Rowers Return for Repechages at the BearingPoint Rowing World Cup in Lucerne

The Start!

Lightweight Men's Single Scull – Repechage

The formula for this event was a top two finish in each of the four heats meant advancement to the semi-final as well as the first two heats having the added challenge of a stalled officials launch obstructing the middle lanes 200 metres out from the finish. This didn't deter Marcello Miani of Italy who rowed around the launch to finish first with Tim Eichmann of Switzerland holding onto second for the entire race.

Germany's Michael Wieler got to move from second to first when leading boat, Argentina's Jose Czcy took a short detour around the launch but still qualified by finishing second.

Lorenzo Bertini of Italy tried to shake off Switzerland's Frederic Hanselmann who was hanging doggedly on to the Italian despite both boats easily in qualifying position. The doggedness paid off for Hanselmann who found the lead with just four strokes to row rating a high 39 strokes per minute over Bertini's 35.

Dimitrios Mougios of Greece decided he wanted to win the final repechage and took off at the head of the field with Hong Kong and Gerard van der Linden of the Netherlands in hot pursuit. Mougios held on but in the final 200 metres both Mougios and van der Linden looked content to remain in their qualifying position. But van der Linden decided a final kick was in order and at 100 metres to go took the lead. Both boats move on to the semi-final.

Lightweight Men's Pair – Repechage

One repechage, three spots in the semi-final up for grabs and four boats were not giving in. France had the lead with Spain, Germany and Chile taking turns to challenge each other. These boats would have to race the full 2,000 metres. Coming into the final sprint France took their rating to 38, Spain was right there at 37, Germany found a 39 and Chile took it to 42. Chile missed out. France, Spain and Germany's number four boat move on to the semi-final.

Santiago Fernandez from Argentina

Men's Single Scull – Repechage

The first half of the race was all about Switzerland's Andre Vonarburg and Lassi Karonen of Sweden. Pacing each other the two scullers moved further and further away from the rest of the field. With the top two boats qualifying for the final Vonarburg, in the lead, decided to back off a bit. Karonen got to cross the finish line in first rowing a comfortable 28 strokes per minute.

Two-time Olympian Santiago Fernandez of Argentina did not have such an easy job of it in heat two. Fernandez started out the race in third position and had to wind back in Kostiantyn Zaitsev of Ukraine as well as overtake Dirk Lippits of the Netherlands. All three boats charged for the line with Lippits being the unlucky one. Fernandez and Zaitsev move on to the semi-final.

But the Netherlands came through in repechage four with Sjoerd Hamburger leading from start to finish and moving onto the semi-final with Austria's Ralph Kreibich. Before that in repechage three a South American contingent of Yoennis Hernandez of Cuba and Argentina's number two boat of Ariel Suarez kept pace with each other to move onto the semi-final.

Men's Pair – Repechage

Four boats raced and three would advance to the semi-final. Who would miss out? By the half-way point everything was quite clear. Switzerland had slipped back. This left France, Brazil and Chile to either cruise or compete. They chose competition and a sprint finish had all three boats cross the finish line with less than two seconds separating them. Benjamin Rondeau and Germain Chardin of France had the best sprint and the winning position.

Men's Double Sculls – Repechage

Repechage one of three repechages was a three boat race with only two qualifying positions up for grabs. Estonia, Italy and Croatia were all in the hunt. Estonia's Allar Raja and Silver Sonntak had the upper hand but Italy two, who had substituted in single sculler Simone Raineri to join Alessio Sartori, were hanging on with Croatia keeping pace. A rating of 39 kept Italy in second and they qualify along with Estonia.

Russia pulled through from fourth position to move past Estonia Two and then overtake China and Greece to win with a superior second 1,000. Greece also qualify by rowing a very consistent race into second spot after Estonia faltered for just a couple of strokes.

Switzerland pulled it off in the final repechage by leading from start to finish and bringing Slovakia with them through to the semi-final.

Men's Four – Repechage

Three seat of Ireland's boat Sean Casey hobbles to the boat on crutches, but once he's seated the power comes on and sitting behind Alan Martin in stroke the Irish led the repechage. But the Czech Republic and Switzerland were not far behind. As the finish line came into sight a superior sprint by the Czech's gave them first with Ireland holding onto second and Switzerland taking the final qualifying spot in third. .

Liliana Niga and Angela Alupei from Romania race in the lightweight double sculls

Lightweight Women's Double Sculls – Repechage

It was surprising in the heats to see Romania at the back of the field. With Olympic Champion Angela Alupei sitting in stroke they must have been holding back. In the repechage the Romanians made no mistakes. By the mid-point Alupei and partner Liliana Niga had found the lead and remained there with China pulling through to take the second qualifying spot.

After an early challenge from Great Britain in the second repechage, Greece took the lead and remained there until the finish, with Italy pulling into second. Great Britain tried to come back, rating 38 strokes per minute in the final sprint, but they ran out of course. Greece and Italy move on to the semi-final.

Lightweight Men's Four – Repechage

South Africa entered the 2005 international arena here at Lucerne and showed that it was worth the trip by leading the final repechage of the day. Behind them Japan and Greece spent the 2,000 metre course swapping places but it was all academic as both boats would qualify. At the line South Africa remained in the lead with Japan finishing second and Greece taking the final qualifying spot.