Avoiding crabs at the under 23 semifinals

The conditions remained wavy with a gusty cross tail wind as the sun tried to break through clouds. Some did catch waves with their oars. Some caught boat stopping crabs. Others found it hard staying in their lanes. Others relished the conditions in the knowledge of similar conditions to where they train.

Lightweight Women's Single Sculls (BLW1x) – Semifinals

Defending Under 23 Champion Alexandra Tsiavou of Greece led the way in semifinal one with reasonable ease. Tsiavou is Greece’s medal hope for the 2008 Olympics where she will aim to be in the lightweight double and she is using the Under 23 World Rowing Championships as a big confidence booster. Monika Sajincic of Slovenia slotted into second while keeping a wary eye on Ka Man Lee of Hong Kong China who has already shown to have greatly improved on her 13th place finish last year. At the line, the order remained the same: Tsiavou, Sajincic and Lee move on to the final.

The second semifinal turned into a three-horse race between Eliane Waser of Switzerland, Anja Noske of Germany and Coralie Simon of France. Waser and Noske broke out of the start together at a clipping 40 strokes per minute. Simon soon caught their pace and had worked her way into the lead by the half-way point. These are Simon’s first under 23 championships. She has international experience though, some of it in the lightweight double with one of France’s best ever lightweight women, Benedicte Dorfman. Driving through the choppy, tailwind conditions Simon managed to pull away from Waser and Noske who were neck and neck. At the line Simon moves on from first, Noske takes second and Waser earns third.

Lightweight Men’s Single Sculls (BLM1x) – Semifinals

Storm Uru of New Zealand made it look easy in the first of two semifinals. This is Uru’s third international regatta for the season having arrived in Europe in time for the second Rowing World Cup in Amsterdam. Uru is the reigning Under 23 Champion and hoping to break into his nation’s senior squad in time for the Olympics. Shaking off Turkey, Uru had open water with 500m left to row. But the flying Ingo Voigt of Germany was doing an awesome sprint-from-the-back to challenge Uru.

Voigt had spent the first half of the race in dead last and was now putting Uru’s spot under threat. Voigt had left it just a fraction too late Uru crosses first, Voigt qualifies from second and Nikola Tomic of Croatia holds on to third.

Canada’s Timothy Colson has left the double behind to contest the single and he took the lead in semifinal two. But it was only slight. Two lanes over Valeri Prosvirnin of Estonia was pacing Colson with Tim Heijbrock of the Netherlands keeping their speed. A piece at the 1000m mark by Heijbrock moved him closer to the Estonian but neither Prosvirnin nor Colson were giving anything away. At the finish Colson had held on to first, Prosvirnin maintained second and Heijbrock qualifies from third.

This is going to be a cracking final as semifinal times indicate a narrow three-second spread between the top six scullers.

Timothy Colson (CAN): “This race was better than the others; the conditions are very tricky to row in. At the moment it's coming down to who can row in these conditions, not who is the fastest. I hope it doesn't come down to that.”

Women’s Single Sculls (BW1x) – Semifinals

Two years ago, as a junior, Emma Twigg finished fourth at the under 23 champs. After a year out to race in New Zealand’s senior squad Twigg is back in the single and setting herself up as the favourite to win. Natalia Madaj of Poland, last year’s Junior Champion, tried to push Twigg, but the New Zealander easily held her off with enough confidence that Twigg had dropped her rating down coming into the close of the race. Twigg earns first, Madaj takes second and Judith Aldinger of Germany comes through in third.

Anastasiya Kozhenkova of Ukraine hasn’t raced internationally since racing a year ago at the World Rowing Under 23 Championships. There she finished 7th in the double. Now in the single Kozhenkova looks to be making great progress. Starting off near the back of the field, the Ukrainian pushed after Ruth Walczak of Great Britain who held the lead. The long strokes of Walczak were proving to be a great asset as she kept ahead of Katalin Szabo of Hungary. But Kozhenkova continued to make gains and a very solid finishing sprint gave Kozhenkova first in a photo finish with Walczak in second. Szabo qualifies from third.

Men’s Single Sculls (BM1x) – Semifinals

It’s always a major feat to go under 7 minutes in the men’s single and one sculler did it today. Joseph Sullivan of New Zealand was the man. Sullivan led the first semifinal using a long lean-back stroke and underrating his fellow scullers. This is Sullivan’s second international race of the season after being called up at the last minute to fill into the senior team’s double. Now in the single, Sullivan held off Fraser Berkhout of Canada who held 32 strokes per minute.

Meanwhile Damir Martin of Croatia was giving it his all to work his way up from the back of the field. It was working. At the finish Sullivan held first, Martin takes second and Berkhout earns third.

Mindaugas Griskonis of Lithuania showed his early race speed in the heats and today in the second semifinal he took off again at the head of the field. Robert Bertram of Germany knew Griskonis’ opening speed and aimed to pace him. At the half-way point there was nothing between these two scullers with Monaco’s lone entry, Mathias Raymond in third. The order did not change up to the line. Griskonis, Bertram and Raymond will be in tomorrow’s A Final.

Joseph Sullivan (NZL): “I felt very comfortable. I made an early push and held the lead. I thought not to do anything stupid because of the conditions. The boat had a protection against the waves. We had some of those in the truck and I decided to put it on this morning.”

Mathias Raymond (MON): “You see the wind differently when you live at the seaside.” Coach, Jean Louis Antognelli: “You mark the history of Monegasque sport, you are the first in more than 60 years to make it to an A Final in all sports combined.”

Men’s Pair (BM2-) – Semifinals

Ukraine established a small lead at the start of semifinal one but lost it going through the middle of the race. Stefano Correale and Matteo Castaldo of Italy showed in the heats that they are not fast starters but they had the lead by the 1000m mark with Tom Wilkinson and Charles Burkitt of Great Britain making gains. Coming into the final sprint the lead had changed again as Wilkinson and Burkitt showed who was boss. Meanwhile Ukraine was suffering steering problems and Italy was stirring the Brits up with a 37 stroke rate. At the line Burkitt and Wilkinson had held first, Italy take second and Ukraine manages third.

Ioannis Tsilis and Georgios Tziallas of Greece were second last year in the four and are already on their country’s senior squad. Today they led semifinal two ahead of Germany with Bela Simon Jr. and Gaspar Vinko of Hungary also holding the leaders' pace. At the line Tsilis and Tziallas earn the fastest qualifying time with Hungary in second and Germany coming through in third.

Tom Wilkinson (GBR): "We were quite comfy and I think we dealt with the conditions well, better than some of the crews who were looking a bit splashy. We just watched the others cross the line and the Greeks are going to be tough."

Ioannis Tsilis & Georgios Tziallis (GRE): "When asked how they thought they would fare against the competition, the Greeks replied 'I don't know the results of the previous race yet. But I think we can be first. These are very bad conditions! Athens is very good for rowing!"

Men’s Four (BM4-) – Semifinals

On paper Serbia looked like the most accomplished crew with three under 23 silver medallists sitting in the boat. In semifinal one Serbia aimed to live up to expectations. And they did. Ukraine took the lead at the start but it didn’t last long as Serbia, stroked by Jovan Popovic, picked up their pace. Croatia held on to this lead but couldn’t maintain it as New Zealand and then Great Britain took chase. Coming into the final sprint Serbia took up the rating to hold off two threats – Great Britain and New Zealand. There was nothing in it at the line. Serbia held on to first, Great Britain take second and New Zealand qualify from third.

In past years Germany has dominated under 23 racing. Not so this year, but in the second semifinal their men’s four tried to maintain the mantle. Kristof Wilke, Richard Schmidt, Fokke Beckmann and Sebastian Schmidt of Germany took the lead to defend their country’s honour at a solid 38 stroke rate down the entire course. By the half-way point they had an open water lead with Australia, in second, under no threat for their spot. Instead the real race was for third. Four crews wanted it. France, Belarus, Italy and Romania were in an absolute line gong through the middle of the race and no one was relenting.

It was no surprise to have Germany cross the line first, Australia takes second while a sprinting Romania win the four-way battle to take the final qualifying spot. The Italian crew looked distraught when they found out they had narrowly missed out on the A final, but the Italian stroke later walked up to the Australians and congratulated them all with a firm handshake.

Bow Colin Scott (GBR), in response to their expectations for tomorrow's A Final: "No expectations. We'll just go out there and do what we can."

Lightweight Women’s Double Sculls (BLW2x) – Semifinals

France showed they had a fast start in semifinal one, but then showed they couldn’t maintain it. Poland, on the other hand, in a well-paced race had taken over the lead by the half-way point. Weronika Deresz and Karolina Widun of Poland come to this year’s race having finished third last year and today they found themselves up against the strong Marie Gottlieb and Sine Christiansen of Denmark.

Holding off Denmark meant the Poles had to keep the pressure on as Gottlieb and Christiansen pushed Deresz and Widun to the line. Poland held the Danes off to take first. Denmark qualify from second and Spain pushes Germany out of an A Final spot to take third.

The commentators called it the most exciting race of the day. In true lightweight racing style, semifinal two was as hot as it was close. Greece took off in the lead and actually had built up a reasonable margin with 500m gone. But Italy’s Erika Mai and Viviana Bulgarelli were pushing back with Great Britain and Hungary following suit. Coming into the final 500m Greece, Great Britain, Hungary and Italy were like a virtual line across the course with Mai and Bulgarelli just in front. The sprint to the line was all on. Greece was unlucky. Italy, Hungary and Great Britain move on to the final.

Andrea Cue Badiola & Mar Bosch Surroca (ESP): "I don't know what happened! Andrea (Cue Badiola) told me we'd come third and I didn't believe her. When I realised, I was just so happy. This is my fourth and last U23s, I've rowed them all. In 2004 I qualified in a single, but now qualifying in an Olympic boat is incredible! Tomorrow we'll do our best. Today was unexpected so maybe tomorrow will be too."

Lightweight Men’s Double Sculls (BLM2x) – Semifinals

Hungary holds high hopes for their senior lightweight double at next year’s Olympics. Their second tier under 23 boats has the bowman with the same name as his senior counterpart. Tamas Varga took his Hungarian crew mate into the lead of semifinal one. Germany’s Moritz Koch and Christoph Schregel took chase. Schregel is the more experienced of the duo having won silver last year at the World Rowing Championships in the lightweight quad. Together they stole the lead off Hungary and clung tightly to it.

With Germany and Hungary solidly in the top two spots, Norway and the United States battled it out for third. The USA had the better sprint and at a 36 rating crossed the line in third to join Germany and Hungary in the A Final.

It looks like Fabien Dufour and new partner Maxime Goisset of France are improving with every race they enter. Today they absolutely dominated the second semifinal and in the process recorded the fastest qualifying time. By the half-way point Dufour and Goisset had left the other five boats well back in their wake. This left Italy and Poland to tussle it out for second and third. At the line France take first, Italy were in second and Poland qualify from third.

Lightweight Men’s Four (BLM4-) – Semifinals

A flying opening first half may have given them first place for half the race for Switzerland, but they could not maintain it. As Switzerland began to feel the pain Greece grabbed the lead taking the Netherlands with them. Meanwhile the rough water got the better of Spain, a crab taking them out of qualifying contention. At the line Greece qualify from first, the Dutch take second and Switzerland hold on to earn third.

Denmark tried Switzerland’s method in semifinal two, but to less success. Despite earning an early lead Denmark soon found themselves overtaken first by Austria, then Italy, then the entire field. Now in front Austria and Italy drove onwards for that spot in the final. Meanwhile France and Australia both battled for the remaining third position. Four boats sprinted for the line. The commentators couldn’t call it. Austria hold on to first, Italy take second and France deny Australia a place in the final.

Stroke Evangelos Tsourtsoulas (GRE): "It's the semifinal, so the competition is a little better. We didn't have a great start but took the lead at 1000m and held it; we were looking for first place." He went on to congratulate his team mates, wish the other competitors good luck and compliment the Greek coaching team, showing great sportsmanship as well as sporting ability.

Dominik Sigl, Oliver Komaromy, Paul Ruttmann, Christian Rabel (AUT): "It was very tough to row because of the waves, but I think it'll be better tomorrow – it'll have to be! But we're really motivated! I think our main competition will be the Greeks, and also the Italians. It'll be a good race with the Greeks."

Men’s Quadruple Sculls (BM4x) – Semifinals

The rough water took its toll on Ukraine in semifinal one. Leading at the beginning Ukraine was well in qualifying position through the body of the race as the finishing 500m came into view. Australia, now in first, kept their blade work clean, Slovenia was handling it as well when Ukraine caught a boat-stopping crab. They did everything possible to come back but Italy took full advantage of the situation. Australia, Slovenia and Italy move on to the final.

A tidy looking German crew took to the lead in semifinal two leaving France and Russia to fight for second. From opposite sides of the course, France in lane five and Russia in lane one, it must have been difficult for these crews to judge who had the upper hand. Their solution – just go hard all of the way. This kept Germany honest at the front of the pack being able to see the progress of both Russia and France. At the line Germany move on to the final with the fastest qualifying time, just 2 seconds outside of the World Best Time. France take second and Russia qualify from third.

Stroke Steve Fletcher (AUS): "We're very happy with that – we'll have a pretty good crack at it."

Men’s Eight (BM8+) – Semifinals

Australia and Germany took off together at the head of semifinal one leaving the rest of the field to aim only for third. Australia had the initial advantage before Germany indicated their superior stamina and used it to their advantage in the second half of the race. By the finish, the defending champions Germany had pulled out to a full boat-length lead. Australia seemed to lessen their pressure and take second while a Poland vs Italy battle ends with Poland earning the third position and an A Final qualifying spot.

Race 125, the last race of the day and the second semifinal of the men’s eight opened with Great Britain in the lead and the United States in hot pursuit with an opening 40 stroke rate. As boats settled into their rhythm Great Britain’s one appeared stronger. Meanwhile United States found themselves under threat from Estonia. Going head to head the US and Estonia swapped between second and third. A better sprint by Estonia gave them second behind Great Britain with the United States still qualifying from third.