Big field for day one at the World Rowing Champs

A large number of entries indicated that racing would be tough and this was evident as some times came close to the current World Best Time. For today’s heats rowers dealt with cross-tail wind conditions and cool temperatures (around 13 degrees Celsius) with intermittent rain.

Women’s four (W4-)

Opening the day of racing, Ukraine took to the lead of heat one of two heats as they knew only first place would go directly to the finals. All other boats would have to return for a repechage. But sitting in lane one were the world champions, the United States. This new crew includes Esther Lofgren in stroke seat. Lofgren already has two under 23 world champion titles and she was helping power her crew into the lead. As Ukraine began to slip back, Russia took over in the lead with the United States right on their tail. A beautifully timed race by the Americans gave them first on the line and a direct path to the finals.

It was no surprise to see Belarus in the lead of heat two. Sitting in the middle of the boat was Yuliya Bichyk and Natallia Helakh who are the reigning world champions in the women’s pair. Belarus got out to a handy lead and proceeded to increase it down the 2000m Danube course. By the line Belarus had an open water lead and go directly to the final to meet the United States.

Men’s coxed pair (M2+)

An unusually large number of entries in the coxed pair meant that three heats were required with the top three boats advancing to the semi-final. Italy took off in the lead of heat one. But that was soon swallowed up by Gabriel Bergen and James Dunaway of Canada. Bergen has spent most of his international career in the quad while Dunaway comes through with three years of under 23 medals. The Canadian duo stayed out in front with Italy becoming the chasing boat. At the line Canada, Italy and Ukraine qualify for the semi-final.

Serbia got off the line first in heat two. Croatia and Australia chased hard, but Serbia managed to hold them off. But as boats moved into the second half of the race Australia’s Nick Baxter and Fergus Pragnell did a huge push under the encouragement of their coxswain Hugh Rawlinson. Pragnell raced in this event last year where he finished fourth and his partner, Baxter was in the four. Together they got into the lead and remained there until the line. Croatia chased hard, overtaking Serbia, but they were unable to catch the Aussies. Australia, Croatia and Serbia move on to the semi-final.

Poland are the world champions in this event and they showed that they still had it in heat three. David Paczes and Lukasz Kardas with new coxswain Pawel Lipowski, led the race from start to finish. But this was not without challenge. The United States, who had sat in third for most of the race behind France, did a huge sprint in the last 300m. They nearly caught the Poles. Nearly. At the line Poland, the United States and France all go to the semi-final.

Lightweight women’s single sculls (LW1x)

Lining up at the start of this event were no less than 20 countries and if the finishing times were anything to go by, some World Best Times may have to be updated. Four heats meant that the top two boats in each heat would get to go directly to the semi-final. The very experienced Michaela Taupe-Traer of Austria took the lead. On her home course, Taupe-Traer was relishing the tail wind conditions. But, right behind Taupe-Traer, Laura Milani of Italy was keeping the Austrian honest. Taupe-Traer had to keep her stroke rate high to stay on top of Milani. Croatia followed in third. At the line the order had not changed, Taupe-Traer and Milani go directly to the semi-final.

Pamela Weisshaupt of Switzerland was the one to beat in heat two. Weisshaupt has spent her international career going from the single to the double. But it is the single where she has been most successful. Today Weisshaupt remained just ahead of Julie Nichols of the United States. Spain challenged hard at the start but appeared to only have half a race in her. Weisshaupt and Nichols advance to the semi-final. Weisshaupt with the fastest qualifying time.

Russia was the fastest off the line in heat three. But this didn’t deter 2001 world champion, Sinead Jennings of Ireland. By the half way point Jennings was completely dominating the race. As the commentator described, “it is a lonely race for Jennings.” Sweden’s Karin Hoegberg tried to get close to Jennings, but to no avail. Jennings and Hoegberg both go directly to the semi-final.

Lindsay Jennerich of Canada has been to two Rowing World Cups this season and won both of them so it was no surprise to see her in the lead of heat four. Great Britain’s Mathilde Pauls slipped into second with Germany in third. No one challenged, the order of boats did not change from start to finish. Crossing the line in a veritable procession, Jennerich and Pauls will be going to the semi-final. All other boats will have to return for the repechage.
Lightweight men’s single sculls (LM1x)

The lightweight men’s single had a huge field of 25 countries competing which meant six heats were needed with the top three boats in all but the first heat advancing to the quarterfinal. The reigning world champion Duncan Grant of New Zealand set the standard in heat one. Grant grabbed the lead at the start but may have been surprised to see his closest rival dressed in the colours of Iran. Mohsen Shadi Naghadeh of Iran has only been rowing 10 months, but last week he earned silver at the World Rowing Under 23 Championships. Naghadeh was giving Grant a run for his money. Grant, however, did just enough to hold Naghadeh off. The rest of the field followed a good distance back. At the line New Zealand, Iran, Finland and, as there was one extra boat in this race, fourth placed Tunisia also gets to advance to the quarterfinal.

Heat two did not set any records for fireworks rowing. In a reasonably sedate race, Greece’s Ilias Pappas got out into the lead, Belguim settled into second and the United States looked comfortable in third. No challenges were made. Nothing changed. At the line Greece, Belgium and the USA will be moving on to the quarterfinal.

At the start of heat three, three boats were within whispering distance of one another. Austria’s Sebastian Sageder had the leading edge, Takahiro Suda of Japan sat in second and right with them was Nikola Tomic of Croatia. Sageder qualified for the Beijing Olympics in the double last year. But when his partner had an accident a decision was made by Austria’s Olympic Committee not to send him with a new partner. Sageder is back in the single and in heat three he remained in the lead to qualify for the quarterfinal. Suda and Tomic also qualify for the quarterfinal.

Coming into these World Championships, Jaap Schouten of the Netherlands has the enviable record of not having lost a final so far in 2008. He has beaten world champion Duncan Grant and he is looking in a good position to win gold at this regatta. But it was Great Britain that took off in the lead of heat four. Schouten soon put an end to this and by the half way point he was in the lead. This is where he remained for the rest of the race. As Great Britain slipped back, Spain came through to second and Serbia took third. The Netherlands, Spain and Serbia will be going to the quarterfinal.

Heat five had Joerg Lehnigk of Germany taking off in the lead followed by Mexico. As Lehnigk remained out in front, Slovakia’s Lukas Babac sprinted his way past Mexico to take the second spot. Coming through from the back of the field, Poland’s Tomasz Kucharski got into third by overtaking Mexico. But coming into the line Mexico (Alan Armenta) took his rating up and fought back. Two time Olympic Champion Kucharski didn’t react. At the line Lehnigk, Babac and Armenta advance to the quarterfinal.

Lorenzo Bertini of Italy has international racing experience that reaches back to 1993 and includes an Olympic bronze medal from the lightweight four. Today, fronting up in heat six of the lightweight single, Bertini made the best of it by leading the race and staying in that position over Andrey Shevel of Russia. Shevel, meanwhile, had his work cut out for him by Chile’s Felipe Leal. The order, however, did not change. Italy, Russia and Chile advance to the quarterfinal along with Hungary who advances under the FISA progression system having the next fastest time.

Lightweight men’s eight (LM8+)

Two heats of lightweight eights meant that this was a much bigger field compared to recent years when this event was under threat of being eliminated due to lack of entries. A first place finish was needed for crews to go directly to the final.

The United States may have finished fifth last year, but they had different goals this year. In heat one the United States overtook Germany and then Italy to earn the lead by the half way point. Under the coxing of Ned Del Guercio, the United States remained in the lead and extended it out to a huge open water advantage. Italy, in second, seemed to be uninterested in challenging. The United States goes directly to the final.

Heat two opened with defending world champions, the Netherlands in the lead. By the half way point the Dutch had a handy three second lead over Austria in second. Austria, meanwhile, was under threat for their second place position by Poland. The Poles finished sixth last year and are looking in very good form to medal this year. At the line Poland had outsprinted Austria but they were too far down to catch the Dutch. The Netherlands advance directly to the final.

Lightweight men’s pair (LM2-)

The lightweight men’s pair had three heats with a top two finish needed if these athletes wanted to advance directly to the semi-final.

Heat one featured Italy. The Italians are the reigning world champions and come to Linz/Ottensheim off the back of another under 23 champion title. Andrea Caianiello and Armando Dell’Aquila of Italy showed their superiority right from the start. This left a close battle to go on between New Zealand and Serbia which caused them to close the gap on Italy. A huge sprint to the line by Serbia not only got them in front of New Zealand, but it also took Caianiello and Dell’Aquila off guard. Serbia finish first and Italy take the second qualifying spot. New Zealand will have to return for the repechage.

Heat two featured Great Britain in the lead at the start. But this was soon lost to the United States (John Nichols and Alexander Rothmeier). Daniel Harte and Chris Bartley of Great Britain fought back. The British duo have raced at two Rowing World Cups this season and finished fourth in both. They will be looking to step up to a medal here at Linz/Ottensheim. Going head to head with the United States, the two countries moved a fraction away from Japan. Japan, however, were working hard and holding their pace. At the line Harte and Bartley take first with the United States also qualifying for the semi-final by staying in front of Japan and remaining in second.

Greek brothers, Nikolaos and Apostolos Gkountoulas won at the final Rowing World Cup for 2008, last month in Poland. Today they went one step closer to a world champion medal by leading heat three and finishing it off in by far the fastest qualifying time. This fast time can partly put down to the strong challenge thrown at the Greeks by Simon Niepmann and Mario Gyr of Switzerland. These two boats started out in the top two spots and remained there for the rest of the race. A huge yawning gap opened up back to the remainder of the field. Greece and Switzerland advance to the semi-final.

Lightweight women’s quadruple sculls (LW4x)

Two heats lined up with these athletes needing to be in the first position if they wanted a direct path to the final. Australia are the defending world champions and they lined up in heat one. But it was the United States that took off in the lead. Australia has retained three of their world champion crew and they were not going to let the Americans get away. Going through the third 500 Australia did a huge piece and got their nose ahead of the Americans. The US appeared to lose heart. Australia advance directly to the final.

Heat two featured winners of the final Rowing World Cup for 2008, Great Britain. It also featured final Rowing World Cup silver medallists, Poland. At the start Poland and Great Britain left together. By the half way point Poland had a slight advantage and for the rest of the race the Poles managed to move further away from the British. Were the British foxing? Has Poland found another gear? Poland advances directly to the final.

Lightweight men’s quadruple sculls (LM4x)

This event featured two heats which meant crews had to aim to finish first if they wanted to go directly to the final and miss out on the repechage. Missing the repechage is important for lightweight rowers as it means one less time having to weigh in.

A fast starting crew from Turkey took the lead in heat one, but there was very little in it between the four crews. By the half way point there was still less than a two seconds covering the entire field. Who had another 1000m left in them? First the United States began to fade and then Turkey. France, who won silver last year, had lots of juice still left and moved into the lead. Germany followed. At the line France qualified directly for the final and did it with the fastest qualifying time.

It must seem like bad luck if you draw the heat that Italy is in. Italy were in heat two. The Italians have rarely not come first in the history of this event and there is every indication that they will do it again this year. The Czech Republic gave it a good shot to keep up with Italy, but they still finished in second. Italy, who led for the entire race, go directly to the final.