Rowing in the rain. Hold on! Rowing World Cup, Austria

Linz/Ottensheim, Austria was turning on the elements as the lean, lycra-clad lightweight rowers headed down the course.

Lightweight Women's Single Sculls (LW1x) – Semifinals

Squinting through torrential, but fortunately vertical rain, the first of two semifinals was difficult to see. But it must have been even more difficult for the lean 58kg maximum rowers hoping their hands would not slip on the oars. A race of three sorted itself out at the head of the field with Erika Bello of Italy leading the way. Bello came back to rowing in 2006 after last racing as a heavyweight at the 1996 Olympics. She kept ahead of Germany1, Laura Tasch, 22. Austria’s Michaela Taupe was also well in the action. The trio kept the heat on each other sprinting all of the way to the finish. Tasch came out on top just a bow ball ahead of Bello in second who finished only a fraction ahead of final qualifier Taupe.

Cuba’s Ismaray Marrero Aria may not scull in the most conventional way using a definite two-part drive, but it was working for her as she led semifinal two. Great Britain2 Sophie Hosking put up a good challenge before losing steam in the second half of the race leaving it up to compatriot Great Britain1, Andrea Dennis to take over with Yaima Velazquez of Cuba2 holding on to third. Coming into the final sprint Orla Duddy of Ireland pulled out all stops and charged for the line. Velazquez, under pressure caught a boat stopping crab 50m before the finish. Marrero held on to first and to her oar handles. Dennis takes second and Duddy is the very lucky third.

Lightweight Men’s Single Sculls (LM1x) – Semifinals

Coming through yesterday’s races it was clear that Ilias Pappas of Greece had talent. He comes to this regatta after finishing fifth last year at the World Rowing Championships and continues an international career that began seven years ago. Jaap Schouten of the Netherlands raced last year in the lightweight eight and today was footing it with Pappas as a sculler with Netherlands Two, Alwin Snijders following in third. The order did not change and no real sprint eventuated. Pappas, Schouten and Snijders move on to the final.

Also impressing through the heats Japan’s Takahiro Suda. Suda, 27, has been racing since 1999 and after overtaking Turkey and Lubos Podstupka of Slovakia, Suda found the lead. Podstupka, 34, has been racing internationally for 16 years including the 2004 Olympics but with mixed results. He held on to second with Germany’s Jonathan Koch pushing through to third. Suda takes first with the fastest qualifying time, Podstupka finishes just behind in second and Koch qualifies from third.

Lightweight Men’s Pair (LM2-) – Semifinals

Is there a renaissance going on in Dutch lightweight men’s rowing? Out in front in semifinal one was Paul Drewes and Roeland Lievens of the Netherlands. Lievens comes from last year’s lightweight eight while Drewes races in the lightweight four. Today they got out ahead of Great Britain’s Matt Beechey and Daniel Harte and sat just in front. Beechey and Harte held on with Canada and Spain battling it out for the remaining position. Coming into the final sprint Beechey and Harte wanted first. Taking their rating to 40 then 41 they attacked the Dutch. At 35 strokes per minute Drewes and Lievens held them off. The Dutch take first, Great Britain second and Canada’s John Sasi and Terence McKall pass a fading Spain to take the final spot.

Three Italian boats lined up in semifinal two. Italy1, Armando Dell’Aquila and Andrea Caianiello had the most to prove. Leading from the start Dell’Aquila stroked his boat ahead of second placed Kasper Winther and Asbjoern Joensen of Denmark. Italy3 meanwhile battled with Italy2. In the final sprint Italy1 remained at the head of the field. Denmark takes second and Nicola Moriconi and Fabrizio Gabriele of Italy3 prevail over Italy2 to earn a position in the final.

Racing was then suspended at 14:30 hours today “due to thunderstorms near the regatta course in Ottensheim” and resumed at 15:15.