28 May 2012
Lightweights weigh in for Samsung World Rowing Cup finals
Lightweight Women’s Single Sculls (LW1x) – Final
Coming into this race Michaela Taupe-Traer, 37, of Austria looked to be the favourite for this Final. She had won the Belgrade World Rowing Cup earlier this month and came through yesterday’s heats looking solid. But Belgrade was Taupe-Traer’s first ever World Cup gold medal despite her long career. Would Taupe-Traer put it all together today?
Germany’s Leonie Pless, 23, got out in front at the start making her intentions clear despite this being her first international race in the single. But it didn’t take much more water for Taupe-Traer was able to get out in front. And this is where the Austrian remained until the end.
Meanwhile Pless had to fight off a challenge to stay ahead of Cecilia Lilja of Sweden . Lilja’s challenge took it out of her and she only just managed to remain in the bronze medal spot at the line.
Results: AUT, GER, SWE1, GBR, SUI, ITA
Gold – Michaela Taupe-Traer (AUT)
“It was a great race. My plan for the season is definitely Plovdiv (2012 World Rowing Championships).”
Silver – Leonie Pless (GER)
“That was awesome; a great race. It’s a fantastic venue and I’m so happy about this result. This was my first international race in the single and I was very nervous at the start. I hope I will get the go ahead from the head coach to go to Munich to confirm the result here.”
Bronze – Cecilia Lilja (SWE)
“It was a really tight race. I have no plan for the season since we failed to qualify for the double. We go home now, the coaches will talk and decide on maybe a quad or singles for the next World Rowing Championships.”
B-final
Belgium’s Evi Geent Jens got the better of her teammate, Eveline Peleman to finish in first place. Peleman had a fast start but faced in the second half of the race. Anna Ioannou of Cypress came through from behind to take second. The top three boats all went under the magic eight minute mark.
Results: BEL3, CYP, BEL1, ARG, JPN, SWE2
Lightweight Men’s Single Sculls (LM1x) – Final
After a false start, Adam Freeman-Pask of Great Britain took to the lead. Freeman-Pask started off the season racing in the lightweight pair at the Belgrade World Rowing Cup. Today Freeman-Pask showed his talent and versatility by racing at the head of the field of this Final.
But Freeman-Pask didn’t have it all his own way. Through the middle of the race Germany’s Jonathan Koch and Florian Berg of Austria put up a good fight. The reason for this was partly due to Berg and Koch trying to get the better of each other. This battle brought the two boats closer to Freeman-Pask. Freeman-Pask, however, was able to keep a close eye on the battle and counter any moves.
Freeman-Pask makes it two golds for 2012 when he crossed the line in first. Berg got the better of Koch to earn silver and Koch, just 21/100th of a second back, had to settle for third.
Results: GBR, AUT, GER1, CHN, FRA1, NOR1
Gold – Adam Freeman-Pask (GBR)
“I just used normal tactics during the race. I just ran away with it! I did a little too much off the start but it wasn’t a big deal. It was about time to change from sweep to sculling. It’s good to put it on my CV and it’s great to finally pick up something here in Lucerne.”
Silver – Florian Berg (AUT)
“I didn’t have a good start and I was second last at the beginning. I was able to come back during the race though. I am not sure yet what I will do for the rest of the reason since the final decision will only be made after the next World Cup.”
Bronze – Jonathan Koch (GER)
“That was tough. But it was better than I expected and I was able to keep my rate up. I will stay in the single for Munich, but hope I will still make it as the lightweight spare for London.”
B-final
A solid performance by Mexico’s Juan Jimenez Regules saw him work his way through the Czech Republic and then France’s Barthelemy Agostini to get in front. Once in front Regules continued to sprint, crossing the finish line a full three seconds ahead of Agostini in second.
Results: MEX, FRA3, GER2, SUI, CZE, FRA2
Lightweight Men’s Pair (LM2-) – Final
China and the Netherlands shot out quickly at the start of the Final, making the most of the tail-wind conditions on the beautiful Rotsee regatta course. Coming through the first marker China’s Lei Li and Zhongwei Li had a slight edge over Netherlands2 (Arnoud Greidanus and Joris Pijs). Greidanus and Pijs then proceeded to pace the Chinese through the next quarter of the race.
As the Dutch raced past the Rotsee boat-park they must have received a boost, taking their boat into the lead. Li and Li tried to hold on and these two crews raced into the home straight as the best gold medal prospects. China took their stroke rate to 40 with the Dutch on 38. Greidanus and Pijs had the stronger sprint and pick up their first ever World Cup gold medal. Li and Li take silver with Australia’s Blair Tunevitsch and Alister Foot sprinting through to bronze.
Jean-Christophe Bette may be an Olympic Champion and he may be a World Champion from 2010, but today for Bette and his partner, Fabien Tillet something happened at the 1000m mark that made them stop rowing. They did not finish the race.
Results: NED2, CHN, AUS, NED1, DEN, FRA (did not finish)
Gold – Joris Pijs (NED)
“We had a very fast start and it was a hard race. We are very happy to break 6:30. We did not get into the four, but with this result we’ve shown our quality. We are not sure what the path forward will be for us; there might be a lightweight men’s eight for the World Championships. However, with today’s results we would not minding stay in the pair.”
Bronze – Alister Foot (AUS)
“Getting through the Repechage was a bit hard on the legs but we managed to get it together and tap into the rhythm we had yesterday."
B-final
It didn’t take long for Daniel Wisgott and Stefan Wallat of Germany2 to get into the lead. In the process they pushed France2 into second. France2 (Guillaume Cas and Ludovic Seureau) had to fight off a challenge from Chile to remain in second at the line.
Results: GER2, FRA2, CHI, HUN