korol. In today’s race for lanes Poland looked strong and relaxed in their leading position. Great Britain gave it a good shot to take on the leaders and even managed to match the Poles, stroke for stroke for some of the final 500m. But Poland still finished first. Russia remained back in third for the entire race. Canada chose not to race and instead will use the element of surprise when they race for the first time in tomorrow’s Final.

Men’s Eight (M8+) – Race for Lanes

Italy has put together a fine line-up, mixing new blood with experience to make their men’s eight. Poland hopes to develop from their Olympic fifth-place finish. The Netherlands and Great Britain are building new crews. Today these four boats had their first opportunity to test line-ups and Italy proved to be the most competent. Leading from the start, Italy held off Poland through the middle of the race and then powered away in the third 500m. Poland, meanwhile, had to work hard to defend their second place spot from a hard-working Dutch crew. These crews now have an idea on how each other races. They will meet again in tomorrow’s Final.