15 Dec 2011
Tufte strikes at Rowing World Cup III
Ekaterina Karsten of Belarus must be getting a bit stale. She has not lost a race since the 2004 Olympics and most of the time been able to win with a comfortable margin. Today nothing changed. Karsten took the lead, just like always. Mirka Knapkova of the Czech Republic got into second, just like always then hounded Karsten for the entire race, just like always. Karsten retained control, just like always.
But the surprise was going on behind the two front runners. Julia Levina of Russia has spent the last two Olympics in the quad and moved into the single last year to finish sixth at the World Rowing Championships. Levina had established herself firmly in third keeping Sweden at bay. Levina earns a bronze medal for her efforts with Belarus, pushing the rating up to 33 at the finish, stayed in first ahead of the Czech Republic.
Men’s Single Sculls (M1x)
Andre Vonarburg of Switzerland dons the cover of the programme. He may be local hero but, sitting in the start, Vonarburg knew this race was going to be tough. Sitting next to him was Ondrej Synek of the Czech Republic. Synek finish third last year following a very successful season. Sitting next to Synek was Olaf Tufte, Olympic Champion from Norway. Next to Synek was the reigning World Champion, New Zealand’s Mahe Drysdale. Finishing up the field, first Rowing World Cup winner, Alan Campbell of Great Britain and then the ever-improving Holland Beker winner, Lassi Karonen of Sweden handed Vonarburg a plate full of expertise.
Campbell is becoming well-known for his fast starts and again today it was Campbell in the lead at the beginning. Drysdale has his signature middle 1000 and by the half-way point Drysdale had found the lead. But the big surprise was the usual slow starting Tufte – he got himself right in the mix and firmly established himself in second. Drysdale continued to power on but Tufte was right there. As the crews came into the final sprint, the normal picture of Campbell sprinting through and Tufte trying to work up from the back. Instead Tufte was already right there and taking his rating to 37 plus, the New Zealander didn’t have a reply. In the closing 10 metres Tufte had the lead. Drysdale, just a bow ball down, gained second.
More surprises were yet to come. Synek, who usually only does well if he’s in the lead, had started off at the back of the field and kept his cool and confidence pushing past his closest competition to take a well-deserved bronze.
Women’s Pair (W2-)
Megan Cooke and Anna Mickelson of the United States are in their first season together finishing fifth at the first Rowing World Cup in May. Today they moved up a level to take on the best in the women’s pair. Cooke and Mickelson come out of the stable of coach Tom Terhaar who gets to mould mainly US collegiate athletes into international rowers. Taking a lead at the start, Cooke and Mickelson were just a pinch ahead of Germany’s Nicole Zimmermann and Elke Hipler. But Zimmermann and Hipler fought back finding first through the middle of the race.
Tenacity paid off for the Americans. Coming into the final sprint Cooke and Mickelson got their nose in front. Germany tried to hold on with the Netherlands close behind. At the line all crews looked exhausted. The United States in first, Germany in second and the Netherlands coming in third.
Men’s Pair (M2-)
They may be World Champions but at the last Rowing World Cup Nathan Twaddle and George Bridgewater of New Zealand found themselves out of the medals. An overhaul was needed. Changing back to their Gifu winning boat, Twaddle and Bridgewater looked smoother and together at the start settling into a 38 stroke rate.
But, the champions were not in the lead. Instead, Holland Beker winners, Colin Smith and Tom James of Great Britain had the upper hand. Bridgewater and Twaddle kept in touch with Germany desperately trying to hold the pace. Coming into the second half of the race Bridgewater and Twaddle got just ahead of the new British duo, thrown together just weeks ago after finishing their university exams – one Oxford, one Cambridge University.
Both boats sprinted. Both boats got into the low 40s. Smith and James ran out of gas. Worn out, Great Britain cross the line in silver. Germany were way back in third. The current World Champions earn a gold medal.
…more coming soon.