Lesser finals for rowing’s best juniors

Germany made it through to all 13 finals and make up many of the centre lanes of these finals indicating realistic medal chances in many events. Host nation China has also excelled with boats in 10 of the finals.

But, prior to the A Finals, first up were the lesser finals with the junior men’s single sculls, featuring the largest number of entries, thus it included finals right down to an F Final. The junior women’s double sculls also had a large number of entries so an E Final between Iran, Hong Kong China, and Uruguay was necessary.

Temperatures remained in the high 20 degrees Celsius, rising to 31°. Conditions on the Shunyi Olympic Rowing course were perfect with flat water and only a hint of wind.

The junior women’s four opened the B Final races at 11:00 Beijing time with France leading the way. Under the dictation of stroke Marianne Castet, France kept their rating high as they tried to push away from the United States. Castet, along with teammate Elodie Prince, raced to fifth in the junior women’s eight last year at the junior champs. Today they earn a seventh place overall.

A two-boat race between the United States and South Africa in the junior men’s coxed four ended in a procession with the US so far out in front that there was no competition.

The B Final for the junior women’s single sculls featured a tight battle between Sweden’s Maria Wilgotsson and Nataliya Dovgodko of Ukraine. Wilgotsson took an early lead with Dovgodko going with her and overtaking Wilgotsson with 500m left to row. But Dovgodko had run out of steam. Rating 27, Dovgodko was overtaken by Wilgotsson with Suzanne Maddamma of the United States finishing third. Dovgodko looked exhausted after the finish.

The junior men’s single sculls, as expected, had Georgia sprint out at the start and then losing steam in the second half of the race. This let Norway’s Truls Albert take over. But Albert was out-sprinted at the end by Bram Dubois of Belgium who earns the seventh place ranking overall. Dubois showed his obvious joy after the finish line.

Canada is the current senior World Champion in the junior women’s pair. Today their juniors – Bridget Moran and Samantha Sartor – raced in the B Final taking an early lead over Australia’s Christabelle Northam and Veronica Tamsitt. The two crews battled neck and neck, the lead changing several times. Canada had the better sprint and earn seventh overall. The two crews congratulated each other after the finish.

An opening burst by Ukraine was soon swallowed up by Matthew Tarrant and Matthew Anker of Great Britain in the junior men’s pair B Final. Earning the lead at the 1000m mark Tarrant and Anker then worked at staying off Italy who had a flying finish. Great Britain had enough of a lead to hold off the Italians who can claim eighth overall.

Australia must have been cursing their slow start in the junior women’s double sculls B Final. Brittany Mann and Alana Monson of Australia started off at the back of the field, over four seconds down on Valeria Franzin and Eleonora Trivella of Italy who took to the lead at the start. In the final sprint Australia raised their rate to 39. Italy responded by shortening their stroke, Trivella continually glancing over her shoulder for the finish line. Australia continued to charge. Italy had done it and earn seventh overall. Australia had run out of water.

Canada (David Wakulich and Alexander Soutter) and the Netherlands (Willem Sprokholt and Lucas Uittenbogaard) had shaken off the rest of the field in the junior men’s double sculls B Final by the half-way point. The two crews battled it out until the line with the Dutch finishing first.

The two middle lanes for the B Final of the junior men’s four were made up by France and Poland. France rocketed off the start and were still rating 40 well into the first 500m. Poland moved with them with Canada also sticking to their pace. Coming into the last 500m there was very little between these three crews. France had enough of a sprint to earn seventh place overall. All crews looked exhausted at the end especially the stroke of last-placed Serbia.

The Chinese commentator couldn’t hold back in the B Final of the junior women’s quadruple sculls. China had come through from the back of the field and was challenging leader Italy. With a massive sprint to the line China got into the lead with 100m remaining, pushing Italy into eighth position overall. Italy showed their disappointment at the finish.

Ukraine had the lead in the junior men’s quadruple sculls B Final. But the lead was not huge with Italy, the Czech Republic and Australia all in hot pursuit. Coming into the closing 500m it was Japan, though, that made the biggest impact. From the back of the field Japan took Australia, now in second, to a photo finish. The strong and controlled Ukraine crew cross the line first, then Australia and third Japan.

A two-boat race in the B Final of the junior men’s eight was won convincingly by Great Britain who literally left Russia in their wake. The large number of British supporters looked happy.