Redemption in World Champ B Finals

The head wind continued to be the dominating direction on the sixth day of racing at the 2010 World Rowing Championships in Karapiro, New Zealand. This meant relatively slow times for the first round of B-final racing with an added factor of bumpy water to keep the athletes on their toes. B-finals give crews a chance to race for seventh to twelfth spot at these World Rowing Championships and racing was tight and intense. 

Lightweight Men’s Pair (LM2-) – B-Final

It was all about good timing for Fabian Oyarzun Zbinden and Miguel Cerda Silva of Chile. Although they started off at the back of the field, the Chileans edged their way through to catch the leading boat, Switzerland as they went through the final sprint. Cerda Silva is Chile’s rowing stalwart. The 40 year old athlete was already racing internationally when the World Rowing Championships was last in the southern hemisphere. In 1990 Cerda Silva raced in Tasmania, Australia. Since then Cerda Silva’s career has included success in the lightweight men’s pair. He raced here with 22 year old Oyarzun Zbinden. 

 

Results: CHI, SUI, USA, ESP (DEN did not start for medical reasons)

 

Lightweight Women’s Double Sculls (LW2x) – B-Final

A beautifully timed race by China’s Wenyi Huang and Feihong Pan saw them take until the very last 100m of the race to be in front. Huang, 19, and Pan are in their first season of international racing and they spend this season working through different doubles combinations until this one was chosen by their coach. Behind them at the finish was Ursula Grobler and Abelyn Broughton of the United States. This duo came to these champs as one of the favourite crews, but the pressure and intensity of World Championship racing got the better of this new duo during the semifinal and they were unable to advance. 

 

Results: CHN, USA, ITA, BEL, AUT, ESP

 

Lightweight Men’s Double Sculls (LM2x) – B-Final

Some very fine crews lined up in this B-final including Germany’s Linus Lichtschlag and Lars Hartig. Lichtschlag and Hartig medalled at the Rowing World Cup this season and came to these World Champs with high expectations. The Germans battled with France for the entire 2000m, getting the better of them at the line. France’s Jeremie Azou and Remi Di Girolamo also had high expectations for this week especially after finishing third at the European Championships.

 

Results: GER, FRA, GRE, NOR, USA, SLO

 

Men’s Four (M4-) – B-Final

What a hot B-final! Coming through the middle of the race all six crews formed a virtual line with only Canada slightly off the pace. The closeness was not surprising when you consider big names in men’s four rowing like the Netherlands, Germany and Australia were all racing. The incredibly tight showing continued through the next quarter of the race meaning that it would come down to who had the best sprint. Australia and Germany proved their stamina coming through ahead.

 

Results: AUS, GER, CHN, ESP, NED, CAN

This B-final indicates resurgence in the women’s quad with five boats lining up and all of them quality crews. Switzerland has been racing together throughout this season and they were the early showers. But there was very little in it with Canada and Olympic Champions, China up at the front. These three crews broke away from Russia and Romania and held a three-way battle at the head of the field. China battled the best. 

 

Results: CHN, CAN, SUI, RUS, ROU

 

Men’s Quadruple Sculls (M4x) – B-Final

New Zealand, stroked by Olympic medallist Nathan Twaddle, were v ery disappointed not to make the A-final and there is no doubt that they were going to give it their best shot to win. But the United States had similar intentions. By the middle of the race New Zealand and the United States had broken away with the Kiwis having a slight edge. It was nail-biting stuff as the US came through to take the lead with 600m left to race. The New Zealanders fought back. The United States tried to hold on. At the line New Zealand proved to have the superior stamina.

Results: NZL, USA, CHN, UKR