Even medal spread at Euro Rowing Champs

Czech Republic winning the men's eight

Of the 31 countries competing 18 won medals with the Czech Republic finishing at the top of the rankings.

Coming away with a total of five medals, the Czech Republic won three European Championship titles. Current under 23 champions, 20 year olds, Gabriela Varekova and Jitka Antosova won the women’s double while the Czech men’s four of Karel Neffe, Milan Bruncvik, Jan Gruber and Michal Horvath beat Germany. Both of these boats have qualified for the Beijing Olympics through their results at this year’s World Rowing Championships.

The Czech Republic also won in the men’s eight. The nation did this with a throw-together line up that included world number two in the men’s single, Ondrej Synek setting the rhythm in stroke seat. Behind Synek, former top Czech sculler Vaclav Chalupa showed he is still in the rowing game by adding his power in three seat. The crew beat Poland who finished sixth at the World Rowing Championships and so are Beijing Olympic qualifiers.

Greece finished second overall in the rankings. They had a strong showing and finished with two gold medals. The men’s double of Ioannis Tsamis and Ioannis Christou stepped up from their 13th place finish at the World Rowing Championships to become European Champions. The lightweight women’s double also struck gold. Chrysi Biskitzi and Alexandra Tsiavou held off Poznan locals, Magdalena Kemnitz and Ilona Mokronowska to win gold.

Germany, who finished third overall, sent a mixture of B team members plus some of their best. They won one gold with A team duo Lenka Wech and Maren Derlien in the women’s pair. Wech and Derlien normally sit in the middle of their country’s top eight and as a pair they outshone their opponents at Poznan, winning by open water.

Over the three days of racing the weather remained cool but mild with just slight amounts of wind. The Malta regatta course is well known for hosting big rowing events. Most recently it has hosted the Rowing World Cup, the World Rowing Under 23 Championships and next year it will be the venue for the final Olympic qualification regatta.

The European Rowing Championships was last raced in 1973 in Moscow. It will move next year to the Athens Olympic rowing course in Schinias for September 2008.