Iran in medals, Italy confident in under 23 finals

Today, on the finals day of the World Rowing Under 23 Championships in Racice, Czech Republic, Iran introduced themselves to the centre spot on the winners podium. Italy started the day off well with two gold and two silver medals at the completion of seven races.
 
Women’s Four (BW4-) – Final A

Getting off the line in the lead New Zealand looked like they had truly brushed away any jet lag remnants. The crew however had their work cut out for them as hot on their tails were Italy, France and the United States. A further quarter of the race did not help the New Zealanders much as Italy and France remained dangerously close. Slipping in the third 500 gave Italy the opportunity that they had been looking for. Led by stroke Camilla Espana, Italy had such a powerful piece that they managed to gain over half a boat length lead over the next boat.
 
The next boat was now Belarus who had been taking a while to warm up. Now, under the guidance of the very experienced Natallia Koshal, the Belorussians went after Italy. Koshal has been on the national team since 2005 and in that time has picked up junior and under 23 medals. Last year she raced in the pair and eight winning bronze in the eight.
 
At the line Belarus, using a 37 stroke rate had managed to get ahead of last year’s winners Italy.
 
Results: BLR, ITA, NZL, FRA, GBR, USA

 Maryna Maslava, Marharyta Krechka, Nadzeya Belskaya, Natallia Koshal (BLR) – Gold
“We are very happy.” Natallia Koshal

Claudia Wurzel, Veronica Pizzamus, Silvia Martin, Camilla Espana (ITA) – Silver
“It was very tough. We thought about a medal, but maybe not this one. Silver is fantastic. This is a great venue and the conditions were fair.” Claudia Wurzel

Jessica Loe, Regan Barkla, Kate Reymer, Alexandra Burnside (NZL) – Bronze
“We are very happy about our race. Last year we were not even in the Final A. But this year we have a fantastic coach and it worked out very well.” Jessica Loe.

Men’s Coxed Four (BM4+) – Final A
 
Italy won this event last year and this year they were back in a centre lane with the main threat of gold coming from New Zealand. But at the start it was Ukraine in the lead. This did not last long as New Zealand pressed through. Stroke for the Kiwis, Matthew Cameron has spent two years on the junior team and last year won silver in the eight.
 
As Ukraine slipped back Italy found their stride and moved from the back of the field to be the greatest threat to New Zealand’s lead. The reigning world champions were not going to let the New Zealanders get away with gold lightly. But New Zealand fought back and took two seconds off the Italians. In the sprint for the line Italy and New Zealand matched each other on a 37 stroke rate, but they now found a new challenger. To the sound of supporter horns, Germany was charging down the outside. For the Germans three of the team are at the under 23s for the first time. They complete this regatta with a bronze medal.
 
Results: NZL, ITA, GER, UKR, USA, FRA

John Storey, Ian Seymour, Tobias Wehr-Candler, David Eade, Matthew Cameron (NZL) – Gold
“We had a good start and we set the pace for the first 1000m, then we went through at 1200 and we got the lead. We could have been affected by our boat being destroyed but we managed to stay focused.” Matthew Cameron

Vincenzo Capelli, Francesco Fossi, Andrea Carmignani, Andrea Palmisano, Leonardo Bellucci (ITA) – Silver
“We had hoped to win, but the Kiwis were great. It was a good race and we are happy about the result. Also the new boat we got from Filippi was good.”  Francesco Fossi

 Milan Dzambasevic, Moritz Schlichting, Kay Rueckbrodt, Alexander Egler, Albert Kowert (GER) – Bronze
“For three of us it’s the first time at an U23 event and we are just happy to have made it here. This was the best race of the season for us and to make it to the podium and to get a bronze medal is great. We were at fourth and fifth position for a long time, but managed to stay calm and focus on our race. It has been an adventurous regatta for us with the boat damages, but the new boat we got from home was good and the conditions here are very fair.” Moritz Schlichting

Lightweight Women's Single Sculls (BLW1x) – Final A
 
So far Belarus is having a great regatta and Hanna Bandarevich (BLR) must have picked up on the positive vibe. Bandarevich grabbed the bull by the horns and took off in the lead of this 2000m race. She was not the favourite coming into this race, which belonged to Great Britain’s Katherine Copeland and Helke Nieschlag of Germany. Nieschlag was in the closest range to the fired up Bandarevich with Hungary’s Mariann Novak in third. Bandarevich finished third in this event last year and is part of the renewed Belarus rowing system that has received priority support from their government.
 
A piece by Nieschlag in the third 500 propelled her into the lead. Nieschlag was the silver medallist last year and has maintained a powerful presence throughout this regatta. Where was Copeland? Coming into the final sprint Copeland tried to come back from her fourth place position. Copeland’s sprint was great but she had left it too late. Nieschlag on a 31 stroke rate looked comfortable with Bandarevich holding on to second.
 
Results: GER, BLR, HUN, GBR, AUT, PAR

Helke Neischlag (GER) – Gold
“Wow, I really don’t know what to say. I’m lost for words, this is cool. I didn’t think I could win this. I am such a bad starter and all of the other girls were so fast at the beginning. It wasn’t the nicest rowing, but who cares, I won.”

 Mariann Novak (HUN) – Bronze
“It was really hard, but I was able to concentrate during the whole the race. Coming here, I was hoping to make it to the Final B and it was already great to be in the Final A. I did my best and it worked out.”

Lightweight Men’s Single Sculls (BLM1x) – Final A
 
Last year Mohsen Shadi Naghadeh of Iran stormed onto the rowing scene barely months into knowing the sport and won silver. At the finish he fell out of the boat. This year, now with 18 months of rowing experience, the more mature Shadi Naghadeh looked powerful but a little rough around the edges. He came through to the Final in the middle lane along with the other winner from the Semifinals, Ailson Silva of Brazil.
 
After an initial lead by last year’s bronze medallist, Joris Pijs of the Netherlands, Shadi Naghadeh slipped into the lead with Silva following suit. Going through the third 500 the Iranian had the leaders edge with Silva comfortably in second. Meanwhile Linus Lichtschlag of Germany was carrying out an extremely close tussle with Serbia. Lichtschlag had to sprint for his life. At the head of the field Shadi Naghadeh was rating a powerful, but reasonably low 29 stroke rate. Silva looked strong at 33, Lichtschlag was giving it all he had.
 
Shadi Naghadeh makes history for the second time by becoming the first Iranian rower to win gold at a World Rowing event.
 
Results: IRI, BRA, GER, SRB, VEN, NED

Mohsen Schadi Naghadeh (IRI) – Gold
“I’m very happy. I will go to Poznan next.”

Linus Lichtschlag (GER) – Bronze
“Those two just raced off and I couldn’t quite keep up with them. But I managed to keep the Serbian off. My goal was a medal and the bronze medal is definitely okay.”

Lightweight Men’s Pair (BLM2-) – Final A
 
In 2007 Andrea Caianiello and Armando Dell’Aquila of Italy became world and under 23 champions. Last year they held on to the under 23 title and this year they made it three in a row. On top of that, after today’s race, the duo now own the World Best Time – the new time: 6:32.01.
 
Caianiello and Dell’Aquila got off to a solid start in the lead and by the half way point had built up a full boat length over France’s Clement Roulet-Dubonnet and Barthelemy Agostini in second. France, however, was only an inch ahead of the rest of the crews as all five boats had less than 2 seconds separating them.
 
With Italy moving further away from the field, and Germany slipping right off the pace, the Netherlands, France, South Africa and Denmark remained neck-and-neck. First place looked sorted, but what about silver and bronze? Vincent and Tycho Muda of the Netherlands took their rating to 43. France held on with 39. South Africa gave it all they had. Both the Italians and Dutch are now in line to join their senior team to race at this year’s World Rowing Championships.
 
Results: ITA, NED, FRA, RSA, DEN, GER

Andrea Caianiello, Armando Dell’Aquila (ITA) – Gold
“This was a wonderful race. The Dutch are great opponents. We are very, very happy about this medal. We hope to be in Poznan next  — either in the pair or in the four.”  Armando Dell’Aquila

Vincent Muda, Tycho Muda (NED) – Silver
“Our first 1000 weren’t very good. Then we got back into our rhythm and raced well. The Italians are our biggest competition and we are happy with our silver medal. We have improved a lot this year and want to get better next year. Then the aim will be to beat them. Now we hope to be in the four for Poznan.” Tycho Muda

Clement Roulet-Dubonnet, Barthelemy Agostini (FRA) – Bronze
“We did not race well at the beginning of the championships, but we had a good race today. Our goal was to be in the race at 1000m and we managed to start hard enough to do so. We may go to Poznan in the LM8+, but we are still waiting for the final decision.” Barthelemy Agostini

Lightweight Women’s Quadruple Sculls (BLW4x) – Final A
 
This is the first year that this event has been at the under 23s and nine countries brought teams to race in Racice. Coming into today’s final Germany and Australia were the favourites, taking up the two centre lanes. At the start Germany looked in fine form, getting their boat out to a small lead. By the half way point the United States became the main challenge to the leading Germans.
 
Full credit must go to the United States. Their crew was selected a couple of weeks ago and bow seat Devery Karz took up sculling just six weeks previously. Despite this the gutsy Americans were hanging on to Germany and in the process had moved away from the rest of the field. Where was Australia?
 
Coming into the final sprint, Australia realised that they needed to do something special. They were sitting in third but really wanted a different coloured medal. Germany and the United States, however, had their spots sorted out. Germany became the first crew to ever win an under 23 lightweight quad champion title. The United States looked absolutely delighted at the line. Australia earned bronze.
 
Results: GER, USA, AUS, NED, BLR, JPN

Regina Pieroth, Katja Ruegner, Lena Bieber, Kaja Brecht (GER) – Gold
“This was like in trance. You wait so long until it’s Finals day and then it finishes so quickly. After the results in the heats we had hope to win this race, but actually doing it is great. The course here reminds me a bit of the one in Munich, but I think the water is even harder. It’s great what the Czech TV does here. It’s amazing how many cameras they’ve got and the video wall is great.” Kaja Brecht

Gabrielle Kukla, Alison Scobbie, Lauren Burraston, Ella Flecker (AUS) – Bronze
“It was very tough race. We are exhausted, but very happy. We like Racice very much and the surrounding is lovely too. The racing course is very good here.” Gabrielle Kukla

Lightweight Men’s Quadruple Sculls (BLM4x) – Final A
 
Two days ago in the repechage, Italy set a new World Best Time. Could Rigon, Ruta, Cereda and Casiraghi do it again today? The Italians jumped off the line in first, but in good lightweight rowing style, there was very little between the entire fleet after 500m of rowing. Then a small break appeared with Great Britain, Germany and Italy being the dominating boats.
 
This state of affairs remained as the three remaining boats tussled with each other but did not seem to be moving on the leading three crews. Coming into the line Italy showed that they still had energy to burn. Rowing in smooth synchronicity, Italy was rating 37. Germany did all that they could to try and catch the Italians and got up to a 39 stroke rate. Italy remained in control. After the line stroke Francesco Rigon stood up in triumph.
 
Results: ITA, GER, GBR, FRA, RUS, HUN

Jose Casiraghi, Andrea Cereda, Pietro Ruta, Francesco Rigon (ITA) – Gold
“This was the perfect race and we did everything right. Great to be on top of the podium.” Francesco Rigon

Clemens Huebler, Matthias Arnold, Michael Keschka, Arne Falkenhorst (GER) – Silver
“We aimed at least for a medal. We did a good race but the Italians were too strong. We are really happy with the silver.” Michael Keschka

William Fletcher, David Jones, Jonathan Clegg, Peter Chambers (GBR) – Bronze
“We are very, very tired after this race, but very happy. The organisation of these World Champs is very good and the weather today was too.” William Fletcher