Rowing closes in on the finals at the World Champs

	Every crew today that made the final – by finishing in the top three of their semifinal – would earn a spot for their country in that event at the 2008 Beijing Olympics (apart from the two non-Olympic events, the lightweight women’s and men’s single). Those that finished in place four to six would move on to the B Final and still have an Olympic qualifying chance.
Lassi Karonen, Sweden M1x, about to become Olympic qualifier

For the occasion the weather turned to cool temperatures reaching into the high teens Celsius with athletes choosing to wear long sleeves when racing. Times were slow with a slight head wind, bobbly water coming out of the starting “shoes” and sightings of some rather large fish in that area.

Lightweight Women’s Single Sculls (LW1x) – Semifinals

The first upset of the day started the day. In race 166 and day five of the 2007 World Rowing Championships, the almost unknown, Jennifer Goldsack of the United States beat the current World Champion, Marit van Eupen of the Netherlands. Goldsack, a dual citizen with Great Britain, has spent her rowing career in Great Britain but went, with her mother, a month ago to compete in the USA rowing trials. Winning the lightweight single, Goldsack joined the team. Today she led van Eupen from start to finish with van Eupen doing little to attack back, looking like she was just after qualification. Meanwhile, back in the field Andrea Dennis of Great Britain was powering forward. First she overtook Italy and then France to get into the third qualifying position and set her sights on van Eupen. At the line it was Goldsack, van Eupen and Dennis qualifying.

Marit Van Eupen, NED: "I made the final. We do it step by step. The British rower compared to the World Cup, I find it a surprise. There are still some 'oldies' in the field, but the youngsters are coming. I think it’s good for the sport. I know they are knocking on the door. I know I'm still fast, but the others are getting fast too. That's what makes the sport exciting, when you don't know what to expect. I love to race."

Benedicte Dorfman, FRA: "I leave my place to the young girls. I'm a bit disappointed."

Results: USA, NED, GBR, FRA, GER, ITA

Melanie Kok of Canada spends most of her year racing as a heavyweight sweep rower for the University of Virginia in the United States. In her holidays she becomes an elite lightweight rower and in her first season in the single she is looking fine. Kok took the lead and left the rest of the field to fight for the second and third spots. Austria was there for a bit before running out of steam. Then Finland’s Ilona Hiltunen pushed through with Denmark giving it a shot. In the final sprint, though, it was Mirna Rajle of Croatia who pulled out a massive sprint. Kok, Rajle and Hiltunen qualify.

Maria Pertl, DEN: "I'm not satisfied. I'd prefer a tail wind instead of head. We knew Kok would be in the lead as she's been doing that in the other races. I was focused on my own race. I couldn't do anything about how the other girls were racing. I made it my race and it wasn't enough. This is my last season and it is victory to just be here. Last year I had a disc protrusion and I didn't know if I'd still row again."

Melanie Kok, CAN: "The conditions were tough with the head wind – the times were obviously quite slow. So I was focusing on making sure my blades got in well and after every bad stroke recovering and making sure the next stroke was a good one."

Results: CAN, CRO, FIN, DEN, AUT, SUI

Lightweight Men’s Single Sculls (LM1x) – Semifinals

A fast start by Estonia gave Valeri Prosvirnin the lead at the start of semifinal one. It didn’t last long. To the crowd’s delight Jonathan Koch of Germany pushed forward and into the lead with Great Britain and Takahiro Suda of Japan taking chase. Surprisingly Ivan Baldychev of the United States was at the back of the pack. Baldychev bolted out in the heats rating high for the entire race. Today the former Russian who arrived in the USA in 2000, was being very conservative. Going through the 1500m mark Koch was still in the lead with Baldychev now pushing through to second with Suda in third. At the line Koch, Baldychev and Suda qualify for the final.

Jonathan Koch GER: "I had an excellent race, it was much easier than I thought. How am I preparing for the final? As usual, I do the same procedure every year."

Ivan Baldychev USA: "I had a good race, I did what I was supposed to do according to my race plan. I was surprised the Japanese Suda ran out of steam. Now I will have lots of rest, food and chocolate."

Takahiro Suda JPN: "I had a good race and I will do nothing special as preparation for the final."

Results: GER, USA, JPN, GBR, CAN, EST

The hot property in semifinal two must have been Duncan Grant of New Zealand. He finished with bronze last year and back in Europe this summer has not lost a race. Grant takes every race seriously and took to the lead convincingly over Jaap Schouten, 22, of the Netherlands. Schouten, a tax law student, started to slip back as Grant continued on aggressively with Lorenzo Bertini of Italy sitting in third. Bertini comes from spending most of his rowing in the lightweight four including an Olympic bronze in that event.

The three qualifying spots were well established before the final sprint and at the line it was Grant, Bertini in second and Schouten in third who qualify for the final.

Duncan Grant NZL: "Many of the guys seem quite quick, the main competition in the final will be Germany, the Netherlands, and the USA. My routine is working for me at the moment, so will carry on with it."

Lorenzo Bertini ITA: "How was the race? So, so….. the New Zelander is very quick. I hope there will be no wind on Saturday."

Result: NZL, ITA, NED, SLO, CHN, FIN

Women’s Single Sculls (W1x) – Semifinals

In the lead at the start of semifinal one was Mirka Knapkova of the Czech Republic. Knapkova draws on athletics to help with her training and today she took the lead settling into a 32 stroke rate rhythm. China’s Xiuyun Zhang continues to come along in leaps and bounds. Under the new guidance of Italy’s former head coach, Beppe de Capua, she has a new lease of life, her last success being back at the 1996 Olympics. Zhang sat in second rating a very comfortable 27 with long, strong strokes. This kept Zhang in touch with the higher rating Knapkova with Michelle Guerette of the United States following in third. Coming into the final sprint Knapkova looked like she was starting to tire in these head wind conditions and Zhang, still rating low, amazingly pushed past.

At the line Zhang had first, Knapkova second and Guerette makes it to the final from third.

Results: CHN, CZE, USA, RUS, POL, ESP

Twigg, NZL, in full concentration before qualifying for the Olympics

The two-time World Champion with three Olympic medals from the single, Ekaterina Karsten has hardly been pushed since 2005 following the retirement of Rumyana Neykova of Bulgaria and Katrin Rutschow-Stomporowski of Germany. Today, finally, Karsten was pushed. Karsten got off to a fast start. Neykova, who returned this year to international rowing, was right with Karsten. Going through the middle of the race there was very little in it between old, long-term rivals, Neykova and Karsten. Behind the two front runners there was a tight battle going on between France, Sweden and 20-year-old Emma Twigg of New Zealand.

Coming through the 1500m mark Neykova had pushed into the lead rating 29 with Karsten finding herself in the very unusual second spot. The sprint was on. One hundred metres later Karsten regained the lead and held it. Neykova remained in second as Twigg and Frida Svensson of Sweden charged for the line. Svensson at 35, Twigg at 34. Who would get there first? At the line the qualifying order was Karsten, Neykova and Twigg.

Emma Twigg, NZL: "I'm just stoked to be in the A Final. That was the aim. To be any where near (to the top women) is a buzz. It’s a completely different level from U23s."
On training and racing for the 1x this year instead of 8+: "The training has been similar. We're still training group sessions with the other girls. In the single, it's all on your back. It comes down to one person. I like that challenge."

Frida Svensson, SWE: "She's good (Twigg). I congratulate her. She gave me a tough race. Right now I'm disappointed but I'm going to do everything I can to win the B Final."

Results: BLR, BUL, NZL, SWE, FRA, ITA

Men’s Single Sculls (M1x) – Semifinals

Alan Campbell of Great Britain is not the biggest amongst the top runners in the men’s single, but that has never stopped him going for gold. When he left the quad behind two years ago and decided to go after the single he hit the international scene running and was heralded by the British press as the next best thing in British rowing. Campbell is living up to that reputation and in semifinal one the Brit took off in the lead setting a hot pace. As Switzerland began to fall back it was Sweden’s Lassi Karonen holding Campbell’s pace. Karonen kept the momentum going and through the 1500m mark had found the lead. Meanwhile Karonen’s oft training partner, Olympic Champion and new father, Olaf Tufte was coming through. Campbell remained on the pace as Karonen, Tufte and Campbell left the rest of the field far behind.

Was it pride or psychology? Karonen, Tufte and Campbell were all in qualifying positions but they all were fighting for first. Campbell got there first, Tufte second and Karonen third.

Olaf Tufte NOR: "The toughest part of the competition was before the start. To prepare for the final I will watch movies."

Results: GBR, NOR, SWE, NED, AUS, SUI

Germany’s Marcel Hacker is having quite a week. After his first race he got swamped by fans when he announced that he was signing autographs. Today, Hacker had a harder job to do. The shaved and shaded Hacker had to face World Champion, Mahe Drysdale of New Zealand in semifinal one. Would this be a rerun of last year when Hacker led for the whole race only to be piped by Drysdale in the closing metres? Hacker took the early lead but Drysdale had other ideas and by the 250m mark Drysdale was in the lead. Drysdale continued to move away looking much more relaxed in the headwind conditions than Hacker.

Following the leaders was Ondrej Synek of the Czech Republic. The top three contenders had no challengers. In the third 500m Hacker put on a burst to take Drysdale but it only made a dent. With 200m left to row Hacker brought the power off, Drysdale followed suit. Drysdale, Germany and Synek qualify for the A Final.

Mahe Drysdale NZL: "The race hasn't been difficult so far, I've got through, it went pretty well. I don't think we've seen the real speed of the finalist yet, anything can happen. This year my preparation was different, I was training at high altitude in a beautiful place."

Marcel Hacker GER: "It was a very good race for me, most importantly, I have qualified for the Olympic Games. Will see what's going to happen in the final. New day, new race, new final."

Ondrej Synek (CZE) on finishing third place race: "It was hard because I made a mistake in the start, and after the start I had to go fast. But beating Argentina (4th) was no problem." On the final: "I'd like to take the win, but it will probably be difficult."

Results: NZL, GER, CZE, ARG, BEL, BUL

Women’s Pair (W2-) – Semifinals

It was only a matter of time. Olympic Champions, Georgeta Damian-Andrunache and Viorica Susanu of Romania would be back on top. After winning two golds in Athens in 2004 (women’s pair and eight), Andrunache and Susanu retired from international rowing. Earlier this season they reappeared. Today they raced in semifinal one. But it was the reigning World Champions, Canada that took the lead at the start. This didn’t last long as Kim Crow and Sarah Cook of Australia pushed through with Germany’s top two sweep rowers, Elke Hipler and Nicole Zimmermann picking up speed. Following the German example the cool, calm Romanians, rowing a very even race, were making headway on the leaders. At a 32 stroke rate, Andrunache and Susanu made it look easy.

Only Romania had a sprint left in them. At the line Romania took first with Australia and Germany neck and neck for second, Australia gaining the edge.

Nicole Zimmermann (GER): "I'm very happy to make it to the A Final. I hope on Saturday we do well and win a medal."

Results: ROU, AUS, GER, CAN, DEN, NED

Yuliya Bichyk, after Ekaterina Karsten, is Belarus’s most decorated contemporary rower. Today she is back with her 2004 Athens Olympics medal partner, Natallia Helakh. Together they took over in the lead of semifinal two. Great Britain dabbled at attacking them, then the United States, until finally 2005 World Champions Nicky Coles and Juliette Haigh of New Zealand came back, after a rather crooked start, from the rear of the field. In a beautifully timed race, Coles and Haigh pushed through the Brits and the Americans as well as China’s Yage Zhang and Yulan Gao. With Great Britain dropping back there was very little between New Zealand, China and the United States. Four boats went after three A Final qualifying spots. The USA went to 36, the New Zealanders countered with 38, then 40 strokes per minute. The Chinese looked uncomfortable and out of sorts, but managed to squeeze past the Americans with 100m remaining. Belarus, New Zealand and China move on to the A Final.

Anna Mickelson, USA: "I feel like that's going to be fun (the B Final). The aim is to qualify this boat for the Olympics, so we have to be top 2. The strategy will be to stick with Canada."

Juliette Haigh NZL: "We had a hard race, and it will be hard in the final too. We have to watch out for everyone."

Results: BLR, NZL, CHN, USA, GBR, RUS

Men’s Pair (M2-) – Semifinals

New Zealand’s George Bridgewater may be over two metres tall, but sitting in stroke seat, if he needs to rate high, he knows how to do it. Sitting in bow, the much shorter Nathan Twaddle knows how to hold on and keep Bridgewater in line. At the start the duo were up at a 50 stroke rate, then holding 45 for over 100m to take the lead. Serbia’s young Goran Jagar and the decade older Nikola Stojic tried to hold on with the United States also on the pace.

As the USA, featuring the return of 2004 Olympic Champion Jason Read in bow, began to drop back, Jagar and Stojic continued to hold on to the New Zealanders' pace. Were these going to be the three qualifying countries? Coming into the final 500m this order remained the same when suddenly Colin Smith and Matthew Langridge of Great Britain charged. Taking their rating to 41, Smith and Langridge moved up on the fading Americans and went after New Zealand. At the line Bridgewater and Twaddle had held on to first, Great Britain take second and a very happy Serbia earn third. Olympic silver medallists from 2004 Croatia surprisingly were at the back of the field.

Nathan Twaddle, NZL: "It went well. I knew with the head wind it was going to be a real long race. It was over a minute longer than normal. The GB guys came from the back. They are renowned for having a wind for the finish, so we were a bit peeved off (laughs) they were making us do a bit more work. I feel better than after the heat, so we're now just trying to not be overconfident – last year we went in with big expectations being defending World Champions, and when we didn't win it was sort of depressing. So we're really focused on the experience and enjoying racing. I don't know if I'll be racing after Beijing, so it will be good to enjoy it."
On qualifying for Olympics and the final: "Well, the boat is in, I'm not taking anything for granted. I quite enjoyed being a World Champion in 2005, so I'd like to be that again."

George Bridgewater NZL: "The race was ok, but not perfect. Now we will stay in the hotel to relax, watch TV and prepare for the final."

Colin Smith GBR: "We had a good race, now we have to rest, maybe go for a walk. The Aussies will be tough in the final."

Results: NZL, GBR, SRB, DEN, USA, CRO

Germany caused a delay, and subsequent postponement at the start of semifinal two when the wooden handle of Jochen Urban’s oar broke completely off. Just over an hour later they lined up again with World Champions Drew Ginn and Duncan Free jumping into the lead and gaining open water by the half-way point. The fast legs of Ginn and the smooth, flowing, long combination with Free left the rest of the field with no replies. The race was therefore on for second and third. Poland and Erwan Peron and Laurent Cadot of France slipped in there first. But then a piece by the South Africans, going through the 1000m mark gave them second place 350m later. Ramon Di Clemente and Don Cech of South Africa have had an up and down season but still managed to retain their Henley Royal Regatta pair's title in July.

Coming into the line Australia qualify from first, South Africa had closed the gap but take second and France keep third to also qualify.

Donovan Cech, RSA: "It was a tough race to come back an hour later. We stayed composed. We were determined not to make a mistake like last year. So the A Final, we're climbing back to where we want to be."

Duncan Free, AUS: "It was a good race, solid first 1000m and just where we like to be ahead of the competition. We kept moving through."

Results: AUS, RSA, FRA, CAN, POL, GER

Women’s Double Sculls (W2x) – Semifinals

In the heats Elise Laverick and Anna Bebington of Great Britain surprised everyone by beating the Olympic Champions, New Zealand. Today in semifinal one they continued to show their speed coming out at the start in the lead. But Ioana Papuc and Simona Musat of Romania have stepped up a notch and going through the middle of the race overtook the British. Laverick and Bebington realised they really would rather be in first and fought back.

Meanwhile the 20-year-old Czech duo of Gabriela Varekova and Jitka Antosova were establishing themselves solidly in third. Varekova and Antosova are twice Junior Champions and twice Under 23 Champions and are now footing it in style at the senior level. Coming into the line Great Britain had worked their way back into the lead. Romania take second and the Czech Republic qualify from third.

Gabriela Varekova, CZE: "It was tough because the conditions weren't as good as the first day of racing. Our goal was to make the A Final. We are young so we hope to catch up with the others. We expect more years ahead."
On changes from last year to bow seat, "Jitka had health problems so it was a difficult year. Now she is stroking. It works better with her as stroke."

Elise Laverick GBR: "I am very excited about the final. We have to watch out for China, New Zeland and Germany. And everyone else. How are we preparing for the final? Well, we've already done our preparation, worked very hard all year."

Results: GBR, ROU, CZE, USA, ITA, HUN

New Zealand and China last met in late June at the second Rowing World Cup. There Qin Li and Liang Tian of China won. They met again today in semifinal two. At the start Caroline and Georgina Evers-Swindell rated higher and got a slight lead. But soon the smoother Li and Tian combination pushed in front keeping just a nose ahead of the New Zealanders. This Chinese-New Zealand race moved the two boats clear ahead of the rest of the field. Germany, under no threat from Australia in fourth, took third. A piece by China at the 1750m mark accelerated them away from New Zealand. At the line China qualify in first, New Zealand in second and, to the crowd’s delight, Peggy Waleska and Christiane Huth of Germany take third.

Qin Li/Liang Tian, CHN: "It's good to have a very good start for our rowing career. In the final we hope to show confidence, and use the training we've been doing to be the best."

Georgina Evers-Swindell, NZL: "The semis are always going to be tough. China is a tough crew. The Czechs are a really sharp combination, but at a World Championship final, all crews are going to be sharp. We're under no illusions."

Results: CHN, NZL, GER, AUS, NOR, KOR

Men’s Double Sculls (M2x) – Semifinals

Earlier in the season Iztok Cop of Slovenia admitted that he wasn’t yet firing well with long-time partner Luka Spik. The duo spend much of their time training in singles and obviously now a bit more time together has brought their boat moving skills in line. Today, in semifinal one, they fired as one taking to the lead over Matthew Wells and Stephen Rowbotham of Great Britain and current Under 23 Champions, Dzianis Mihal and Stanislau Shcharbachenia of Belarus.

Coming into the final sprint Wells and Rowbotham went after the most successful athletes (of any sport) in Slovenia, Cop and Spik. The Slovenian duo reacted by taking their rating to 39, the British followed suit. Cop and Spik held them off. Qualifying at the line was Slovenia, Great Britain and Belarus.

Luka Spik SLO: "It was a very hard race, we unconsciously slowed down at 1000. The final will be hard too, we have to watch out for the Brits, New Zealand, Estonia, and the French, who improved a lot since the Rowing World Cup."

Matthew Wells GBR: "We went as we planned, but in the final it is going to be six different crews."

Results: SLO, GBR, BLR, BEL, GER, POL