15 Dec 2011
Cop and Spik are back: Rowing World Cup III
Women’s Double Sculls (W2x)
A three year winning streak was broken on this course last year, when the leading New Zealand crew of Georgina and Caroline Evers-Swindell were taken in the last stroke by Bulgaria. Today the New Zealanders found themselves falling to the same fate – almost. Taking a small lead over Belarus at the start, the Evers-Swindells worked their way away from the rest of the field, gaining a boat length advantage over Belarus in second. This advantage increased and everything looked peachy for the New Zealanders with 500 metres left to row.
Then the British struck.
Annie Vernon and Anna Bebington of Great Britain had been sitting in third, plugging away. This is the first season together for the two 23-year-olds, who have come through to this position via the British talent identification programme. The plugging continued for the current yellow jersey holders, Vernon and Bebington with 500 metres left to row. The New Zealanders still had a comfortable lead: however, all of this was about to change. Pouring on the speed, Vernon and Bebington charged for the line. The Evers-Swindells hung on, although appearing unable to answer the charge. At the line there was nothing in it.
The New Zealanders had earned gold by the skin of their teeth. Great Britain took second, Belarus third. A special mention must go to Jitka Antosova and Gabriela Varekova of the Czech Republic. Varekova and Antosova have come directly from a win as juniors into the senior level and today they footed it with the best coming in a very close fourth.
Men’s Double Sculls (M2x)
A shake-up, perhaps even a wake-up call, the World Champion Slovenians, Iztok Cop and Luka Spik, got pushed out of first at the last Rowing World Cup by France’s Adrien Hardy and Jean-Baptiste Macquet. Then at the Henley Royal Regatta last weekend the duo lost to Matt Wells and Stephen Rowbotham of Great Britain.
Today, the 2005 FISA Team of the Year, Cop and Spik, took off out of the start by rating a hasty 46 strokes per minute and then settling into an aggressive 37. Could the Slovenians maintain this? With half of the race gone, Cop and Spik still had the lead and still maintained the high stroke rate. Meanwhile the lower stroking Hardy and Macquet were having a close tussle with Wells and Rowbotham and Germany not far behind in fourth. The sprint was on. The Slovenians kept the stroke rate high, the British charged, France hung on and Germany had run out of steam.
After the line Spik stood up from bow seat in triumph, Great Britain in second looked content, France, in third, looked shattered.
Men’s Four (M4-)
Alex Partridge, Steve Williams, Peter Reed and Andy Hodge are the names behind Great Britain’s flagship crew. Coached by Juergen Grobler, supported by their nation, they have never lost a race since coming together after the 2004 Olympics. Today was the big showdown with the Netherlands. Would the British situation change? Great Britain and the Netherlands took off together at the start with the British getting a slight edge over the Dutch. This edge was enough to let them keep an eye on the Dutch. Meanwhile the rest of the field was playing a swapping game for third.
Great Britain retain their unbroken record. The Netherlands, in second, will go back to the drawing board to see what they can do before Eton. Germany, sprinting through to third, look like they have found a solid line up with a formidable closing 500 metres. Three seat for Germany, Urs Kaeufer, leaves Under 23 rowing behind to foot it with style at the senior level.
Over the last two days of racing Canada’s Tracy Cameron and Mara Jones have looked to be the crew to beat. Coach Laryssa Biesenthal commented to Rowing Canada: "This is the first time Mara and Tracy are racing together in the (lightweight) double. They needed this race to learn more about racing with each." They appear to be learning fast. Leading from start to finish the Canadians appeared to have no weak point in their race.
This left the rest of the field to fight for the lesser medals. In an unusual situation for two years out from the Olympics, already Olympic combinations look to be forming. The United States have stuck with last year’s silver medallists Renee Hykel and Julia Nichols. Last year’s bronze medallists, Sanna Sten and Minna Nieminen of Finland have remained together. Ireland’s Sinead Jennings and partner Niamh Ni Cheilleachair look to be the Irish formation and Amber Halliday of Australia coming out of post-Athens retirement to join with Marguerite Houston, could well be aiming for Beijing.
Today a consistent and un-panicked race by Finland secured them the silver reversing the order from last year, with the United States coming through in third after a full 2000 metre battle to the line with Ireland. Canada gain eight points for their country and a Rowing World Cup gold medal together.
Denmark’s Mads Rasmussen and Rasmus Quist have been together for six years. At this third Rowing World Cup they had come through from the last two days of racing looking formidable and dominating in their heat and semifinal. Today they faced the Italians. Sitting in stroke seat was Elia Luini. For those who love statistics, Luini has been in the medals at every international competition since becoming a senior in 1998 – bar one – the Athens Olympics. Aiming for Beijing, Luini has teamed up with Marcello Miani. Today they took on the Danish.
Italy, making sure Denmark didn’t get away at the start, stuck with initial leaders Rasmussen and Quist. Doing a burst before the 1000, Italy found the lead. It was now Denmark’s turn to hang on. Both boats ignored the rest of the field from their centre lanes, Luini glancing across regularly to check out his counterpart Quist.
Denmark couldn’t close the gap. Italy take the gold medal spot and win the Rowing World Cup series.
Meanwhile behind the two leaders Greece’s Vasileios Polymeros and Dimitrios Mougios continued on their improving ways by sprinting past the World Champion Hungarians and on to the bronze medal podium spot.
Egypt made history by winning bronze at the last Rowing World Cup. Today, with a new confidence, they planned to better this. Taking off with a flying start the Egyptians grabbed the lead and held an edge over the last Rowing World Cup winners, Ireland. But the fast early start was more than the Egyptians could retain. With Ireland pushing past, Egypt was finding a little bit too much going on. Current World Champions France, with 2000 Olympic Champion Jean-Christophe Bette sitting in three seat, had made a move. Perhaps it was a reaction to Germany charging up the outside lane.
In the final sprint and in true champion style the French, only content with gold, ignored Egypt and Germany and went after Ireland. But the Irish were ready. Countering France’s 45 stroke rate, Ireland got their rating above 40 to keep ahead and win gold. France took silver and Germany, featuring last year’s Under 23 Champion, Joel El-Qalqili, in three seat, the bronze.
Women’s Quadruple Sculls (W4x)
Ever since the British combination of Debbie Flood, Sarah Winckless, Frances Houghton and two-time Olympic medallist Katherine Grainger came together this year, they’ve spread a little magic. Apart from a shake-up from China, the British have been leading the field, but the Germans won’t give up. Today, the young German combination took on Great Britain at their own game by getting a jump at the start.
The British, seemingly unconcerned, had already found the lead with still a lot of rowing to go. The gutsy Germans tried to hold on, and in the process, moved away from Russia in third. A smooth Great Britain glided across the line at a comfortable 34 stroke rate to win gold and retain the yellow leader jersey. Germany took silver and Russia the bronze.
Men’s Quadruple Sculls (M4x)
They looked the best in their race for lanes on Friday. They came to Lucerne with just one change (the addition of Tomas Karas) from the crew that finished fourth last year at the World Rowing Championships. The Czech Republic looked fresh and ready to race, but it was Russia, with one change from their Olympic Champion crew, that had the fastest start.
Germany, looking to improve on Friday’s sub-average race, took over the lead with the Czech Republic right with them. It was all on with 500 metres left to row. Five boats still had a shot at the top spot with the Czech Republic just in front. The Czechs pulled it off. Germany took the silver and the United States, including Olympic Champion from the eight, Wyatt Allen, taking bronze.
Women’s Eight (W8+)
High expectations hung over the United States. The word was out that this crew, coming off a win at the Henley Royal Regatta, had a couple of line-up changes and was even better. But the Romanians won at the last Rowing World Cup and pride themselves in their talented eight. Today the Romanians used the method of getting out in front at the start. But all they could get was a nose ahead of the Americans.
Romania continued to push. The United States reacted, stroke for stroke. What was Romania’s coxswain, Rodica Anghel saying to her crew? Whatever it was, Anghel’s words were working. Coming into the final sprint Romania had worked up to nearly a boat length lead over the Americans. Both boats pacing each other at an even 35 stroke rate. Romania add another gold to their collection. The 2006 debuting United States take silver and back three seconds, Germany take bronze.
Germany puts a lot of emphasis on their men’s eight and throughout this season they have been mixing and matching to find the right combination of eight men plus one of the most experienced and accomplished coxswains in the world, Peter Thiede. Today it looks like they may have found the right mix. Taking off in the lead at the start, Germany pulled ahead of Great Britain and Poland but there was little in it with Italy starting to come back from a relatively slow first half.
The final sprint was all about Germany, Poland and the new look Italian line up. Germany held on to take gold. Italy looks to be enjoying the new boating and take silver. Poland holds on just to take bronze.