Twice the colour - The women’s double

This event has spawned some formidable combinations, as well as brought to light some of the most well-known and colourful individuals in the sport of rowing.

Names like Germany’s Kathrin Boron and Canada’s Marnie McBean as well as the most medalled rower of all time, Elisabeta Lipa of Romania have all rowed the double. Also New Zealand’s identical twins, Caroline and Georgina Evers-Swindell help make up the impressive double sculler list.

The women’s double has been an Olympic event since 1976 when women’s rowing first joined the Olympic programme. Bulgaria’s Svetla Otzetova and Zdravka Yordanova were the first duo to claim the coveted gold medal and also the first gold medal in rowing for Bulgaria. Both Otzetova and Yordanova have stayed involved in sport, Otzetova as FISA’s events director and Yordanova as part of the Bulgarian Olympic Committee.

The 1984 Olympics saw the ascent of Romania’s great Elisabeta Lipa (nee Oleniuc). Rowing in the double with Mariora Popescu, 1984 was Lipa’s first of five Olympic gold medals. The doubles final in Los Angeles also featured Canada’s famed single sculler, Silken Laumann, who finished in third place with her sister, Daniele.

Just like Lipa, Kathrin Boron won her first Olympic gold rowing in the double. It was the 1992 Olympic Games and it was Boron’s Olympic debut. Partnered with Kerstin Koppen, the 22-year-old Boron pushed Lipa into second place to take the gold. The 1992 Games were Lipa’s third Olympics and the silver medal was her fifth Olympic medal.

The next Olympics, Atlanta 1996, saw the star of Marnie McBean continue to shine. Canada’s McBean had already earned two Olympic golds at the 1992 Games in the women’s eight and pair. McBean then decided to move to the double. With her 1992 gold medal pairs partner, Kathleen Heddle, the duo made the successful transition from sweep rowing into the double and thus added another gold to their collection.

Boron, who had spent 1996 picking up gold in the women’s quadruple sculls, came back to the double for the Sydney 2000 Olympics and successfully scored another gold rowing with Jana Thieme.

Then began the era of the dominance of the twins; Caroline and Georgina Evers-Swindell. After missing out on qualifying for the 2000 Olympic Games, Caroline and Georgina came out fighting in 2001. By the time the World Championships came around, the duo had worked their way through to becoming the second best double in the world, this time behind Boron and her partner Kerstin Kowalski. The twins remained in the double and at the end of the 2004 Athens Olympics Caroline and Georgina were Olympic Champions. The duo then became the only Olympic women’s double to make a repeat performance. In 2008 Caroline and Georgina won gold (albeit by 1/100th of a second). The twins then retired, opening up the door for a new leader.

That leader has emerged in the form of Great Britain’s most medalled female rower, Katherine Grainger. After racing at the Beijing Olympics in the quadruple sculls, Grainger dabbled in the single before joining up with Anna Watkins in 2010. This has turned out to be a winning combination which has not been beaten since its formation.

This is the state of the women’s double sculls leading into the London 2012 Olympic Games. Grainger and Watkins are the hot favourites to win gold and if they do they could make history by becoming the first British women to win an Olympic gold medal.

Behind the British, Australia and New Zealand are likely to be the biggest challengers. At the 2011 World Rowing Championships Kim Crow and Kerry Hore of Australia finished second with New Zealand’s Fiona Paterson and Anna Reymer in third. At this stage Paterson and Reymer have been selected as New Zealand’s Olympic crews. Selection decisions in Great Britain and Australia are still to come but it is very likely that these are the names to watch out for come 30 July 2012 when the women’s double sculls gets underway at the Olympic regatta venue on Dorney Lake.

Did you know?
* Germany is the most medalled country in the women’s double sculls.
* There are still two more boats to qualify for the London Olympics. This opportunity will be at the Final Olympic Qualification Regatta in Switzerland in May 2012.
* A total of 10 nations will race in the double at the Olympics.
* Leading up to the Beijing Olympics, China was the favourite to win the double. They finished fourth

Olympic Medal Table