New World Best Time for Italy during under 23 finals

They opened by winning the first two races of the day and then went on to set a new under 23 World Best Time in the lightweight men’s quadruple sculls.

Racing opened in the best conditions of the regatta, with a slight cross-tail wind, but the wind picked up later in the day causing some racers to get their blades caught in the water, often losing their medal chances in the process. Concluding this four days of racing, the atmosphere was charged for this finals day with an audience of over 1,000 making plenty of noise along the banks and medal winners showing their emotions on the podium.

Women’s Four (BW4-) – Final

At the senior level Australia have been regular winners so it was not surprising to see their under 23 athletes at the front of the field. But sticking with them was Great Britain and Italy who all left the starting blocks at a flying 46 stroke rate. Going through the middle of the race there was still nothing in it between these three crews with Great Britain holding a fraction of an advantage. Australia upped their rating to try and get ahead of Great Britain. The British, holding four beats lower, tried to hold off the Australians. But it was the flying finish that earned gold for the Italians. Anita Pinto, Carlotta Baratto, Cristina Romiti and Anna Bonciani take home gold.

Results: ITA, AUS, GBR, GER, NED, RUS

Anita Pinto (ITA) – gold medal: "We've still got the selection for the senior squads- so we're still not definitely going to the World Championships."

Kirsty Myles (GBR) – bronze medal: "The Last 500 meters were quite bad and we knew it was going to be close, so we didn't let the conditions phase us too much"

Men’s Coxed Four (BM4+) – Final

No longer an Olympic event the men’s coxed four had just four entries but included some of the best countries from the world of rowing – Italy, France, Great Britain and Germany. Italy, coxed by 16-year-old Leonardo Bellucci, who moves up from last year’s junior ranks, got into the lead and opened up enough of a gap that they could keep an eye on the rest of the field. France slipped into second and tried to chase Italy. The Italians kept the pressure on getting up to 39 strokes per minute in the final 200m. The Italian national anthem plays for the second time today to a large crowd.

Results: ITA, FRA, GBR, GER

Lightweight Women's Single Sculls (BLW1X) – Final

Alexandra Tsiavou of Greece left nothing to chance by snatching the lead right from the start using a 44 stroke rate pace. Tsiavou soon settled into her pace with a full boat length lead over Eliane Waser of Switzerland. As defending Under 23 Champion Tsiavou was definitely a favourite going into this race and added to that the Greek has senior experience including a bronze medal last year at the World Rowing Championships in the very competitive lightweight double.

By the half-way point Tsiavou had an open-water lead leaving the rest of the field to race for second. France’s Coralie Simon took up this role, overtaking first Waser and then Slovenia to grab the silver spot. She was followed home by Anja Noske of Germany.s

Results: GRE, FRA, GER, SUI, SLO, HKG

Alexandra Tsiavou (GRE) – gold medal: "I think it's important this became a World Championship event because it encourages a higher standard. This aids the transition to the senior level."

Coralie Simon (FRA) – silver medal: "This is the end of the season for me, but I'm happy with my result. It's different being in the single (after rowing in the lightweight double with Benedicte Dorfman), you learn a lot more!"

Lightweight Men’s Single Sculls (BLM1x) – Final

Even his competitors didn’t hold out much hope of taking gold. Reigning Under 23 Champion Storm Uru of New Zealand had the rest of the field running scared with winner of the other semifinal, Timothy Colson of Canada mentioning that it was really a race for the lesser medals. Uru proved Colson right.

Taking off at the front of the field using a whopping 53 stroke rate, Uru proved that early regatta illness had been shaken. By the half-way point Uru had a boat-length over Colson. Colson, trying to take on the New Zealander was starting to fade as the final sprint came into view. Tim Heijbrock of the Netherlands and Germany’s Ingo Voigt, from further back in the field charged. Uru, feeling he’d done his work earlier on in the race, crossed the line in first. Heijbrock, who raced Uru at the second Rowing World Cup where Uru took silver and Heijbrock finished fifth, takes second and Voigt earns bronze.

Results: NZL, NED, GER, CAN, EST, CRO

Storm Uru (NZL) – gold medal: "There definitely was no immediate pressure from anyone. Basically it was mostly pressure from myself."

Lightweight Men’s Pair (BLM2-) – Final

Italy took off with a flying 46 stroke rate start. Andrea Caianiello and Armando Dell’Aquila of Italy already have a senior Rowing World Cup gold medal this season and last year, at the Under 23 Champs, Caianiello won silver. This pedigree earned them the title of favourites going into this event. But at the start Juan Luis Fernandez Tomas and Javier Gonzalez Nieto of Spain were not giving much respect to the Italians. Doing everything to stick with Caianiello and Dell’Aquila the Spanish held an overlap. Italy pushed on.

As Spain started to pay dearly for their first half speed, South Africa came through. James Thompson and Matthew Brittain of South Africa had judged their race perfectly by sitting on the pace in third position and as the line came into sight Thompson and Brittain charged. The Italians had to react. South Africa pushed the gold to a photo finish. Italy just got through to take gold, South Africa earn silver and Spain hold on for third.

Results: ITA, RSA, ESP, GER, SRB, FRA

Armando Dell'Aquila (ITA) – gold medal: "We're in the senior squad. We will be at the World Rowing Championships racing in the same boat."

Lightweight Men’s Quadruple Sculls (BLM4x) – Final

So far this is turning into Italy’s day and in the quad the Italians set a new Under 23 World Best Time. This is how they did it. Stroked by senior World Champion Daniele Danesin, the Italians took the lead at the start before settling into a 35 stroke rate pace. Helping Danesin out was Antonio Pizzurro, Filoppo Manfredi and Matteo Amigoni. With France not far back Italy had to press on opening up a two-second lead going through the half-way point.

France continued to push and with Denmark also on the pace these three crews charged for the line. Italy crossed first breaking the World Best Time for under 23s by two seconds. France takes second and Denmark earns bronze. Unlucky Australia nearly got through to bronze but a crab gave away their chances to Denmark in the closing sprint.

Result: ITA, FRA, DEN, AUS, GBR, GER

Guillaume Rochet (FRA) – silver medal: "It was a little calmer than yesterday. We just focused on our start and made the best effort to just push through and continue through the rough waters. We are going to relax and enjoy ourselves tonight but were looking forward to next year and preparing to, hopefully, beat the Italians next time around!"

Women’s Single Sculls (BW1x) – Final

Emma Twigg of New Zealand really hasn’t been pushed through this regatta often rating in the high 20s to win her qualifying races. What could her competitors do today? But Twigg had a ticket to the senior World Rowing Championships riding on this race and was taking no chances. Twigg got out into the lead with Poland’s Natalia Madaj holding onto the pace. Twigg kept her strokes long and powerful rating 31 – 32 through the body of the race as Madaj chased hard.

Meanwhile starting off rather slowly, Katalin Szabo of Hungary was coming back. Overtaking Great Britain, Szabo moved into the bronze medal spot and tried to close the gap on Madaj. She didn’t have enough latke left. Twigg, in a fast closing 500 takes gold, Madaj earns silver and Szabo moved up one from a fourth place finish last year, wins bronze.

Results: NZL, POL, HUN, GER, GBR, UKR

Emma Twigg (NZL) – gold medal: "By winning today it booked me my ticket to Munich, so there was a lot riding on it. [The level] is getting better every time – each time those athletes move up a level (from Juniors in 2005)."

Natalia Madaj (POL) – silver medal: "I normally race in the double sculls, and I've always wanted to race in a single, so this is just…." (lost for words)

Men’s Single Sculls (BM1x) – Final

Two years ago New Zealander Joseph Sullivan had to fight being overlooked by national selectors to be picked to row at the junior champs. Rowing in the double Sullivan and his partner earned bronze. Now in a single, Sullivan has been burning up the competition in this event which is normally dominated by Germany. Today he led the final from the start at his first under 23 regatta with Mindaugas Griskonis of Lithuania in second.

By the half-way point Sullivan had an open-water lead over Griskonis and continued to extend it. The rest of the field had no answer to Sullivan’s speed. Even Robert Bertram of Germany couldn’t handle the New Zealander’s pace. At the line Sullivan was less than two seconds off the World Best Time earning gold. Griskonis get silver and Bertram holds the German flag with a bronze.

A special mention must go to Mathias Raymond of Monaco who becomes the first Monaco athlete in 60 year to make a final in any sport.

Results: NZL, LTU, GER, CRO, CAN, MON

Joseph Sullivan (NZL) – gold medal: "I'm going back to training with the New Zealand clubs, then try to get into the New Zealand summer squad, train with the elites and hopefully steal a spot in the Olympics! [The conditions were] tricky, but not as bad as the semis. It was a tailwind, which suited me because I'm a bit smaller."

Robert Bertram (GER) – bronze medal: "'It was a tough race, and I struggled to hold rate."

Women’s Pair (BW2-) – Final

The large crowd at Strathclyde Park loved this race. Olivia Whitlam and Heather Stanning of Great Britain were in the lead and not just in front. Whitlam and Stanning had open water over their challengers. The duo had warmed up for this event by racing at the senior Rowing World Cup earlier this season where they finished 13th. Today they were taking no prisoners.

Behind Great Britain, Romania’s Andreea Harpa and Nicoleta Albu were fighting it out with Belarus. Coming into the final 500m Belarus had a slight advantage over Harpa and Albu with Whitlam and Stanning still way out in front. Harpa and Albu charged. Belarus couldn’t react back. At the line Great Britain take their first gold of the day, Romania earn silver and Belarus win bronze.

Results: GBR, ROU, BLR, UKR, GER, USA

Olivia Whitlam (GBR) – gold medal: "We controlled it, we dominated it, it was FUN!"

Men’s Pair (BM2-) – Final

Coming into this final Ioannis Tsilis and Georgios Tziallas of Greece were looking hot. After winning their semifinal Tsilis and Tziallas meet winners of the other semi, Tom Wilkinson and Charles Burkitt of Great Britain in this final. But it was Italy that was forming the biggest threat. Stefano Correale and Matteo Castaldo of Italy come together for the first time this year. Correale, 20, rowed two years ago in his country’s junior eight and is back for more international racing. Coming into the final sprint the Italians went after Greece but at the same time were under threat by Wilkinson and Burkitt. An all-out sprint to the line gave Great Britain the bronze medal spot with Italy holding on to silver and Greece finishing in style with gold.

Results: GRE, ITA, GBR, GER, HUN, UKR

Ioannis Tsilis (GRE) – gold medal: "We have the World Rowing Championships in Munich still. Me and my pair partner will be competing in the coxless men's pair. So no, its not over for us yet!"

Women’s Double Sculls (BW2x) – Final

Jitka Antosova and Gabriela Varekova of the Czech Republic are the reigning Under 23 World Champions but they have not been having a good regatta. They stopped rowing in the heats, limping to the finish line and talked of illness. They came through the semifinal in second and were looking like a medal may be a big ask. But Antosova and Varekova turned their luck around. Starting out in the lead they first shook off Ukraine and then New Zealand and tried to break free of the field.

Meanwhile four boats, Germany, Poland, Ukraine and New Zealand were all within striking distance of silver. The sprint was on for the line. Julia Richter and Lena Moebus of Germany were looking good and their massive sprint closed the gap on Antosova and Varekova. At the line the Czech Republic retain their title, Richter and Moebus earn silver and Magdalena Fularczyk and Kamila Socko of Poland win bronze.

Results: CZE, GER, POL, UKR, NZL, HUN

Men’s Double Sculls (BM2x) – Final

Reigning Under 23 Champions, Dzianis Mihal and Stanislau Shcharbachenia of Belarus not only hold the World Best Time, but two years ago also earned under 23 gold in the men’s quad. Today, at the start, it was Karl Schulze and Tim Grohmann of Germany who took the lead. Mihal and Shcharbachenia fought back and settling into a lower, but stronger rating, the Belarusians took the lead. Germany tried to hold on but started to slip.

Meanwhile Croatia, Great Britain and Austria were havings a full-on battle for the bronze. These boats would have to sprint. Schulze and Grohmann charged, closing the gap on Belarus. Great Britain pulled out an awesome sprint. Croatia tried to hold on. A crab forced Croatia out of contention. Belarus make it three golds in a row. Germany earn a well deserved silver and Charles Cousins and Bill Lucas earn bronze.

Results: BLR, GER, GBR, CRO, AUT, GRE

Men’s Four (BM4-) – Final

Winning your semifinal does not always guarantee you a medal in the final. Serbia found this out the hard way when they faced a very fast men’s four final. At the start winners of one semifinal Germany took the lead over New Zealand and proceeded to pull away from the field. Serbia made haste but seemed to be having problems going in a straight line. This was costing them. As Germany opened up a clear lead over New Zealand the field began to spread out.

As the field closed in on the final 500m Great Britain, from fourth position, suddenly changed gears and charged. At the line Germany’s Kristof Wilke, Richard Schmidt, Fokke Beckmann and Sebastian Schmidt earned gold, New Zealand wins silver and Great Britain get bronze.

Results: GER, NZL, GBR, ROU, SRB, AUS

Germany gold medal: "[The conditions were] bad! But we made it anyway." (smiling)

Lightweight Women’s Double Sculls (BLW2x) – Final

Panning out similarly to yesterday’s semifinal, Weronika Deresz and Karolina Widun of Poland found themselves again battling with Marie Gottlieb and Sine Christiansen of Denmark. Poland come to this race as last year’s bronze medallists but Dane Christiansen has a senior silver medal after competing last year in the lightweight quadruple sculls. It was, however, Poland in the lead with Denmark in the unlucky position of trying to challenge back with Viviana Bulgarelli and Erika Mai of Italy also on the pace.

Through the body of the race Denmark held 37 with Poland a couple of beats lower so that by the last 500m they were a boat length ahead of the rest of the field. But then Bulgarelli and Mai charged back. They ran out of course. Poland earn gold, Denmark silver and Italy take bronze.

Results: POL, DEN, ITA, HUN, ESP, GBR

Karolina Widun (POL) – gold medal: "Strathclyde is a good place but too there's too much wind! Yes, it's been our second World Rowing Under 23 Championships together. Last year we got a bronze. So I think we gained some experience but I am so happy, this was such a great race to end my Under 23 career on!"

Lightweight Men’s Double Sculls (BLM2x) – Final

Fabien Dufour and new partner Maxime Goisset of France shot out of the starting blocks so fast that by the 100m mark they had 2/3 of a length and by the 500m mark a full two seconds over next fastest, Germany’s Moritz Koch and Christoph Schregel. France continued to move away from the field while Tamas Varga and Peter Galambos of Hungary successfully challenged Germany.

Now in second, Hungary went after France. But Goisset and Dufour were feeling confident. Coming into the final sprint France had more to give and raced for the line. France takes gold, Hungary earn silver and Germany, although slipping right back, still earn bronze.

Results: FRA, HUN, GER, ITA, POL, USA

Fabien Dufour (FRA) – gold medal: "We were hitting the water a lot through the middle part of the race, especially through the last 500 meters. But we just tried to focus on getting a good start and moving on from there."

Lightweight Men’s Four (BLM4-) – Final

At this regatta when Greek crews do well, they do very well. Despite a very close five way battle the Greeks win gold. Apostolos Kourkoumpas, brothers Nikolaos and Apostolos Gkountoulas and stroke, Evangelos Tsourtsoulas of Greece were on the pace right from the start. So were Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Austria. Only France couldn’t handle the pace. Going though the middle of the race the Dutch had slipped back a bit but Greece, Austria, Italy and Switzerland were neck and neck.

The boats charged for the line. Greece had a slight edge, Switzerland were flying. Greece wins gold, Austria take silver and Switzerland earn their first medal of the day, bronze.

Results: GRE, AUT, SUI, NED, ITA, FRA

Evangelos Tsourtsoulas (GRE): "Apostolos would like to dedicate this win to his dad who is ill. There were big waves, it was a big race – Munich next!"

Women’s Quadruple Sculls (BW4x) – Final

A race of “shipwrecks” can be the only description for the women’s quad which opened with a boat-stopping crab and finished the same way. Although the water was a lot flatter than yesterday, the bobbly surface must have still been causing problems. The United States must have handled it the best. At the start the Netherlands flew out of the blocks to take an early lead. However in the second 500m Willemiek Everts caught a crab that stopped the boat. The gutsy Dutch fought back, with Romania now in the lead.

Meanwhile Germany was beginning to pick up speed with Australia right with them. Coming into the final sprint, under three seconds separated the top boats with the Netherlands clawing their way back. The sprint was on. Germany charged and in the heat of the moment caught a crab, so did Rumania. The United States took advantage of the situation. The USA earn their first gold medal of the day. Australia take silver and Great Britain, in a photo finish with Germany, charge through to third.

Results: USA, AUS, GBR, GER, NED, ROU

Men’s Quadruple Sculls (BM4x) – Final

As the wind picked up and the water got a bit tougher, the men’s quad took to the water. Stroked by Gaetan Delhon, France took off in the lead. Delhon and three seat Molina finished sixth last year in this event and they were using their expertise to keep their boat in the lead. But Germany was very close on the French case and these two boats remained overlapping as they charged down the course.

It looked like France and Germany were going to take the top two spots when Australia released an almighty sprint. Germany reacted back. At the line Germany earns gold, France take silver and Australia nearly gets there but has to settle for bronze.

Results: GER, FRA, AUS, ITA, SLO, RUS

Women’s Eight (BW8+) – Final

In its second year as an under 23 event, the women’s eight is maturing. Today a three-way battle made for exciting end-of-day racing. Germany took the lead at the start driven by coxswain Silja Hansen. Going with them The United States and Belarus held the German pace with Poland and Canada starting to slip out of the picture. Going through the middle of the race the top three boats continued to battle each other, Germany maintaining a slight advantage. The United States, however, were making gains. It was going to be a sprint for the line. This is when Belarus coxswain, Anastasiya Katsiashova put the heat on her crew. Belarus charged, Germany tried to react, the United States did all that they could.

At the line Belarus had taken gold, Germany earn silver and the United States lose their reigning world title to take bronze.

Results: BLR, GER, USA, CAN, POL

Men’s Eight (BM8+) – Final

Australia knew Germany’s speed after racing them in the semifinal so decided to get out to the psychological advantage of being in the lead. Pushed by coxswain Toby Lister, Australia left Germany behind but found themselves up against a revived Estonian crew. By the 1000m mark Australia still had the lead but it was just a fraction over Estonia in second and Germany back a bit in third. Australia, rating 38 continued to lead.

Coming into the final sprint, however, Australia had slipped back to second under the speed of Estonia. This is the makings of the crew that Estonia would like to see compete at the 2012 Olympic Games in London and the crew must have had it in mind as they took their rating to 39 and sprinted for the line. Gold for Estonia, Germany overtake Australia to earn silver while the Australians hold on to bronze.

Results: EST, GER, AUS, USA, POL, GBR

Coxswain Toby Lister (AUS): "I wasn't sure if we had silver or bronze going through the line. But just really happy to get on the podium."