Juniors fight to continue in hot temperatures

The large number of entries in the men’s and women’s single sculls, the men’s pair, double and quad meant that rowers had to return to the Lac du Causse Corrézien for a second race of the day. The 2009 World Rowing Junior Championships in Brive-la-Gaillarde, France has attracted record numbers (nearly 800) and these athletes were racing for a spot in the quarterfinals and a chance to keep their racing advancement alive. Temperatures rose to 35 degrees Celsius with the Lake water staying absolutely flat.

JUNIOR WOMEN’S SINGLE SCULLS (JW1x) – REPECHAGES

The three repechages required athletes to finish in a top two position if they wanted to continue to the quarterfinal round. All other athletes would lose their dream of racing in Saturday’s A-final. The first repechage had Russia leading from start to finish. Mayya Reznikova of Russia raced last year in the double and in her second year on the national team, Reznikova earned a spot in the quarterfinal of the single. After recording an underweight boat this morning, Reznikova will be taking precautions this afternoon to make sure her boat is the correct weight. Idil Oezguel of Turkey followed in second a long way back from Reznikova. These are the two boats that will be advancing to the quarterfinals.

Repechage two featured Giada Colombo of Italy leading the way at the start after taking off at a blistering pace. This left Yekaterina Artemyeva of Kazakhstan to play catch up from behind. Artemyeva, 16, did this in fine style and in a solid final sprint Artemyeva got her boat into the lead. This is the first time Artemyeva has raced at an international regatta. Colombo held on to second to also qualify.  

Vineta Moca of Latvia led Repechage Three by taking off at a solid clip ahead of Iran’s Shadi Faraj Pour. Moca is at her first international event while Faraj Pour has two years of junior experience behind her. In 2007 she raced in the double and last year Faraj Pour was in the pair where she finished in the B-final. Moca rated a very low 22 to cross the line in first. Faraj Pour, in second, also qualified.

JUNIOR MEN’S SINGLE SCULLS (JM1x) – REPECHAGES

Being the biggest event at this regatta, 17 boats lined up in three repechages and their aim was to be in the top two for a chance to race in tomorrow’s quarterfinals. Repechage One opened with Vasileios Kourtis of Greece in the lead. Kourtis joins the Greek national team for the first time this year and he managed to keep his boat just ahead of Alvis Berzins of Latvia. Berzins put up a good fight through the middle of the race and then tried to close the gap again in the final sprint. But it was purely academic as Kourtis and Berzins both held the qualifying spots with Japan, in third, a bit too far back to truly attack.

These repechages introduce many developing rowing nations to the international rowing scene and Repechage Two was a clear reflection of this. At the start Albania’s Marsel Nikaj showed his early speed. With Egypt being the closest challenger. Egypt then began to slip back giving Hong Kong China a chance to move on up. But distances were close and coming into the final sprint Sangmin Lee of Korea was able to use his extra stamina to get into second and move on Nikaj in first. In the sprint to the line Lee upped his stroke rate to 37. Nikaj, at 33 could not hold off Lee. Lee and Nikaj earned a spot in the quarterfinal from first and second respectively.

Zan Cvet of Slovenia is 18 years old and 190cm tall and is in his second year on the junior team. All of these points are relevant as it gives him good odds that he will do well. In Repechage Three Cvet may not have been the fastest starter but he did what was necessary to keep close tabs on leader, Georgi Bagaturia of Georgia and sneaked into first at the end. Bagaturia, underrating Cvet, crossed the line just behind Cvet. These are the two boats that will be going to the quarterfinals.

JUNIOR MEN’S Pair (JM2-) – REPECHAGE

Turkey’s Ozkan Ozkara and Muhammed Cansi may have raced this morning and they may be in their first year in the pair internationally, but they handled this afternoon’s repechage very well by leading from start to finish in a relatively dominating fashion. Both Ozkara and Cansi were in their country’s eight last year so they must have some familiarity with each other’s style.

Turkey remained ahead of Korea who had latched on to second. Korea let loose a solid 38 stroke rate sprint at the end and closed on Turkey but they could not catch Ozkara and Cansi. Turkey, Korea, China and Thailand are in the quarterfinals.

JUNIOR MEN’S DOUBLE SCULLS (JM2x) – REPECHAGES

There were three repechages in this event and the crews were all aiming for a top two finish to keep their hopes alive for advancement to the quarterfinals. Poland’s Rafal Kitab and Bartosz Jendrzejewski made the best of Repechage One by taking the lead. This lead stretched out to open water as Slovakia slipped into second. Turkey, in third, spent the first half of the race trying to close on Slovakia, but they did not have the stamina to do it. Poland, rating 34, and Slovakia, at a 30 stroke rate, are the two qualifiers.

Repechage Two featured Voldemars Laudams and Martins Labis of Latvia in the lead at the start. Zimbabwe followed in second and these crews made their way down the 2000m course holding solidly on to the two qualifying spots. Laudams is in his second year on the junior team, rowing in 2008 in his country’s quad. Latvia took their boat home at a comfortable 27 stroke rate, while Zimbabwe put in a last minute 31 stroke rate burst to get themselves to the finish line. Latvia and Zimbabwe are the qualifiers.

Austria and the Czech Republic held their own race in Repechage Three. These two crews swapped the lead as they went head-to-head taking up the two qualifying positions. Vojtech Rimak and Jakub Koloc of the Czech Republic had the edge coming into the final sprint and used a higher stroke rate to finish comfortably ahead of Austria. These are the two qualifying boats.

JUNIOR MEN’S QUAD SCULLS (JM4x) – REPECHAGES

The three repechages in this last event of the day required boats to take a top two position if they wanted to keep their advancement chances alive. In Repechage One, the 63rd race of the day, the United States made out the best in these hot conditions. Stroked by Michael Wales, the US had to hold off a strong challenge from China for the entire 2000m course. China used aggression, the United States focused more on synchronicity. The two boats qualified for the quarterfinals, the United States finishing in front rating three beats lower than the Chinese.

Belarus led the way in Repechage Two and in this lead they managed to record the fastest repechage time. With Vitaly Horshva in stroke seat, Belarus held off Greece who held a steady pace throughout the race in second place. Greece had to keep an eye out for Portugal which in turn pushed them towards Belarus. The Portuguese did not have enough oomph to get into the qualifying positions. Belarus and Greece will go to the quarterfinals.

Japan must have given Romania quite a surprise in the final Repechage. Romania got out in front followed by Slovenia. But by the half way point it was Japan that was posing the major threat to Romania’s leading position. In the final sprint both boats, side by side, raced for the line. Japan, underrating Romania by two beats, was holding up. Romania crossed the line just in front and both boats qualified for tomorrow’s quarterfinals.