Rowers race at inaugural Youth Olympic Games

Heats were raced this morning in the four boat classes on the Youth Olympic Games programme: the Junior Men’s Single, the Junior Women’s Single, the Junior Men’s Pair, and the Junior Women’s Pair. 96 rowers, with an equal number of boys and girls hailing from 45 countries, raced under cloudy skies over 1,000m on the first of four days of racing. Temperatures were in the high twenty degrees Celsius, and rather pleasant after a rainy night and with a predominant tail wind.

Local school children supported crews with their clappers; entertainers threw a competition for the fan with the best face painting; spectators shouted the count-down to the start of each race and a band of percussionists accompanied a dancing crowd hoping to win the “best dancer” award: a YOG stuffed mascot.

Competitors were encouraged to race to the best of their ability in each round, even if they were unable to qualify for the next round. Their performance in preliminary rounds could be used to determine places in following rounds when bad weather causes a contingency progression system to be used.

Junior Women’s Single Sculls (JW1x) – Heats

Four heats in the Junior Women’s Single Sculls would showcase 22 athletes. The first finisher of each heat would qualify directly for the Semifinal, while the remainder would proceed to the Repechage for a second chance at qualifying for the Semifinal.

The first of four heats featured local rower from Singapore Joanna Lai Cheng Chan. But the race was all about Annick Taselaar of the Netherlands and Ainee Hernandez Delgado of Cuba. Taselaar finished fourth last weekend at the 2010 World Rowing Junior Championships and her experience in international racing showed. But Cuba’s Hernandez Delgado was holding a surprise in store. Putting on a courageous challenge, Hernandez Delgado closed the gap with Taselaar progressively over the second half of the race. At the line, both crews finished three lengths ahead of the rest of the field, nearly level, but Cuba had won her challenge, finishing just little bit more than a second ahead of the Netherlands.

In Heat Two, France’s Noemie Kober lined up in lane four. She became a Junior World Champion last Sunday in the Women’s Double Sculls, and here in Singapore is racing without her partner Daphnée Socha.  Kober lost none of her Junior World Champion form during her trip to Singapore and led the race throughout, finishing three lengths ahead of her competitors. The battle was on for second and third behind her, between Spain’s Garazi Bilbao and Ireland’s Denise Walsh. Ireland had been following Spain closely in third since the start, but in a sprint to the line, Walsh took over Bilbao in the last strokes, finishing second. Spain and Ireland will race again in the repechage.

Germany’s Judith Sievers is the reigning Junior World Champion in this boat class. Standing 185cm tall, Sievers was nicknamed “The Hulk” at the CRASH B Indoor Rowing Championships by her fans. But “The Hulk” did not have the easiest of races in Heat Three. Latvia’s Elza Gulbe showed just as much determination in her aim to qualify directly for the Semifinal. At the half-way mark, Latvia and Germany were going neck and neck. With 250m to go, “The Hulk” gave it her all to secure the lead. Latvia, unable to hold on, crossed the line in second, with Ukraine’s Nataliia Kovalova, chasing Latvia, finishing closely behind in third.

China’s Ting Cao led the first 500m of Heat Four, with Croatia’s Asja Zero in second and the Czech Republic’s Kristyna Fleissnerova in third. The top three times were close, less than one second separated the crews. Could China maintain the lead in the second half of the race? The only position that would remain intact would in fact be Croatia’s. In a magnificent sprint to the line in the last 250m, Fleissnerova caught up with Croatia, overtaking her, and charged for China. At the line, Fleissnerova had qualified for the semifinal, while China, losing stamina, fell back in third.

Ainee Hernandez Delgado (CUB) – Winner of Heat One
"I thought about being the first winner of the first heat of the first Youth Olympic Games and my aim was to win. I was very motivated and very emotional, most important is that I qualified for the semi-final."

Noemie Kober (FRA) – Winner of Heat Two
"I did not really know what my level would be here but I came to do my best. A medal as a complement to my World Championships medal (in the JW2x) would be just great. I qualified directly (to the semi-final) but it will be very hard because several of the girls here were in the A final at the Junior World Championships."

Judith Sievers (GER) – Winner of Heat Three
"It's a great honour to participate here because it's the first Youth Olympic Games. The race was not that easy because the course is too short for me. I'll do my best and see what I can do."

Kristyna Fleissnerova (CZE) – Winner of Heat Four
"It was a good race in this hot weather. At the 500m I decided to do some hard strokes and the Chinese girl could not follow. My result in Racice (10th in JW4x) was not good. This is my revenge!"

Junior Men’s Single Sculls (JM1x) – Heats

With the same number of heats and same number of rowers as in the Junior Women’s Single Sculls, the direct qualifying spot for the Semifinals would again be the top finishing position, with remaining crews getting a second chance in the Repechages.

At 199cm, Felix Bach of Germany is one of the tallest rowers at the Youth Olympic Rowing Regatta. He is also a two-time Junior World Champion. As Bach can be known for slow starts, it was no surprise to see him behind Argentina’s Facundo Torres in second position with 500m to go in Heat Two. But in the last 250m, Bach powered ahead, taking the lead and mastering his win by finishing two boat lengths ahead of the field.

Another 2010 junior world medallist lined up in Heat Two. Hayden Cohen of New Zealand took bronze last weekend in the Junior Men’s Quadruple Sculls. But rowing alone and over 1,000m is different from rowing with crewmates over 2,000m. So this race turned out to be all about Brazil and Romania. Romania’s Ioan Prundeanu led the field throughout, but Brazil’s Tiago Braga, who is national champion in his boat class, chased Prundeanu down the course. Prundeanu proved stronger however and took the single qualifying spot.

In Heat Three the leader would be Andre Redr of Slovakia, who finished fourth at the 2010 World Rowing Junior Championships in Racice, Czech Republic, last weekend. Starting in the lead, Redr’s qualification for the Semifinal remained secure until the line. El Salvador’s Roberto Lopez was chasing Hungary’s Mark Biro throughout, trying to move up from third to second throughout. Less than one second separated Hungary and El Salvador at the line, their finishing positions unchanged.

Singapore’s Nadzrie Hyckell Hamzah lined up in Heat Four. The competition proved tough, however, for the local rower. The positions remained unchanged throughout the race, with the Lithuanian rower Rolandas Mascinskas being the fastest of the five-boat field. At the finish, local school children in the crowd were chanting “Ivanov” to support Ukrainian rower Iurii Ivanov, but that did nothing to help the Ukrainian catch up with Mascinskas in the finishing strokes, and he finished in second.

Felix Bach (GER) – Winner of Heat One
"It's a bit different here racing 1000m, so I have to change some aspects of my rowing. My race usually begins at 1000m, here it is finished! But it is fun. We'll see in the semi-final and final. I have done no special training for the 1000m – it's a race…."

Ioan Prundeanu (ROU) – Winner of Heat Two
"I feel very good and it's a great honour to represent my country here. I trained a little specifically for a 1000m."

Andre Redr (SVK) – Winner of Heat Three
"For a 1000m I start quickly and see how the race evolves. That's why at the end it was ok. I feel really happy to be here."

Rolandas Mascinskas (LTU) – Winner of Heat Four
"It was a light race because the strongest rowers were in the other heats, like Germany. I have not trained specifically for this event. I trained in the summer in the Men’s Double for the Under 23 Championships and we won a bronze medal, but my partner is older so he couldn't participate here." 

Junior Women’s Pair (JW2-) – Heats

Three heats and 13 crews meant that a top three finish would be necessary to qualify directly for the Semifinal.
Romania’s Ana Gigica and Madalina Buzdugan were the leaders in Heat One. The second and third qualifiers would be Hungary and Russia. Both these crews raced each other in the final last weekend at the World Rowing Junior Championships in the Czech Republic, where Hungary had finished fifth and Russia sixth. But to grab the third and last qualifying spot, Russian twin sisters Elizaveta and Anastasia Tikhanova first had to overcome India, who were fighting for a qualifying spot but lost stamina in the second part of the race. At the line, Romania finished with a convincing two-boat lengths’ lead.

Heat Two featured 2010 junior world bronze medallists from the women’s four, Emma Basher and Olympia Aldersey. Australia supporters cheered the crew down to the line. The four-boat field was spread out and became even more so in the second 500m. At the line, Australia finished three boat lengths’ ahead of Bulgaria. Belarus twin sisters Tanya and Nadzeya Misachenka took the third and last qualifying spot. South Africa go to the Repechage.

Three out of the four crews in Heat Three medalled at the world junior championships last weekend. Great Britain’s Georgia Howard-Merrill and Fiona Gammond had won gold in the Junior Women’s Eight, New Zealand’s Beatrix Heaphy-Hall and Eve MacFarlane gold in the Junior Women’s Four, and Italy’s Elena Coletti and Giada Colombo silver in the Junior Women’s Double Sculls. It would be Great Britain leading the field in this race until the line, but with Greece closely challenging and open water separating them from the rest of the field. The battle was on for the third and last qualifying spot between Italy and New Zealand. New Zealand was ahead of Italy at the half-way mark but only just, with a little bit more than one second’s advantage. Making a big push and scoring the split time in the second 500m, Italy moved ahead of New Zealand to take the third and last direct qualifying spot for the Semifinal.

Ana Gigica and Madalina Buzdugan (ROU) – Winner of Heat One
"We are very happy. It was a good race, and we go for a medal of course."

Emma Basher (AUS) – Winner of Heat Two
"In training before Racice we incorporated some speed work to prepare for the YOG. We're going for gold. I always wanted to go to an Opening Ceremony and (last night) there I was."
Olympia Aldersey (AUS) – Winner of Heat Two
"It's a good opportunity to do something else and fun to do something different. It's everybody's race. The opening ceremony was awesome."

Georgia Howard-Merrill (GBR) – Winner of Heat Three
"We had a very good start, but left it a bit late to go for the last 250m – it was a bit scrambled. We are not used to this distance. We could do better!"
Fiona Gammond (GBR) – Winner of Heat Three
"We don't want to underestimate our opponents and have to step it up a little again."

Junior Men’s Pair (JM2-) – Heats

Three heats including 13 crews would see nine crews qualify for the Semifinals.

Greece’s Michalis Nastopoulos and Apostolos Lampridis became Junior World Champions last weekend. That must have been a great confidence booster for the Youth Olympic Games. Leading the field from the start and holding on to their lead throughout the race, the Greeks were followed by Slovenia and Serbia. The top three spots remained close throughout, with Slovenia making a push in the second half to secure the second qualification spot ahead of Serbia. The rest of the field were too far behind to present any real challenge to the leaders. Turkey and India will race in the Repechage.

Heat Two was all about Great Britain. Ed Nainby-Luxmoore and Caspar Jopling took silver as part of the Men’s Four at last week’s World Rowing Junior Championships and have come here with the intent to medal again. Increasing their gap with second placed Bulgaria and third placed Spain in the second half of the race, Great Britain won convincingly. Belarus finished nearly ten seconds behind the rest of the field and will race in the repechage.

Four bronze medallists from last week’s junior World Championships lined up at the start in Heat Three.  Australia’s Matthew Cochran and David Watts had medalled in the Coxed Four while Italy’s Bernardo Nannini and Marco di Costanzo had medalled in the Men’s Eight. The other two crews racing in Heat Three were France and Croatia. Australia secured its lead early on, increasing it as the race unfolded. The real battle went on between Croatia and France for second and third, while Italy seemed to be unable to find the pace, trailing far behind. After playing catch and mouse for 1000m, it was Croatia who managed to move up from third to take the second qualifying spot ahead of France.

Michalis Nastopoulis (GRE) – Winner of Heat One
"You have to be faster and pay more attention than for a 2,000m race because you don't know where your opponents are. We are very enthusiastic because we represent Greece and we are going to make the best of it. It's as at a World Championships – everyone comes to win."

Caspar Jopling (GBR) – Winner of Heat Two
"We have a long way to go and there is more to get. We could do better."

Matthew Cochran (AUS) – Winner of Heat Three
"It was good – a nice little sprint race 🙂 It was difficult as we had to push away. What an atmosphere passing that crowd in the grandstand!"

David Watts (AUS) – Winner of Heat Three
"There are some things we could improve on for the next races. I never raced in such an atmosphere before…"