Junior rowers compete at World Champs

Today the under-19s raced in the first round of heats. The crews dealt with a shy sun that had to fight its way out from rain clouds and a wind that blew in a cross-tail direction.

Junior Women’s Quadruple Sculls (JW4x)

Opening the 2008 World Rowing Junior Championships, the junior women’s quad was made up of three heats with the aim for these under-19 athletes to be in the top three. This would give them a direct path to the semifinals. All other boats would have to return to race in a repechage.

The Netherlands jumped out and into the lead in heat one followed closely by Italy. By the half-way point Italy had pushed into first as the Netherlands began to slip back. Slipping back meant that Sweden and South Africa came within striking distance of second and they were not going to let this opportunity pass by. With Italy in the lead, South Africa, Sweden and the Netherlands all charged for the line. One of these boats would miss out. At the line Italy qualify from first, the Netherlands hold on to second and Sweden stay just a stroke ahead of South Africa to take third.

Greece turned into the boat to beat in heat two. Stroked by Ioulia Tsintzou, the Greeks held the lead at the start and stayed just ahead of Belgium. But only just. Side by side, stroke for stroke, Belgium stuck to Greece. Meanwhile New Zealand, who had been sitting outside of qualifying, back in fourth, decided to do a huge piece through the third 500. This piece brought them ahead of Russia and into third and less than a second down on the two leading boats. The order remained the same to the line. Greece, Belgium and New Zealand qualify for the semifinal.

Last year Germany won the World Championship title very comfortably. It looks like they have not lost any of their 2007 speed. Surprisingly the entire crew is new this year, all making the German junior national team for the first time. On top of that two of their rowers are just 16 years old. In heat three Germany took off in the lead and moved completely away from the rest of the field. At the finish the Germans had a huge nine-second lead and a qualifying time that was 11 seconds faster than the next fastest time. Germany go to the semifinal along with Belarus in second and Poland in third.

Junior Men’s Quadruple Sculls (JM4x)

Four heats in the junior men’s quad meant that a first-place finish was needed for crews to earn a direct path to the semifinal. In heat one Italy wanted that spot the most and with that took off in the lead. Switzerland held on for the first 500m but then slipped back into second. None of the rest of the field seemed in any position to challenge Italy who put on a display of beautiful, long, rhythmic sculling. The Italians go directly to the semifinal.

The Netherlands took off at a cracking pace in heat two with only the Czech Republic able to hold on. Coming into the half-way point the Czechs had slightly closed the gap on the Dutch but the Dutch were still holding them off. Then the Czech Republic moved into a piece. The Netherlands could not maintain the pressure. At the line the Czech Republic had earned a spot in the semifinal and recorded the fastest qualifying time.

The commentator called it “rough but fast.” The Romanians may not have had the prettiest style but they were in the lead in heat three and were determined to remain there. Hungary gave it all that they could to catch the Romanians, but Romania remained in front. Even in the final sprint with Hungary rating 40 strokes per minute, Romania still held the lead. Romania go directly to the semifinal.

The German men tried to do what their women counterparts had done earlier in the day – take a commanding lead and then extend it. In heat four the Germans grabbed the lead and although it wasn’t formidable, it was still sizeable. This left Latvia and France to fight it out for second. But with only one qualifying spot, being in second place would not cut the mustard. Germany alone advance to the semifinal.

Junior Men’s Eight (JM8+)

The two heats of the junior men’s eight required a first-place finish in each heat for the crew to get a direct path to the final. Heat one featured defending world champions Germany and just to show that they still had it, Germany took over in the lead. New Zealand stuck with the Germans at the start but soon began to fall back and Germany increased their pace going into the middle of the race. A last 500m sprint by New Zealand got them closer to the Germans, but they had left it a little late. Germany advances directly to the final. New Zealand will have to return for a repechage.

Italy jumped out to an early lead in heat two but the United States and Spain were not going to let them go. By the half-way point both the USA and Spain had overtaken Italy. Then, going into the third 500m, Great Britain poured on the pressure, knocking Spain back into fourth and closing on Italy. The United States, by this stage were in the lead with a slight margin, with Italy following behind. The sprint to the line did not change. The United States earn a spot in the Final.