15 Dec 2011
Returning for repechages: Rowing's World Cup III
The rain subsided and the water remained flat as the third Rowing World Cup in Lucerne, Switzerland continued.
A top three finish was needed for survival for continuation on to the semifinal and in repechage one, the faster of the two races, 19-year-old Coralie Ribeil of France showed that a slow start isn’t always a hindrance. With half of the race rowed Ribeil was still back in fourth. But then taking advantage of the tiring Marie Sakellaridou of Greece and sprinting past Great Britain’s Laura Ralston, Ribeil snatched the lead. All three of these boats advance to the semi.
In a race dominated by Spain (three boats), Spain’s number one, Teresa Mas de Xaxars, showed why she’s number one. After an initial stutter, Mas de Xaxars, who finished with bronze at last year’s World Rowing Championships, got into the lead only to have to battle with Denmark’s Kirsten Jepsen. Jepsen and Mas de Xaxars crossed the line less than a second apart and will move on to the semifinal along with Norway’s Hilde Gudem in third.
Lightweight Men’s Single Sculls (LM1x) – Repechages
Gerard van der Linden has been plugging away in the single since racing at Athens in the men’s lightweight four. Today he led the first of four repechages finishing with the fastest qualifying time after a solid battle with Jeff Bujas of Canada, racing for the first time internationally in the single. Both boats move on to the semifinal.
Elias Pappas of Greece has been mixing and matching his boats. Earlier this season he raced in the double and he has also competed in the four. Now in the single he led repechage two from start to finish over Jiri Kopac of the Czech Republic. Pappas and Kopac qualify.
In repechage three Germany shut out two Austrian crews by finishing first and second. Jonathan Koch and Michael Wieler move on to the semifinal. The final repechage turned into a tussle between Remi Di Girolamo of France and Slovenia’s Bine Pislar to take the two remaining semifinal spots.
Lightweight Men’s Eight (LM8+) – Repechages
Six crews, two would miss out on the final. With three Dutch entries, the odds were on that some orange would make it and Netherlands One was the crew in the lead at the start. But very little separated the top three crews and coming into the final sprint Poland managed to press past the Netherlands to take first. Also qualifying from third and fourth position, Germany and the Netherlands number two crew go to the final.
Lightweight Women’s Quad Sculls – Friday Final
Spain was down on Germany right from the start and Germany remained with an open water lead for the rest of the race. The two boats will meet again tomorrow to decide the gold medallist.
Lightweight Men’s Quadruple Sculls (LM4x) – Friday Final
Italy practically own this event. Today three of the 2005 World Champion crew rowed to an easy win, rating a confident 24 in the final straight. The one change, Daniele Danesin in stroke seat, moves from the World Champion lightweight eight to this event. Behind them Germany Two put Germany One in their place by sitting in second and leaving Germany One to fight it out for third. The crews will race again for the medals on Saturday.
Women’s Four (W4-) – Friday Final
Racing for lanes Germany, stroked by two-time Olympian Lenka Wech, led easily over Denmark in the race for lanes for Saturday’s final.
At the head of the field Gabriella Bascelli of Italy and Majda Jerman of Slovenia tussled side-by-side for the lead. At the finish a very happy Bascelli steps up a notch from her C Final finish at the first Rowing World Cup, by coming first and qualifying for the semifinal. Jerman also steps up after racing Bascelli in the C Final. Joining Italy and Slovenia will be Ireland’s Caroline Ryan.
In repechage two Xiuyun Zhang of China looks like she’s on the road to comeback after her break since 2004. Zhang qualified with the fastest time after shaking off Australian newcomer Brooke Pratley at her first international event. Also moving on to the semifinal, Regina Naunheim of Switzerland keeps her racing alive.
Men’s Single Sculls (M1x) – Repechages
The large field meant that four repechages full of rowers returned for their second go of the day and the aim was a top two finish for advancement to the semifinal. In repechage one Tim Maeyens of Belgium carried out a battle with Ralph Kreibich of Austria and Germany’s Eric Knittel. A closing burst by Maeyens gave him first, with Knittel holding on to second.
The second repechage featured Ondrej Synek of the Czech Republic and Switzerland’s Andre Vonarburg. Doing all of their hard work early in the piece, Synek and Vonarburg got to cruise home at a low 24 and 23 strokes per minute respectively to qualify for the semifinal.
The next two repechages went the way of the Netherlands with Dirk Lippits overtaking Austria’s Christof Uhl to finish in first. World Rowing Under 23 Champion and the Netherlands’ top sculler Sjoerd Hamburger led the final repechage cruising home at a low 24 stroke rate. France’s Frederic Perrier also qualifies.
Men’s Double Sculls (M2x) – Repechages
Belgium (Stijn Smulders and Christophe Raes) just missed out on qualifying this morning and with two spots up for grabs they made sure one of those spots had their name on it. This left Switzerland to hold onto second. Both boats advance to the semifinal.
Repechage two opened with the Czech Republic in the lead and closed with Croatia’s Ante Kusurin and Mario Vekic taking over. Kusurin and Vekic reunite after racing to a B Final finish at the World Rowing Championships last year. Behind them Poland’s Michal Sloma and Marcin Brzezinski, also 2005 B Finalists, gave the Croats a good run for their money. Both boats qualify.
Men’s Four (M4-) – Repechages
The shuffled and reshuffled German four spent half of the race getting used to each other and the second half in the lead fending off France’s number two crew in repechage one. This was at the expense of Egypt who led for the first 1000 metres. Germany and France move onto the semifinal.
Making it a French double header, France One led repechage two ahead of Italy’s second crew. Racing it to the end France, rating 36, held off Italy, rating 37. Both crews move on to the semifinal.
Making it a triple header, France Three went after leaders Poland to win repechage three. Stroked by 2006 Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race winner, Bastien Ripoll, France must be looking to make an eight out of their three crews and, judging by the results today, it will be a pretty snappy one. France and Poland move on to the semifinal.
The fastest qualifying time came in the final repechage with the Czech Republic battling it out with Ireland from start to finish. Ireland has added their pair into the centre of today’s four as coach Harald Jahrling continues to find the right combination for the World Rowing Championships in Eton, Great Britain. Both boats move on to the semifinal.
Lightweight Women’s Double Sculls (LW2x) – Repechages
The Italian-French battle began today on the Rotsee when 19-year old-Francesca Gallo and Laura Molani of Italy went head to head with France’s Coralie Simon and Benedicte Dorfman. Simon, 18, and mother of two and Olympian Dorfman, 35, show that youth and experience can work in rowing. Italy and France both advance to the semifinal.
The second repechage had Russia’s Elena Lyakisheva and Anna Yuchenko at the head of the field followed closely, but not close enough, by Great Britain’s number two crew. Russia and Great Britain, rating 32 and 33 respectively, did just enough to stay in the qualifying spots ahead of the Netherlands.
The intensity and cutthroat nature of racing flared in repechage one. With only the top two positions qualifying for the semifinal and crew selection still hanging on the line, racing was intense. At the front of the field Japan’s Takahiro Suda and Daisaku Takeda tussled with The Czech Republic’s Ondrej Vetsnik and 14 year international veteran Michal Vabrousek. Behind them Switzerland made chase. Japan and the Czech Republic held on to qualify, while Switzerland’s stroke, Mario Gyr had to be helped by the safety launch after collapsing at the finish.
Repechage two was led from start to finish by Slovakia’s Maros Sloboda and Lubos Podstupka – and in a style that allowed them not to have to sprint. Miguel Cerda and Felipe Leal of Chile hung in at second. Both boats qualify.
Great Britain and Greece pushed the pace in repechage three sprinting it through to the finish despite being clearly in the two qualifying spots. A very smooth looking Greece, with World Champion single sculler Vasileios Polymeros in bow, got the upper edge at the end. Both boats advance to the semifinal.
Canada made certain of a qualifying spot from the very beginning. Daniel Parsons and Matt Jensen both have World Championship medals from the quad, 2004 and 2005 respectively and today they took a doubles step forward with a comfortable win. Behind them Austria (Olympians Juliusz Madecki and Sebastian Sageder) held onto second. Canada and Austria move on to the semifinal.
Three qualifying spots were available; four crews really, really wanted them. Russia was unlucky. Here’s how it panned out. Canada took an early lead but the Netherlands managed to hold their pace and take the advantage at the 1000 metre mark. Meanwhile Russia and Poland were neck and neck right behind. In the final sprint the Netherlands held on to first, Canada remained in second and Poland, rating 41, pushed past Russia to take the final qualifying spot.
Men’s Quadruple Sculls (M4x) – Friday Final
This race for lanes saw more upsets than seemed possible. What was Estonia, last year’s bronze medallists doing at the back of the field? How come the very talented Germans were struggling behind the new United States line up? What were Olympic Champions Russia doing after fading from a fast start? How did the Czech Republic go from the back of the field through to first?
This will definitely be the race to watch on Sunday and if you’re into predicting please give me the heads up on this one.
Lightweight Men’s Pair (LM2-) – Repechages
Two repechages: two boats from each to qualify. France knew the formula and headed out at the front of the field. This left Spain’s number one and three crews to fight it out for the remaining spot. A slower starting Spain Three rowed the superior race and move onto the final with France.
The Spanish flotilla continued with Spain Four leading the field over Jochen and Martin Kuehner of Germany. A slow middle 1000 by the Spanish allowed Germany to take the lead with Spain kicking in enough of a sprint to still qualify in second.