Germany's year in the women's quad

World Rowing is starting the 2014 year off with a 2013 year review of the women's quadruple sculls and the women who dominated this event – Germany's Annekatrin Thiele, Carina Baer, Julia Richter and Britta Oppelt.

The German crew headed into the 2013 season as members of the German women's sculling squad. This group included  the above scullers and also Lisa Schmidla, Mareike Adams and Julia Lier amongst others. What was to become the final World Championship line up opened their season with a win at the European Rowing Championships in May. This line up had a history together having competed the previous year at the Olympic Games where they finished second. The European Championships demonstrated that they were still in top form with the Netherlands taking second and Italy in third.

Despite the stroke, Oppelt swapping out of the quad and into the double for the Samsung World Rowing Cup in Eton Dorney (GBR), the crew, stroked by Lisa Schmidla still took the gold ahead of Poland and Australia. The young Schmidla then went off to the World Rowing Under 23 Championships where she won the women's single sculls.

For the final World Cup at Lucerne (SUI), Oppelt was back in the boat having raced to fourth in the women's double sculls at Eton Dorney.  The Oppelt-stroked crew took the win in a similar fashion to Eton Dorney. Behind them Poland and Australia were again second and third respectively. This set the stage for the World Rowing Championships in Chungju (KOR) with Germany earning a huge target on their backs as the crew to beat.

Despite Germany coming to the World Championships as the only unbeaten crew from the season, Canada looked to be on top form. Emily Cameron, Katharine Goodfellow, Carling Zeeman and Antje Von Seydlitz-Kurzbach of Canada were racing together for the first time internationally but that did not stop them from recording the fastest time in the heats. In Heat One Germany was first with a time of 6.26 while Canada, in Heat Two, won in a time of 6.25. These two crews would have to wait six days before they would get to meet for the first time.

Six days later Germany took no risks in pursuit of the World Championship title. The red, yellow and black colours shot out into the lead at the very beginning and already, as the first 500m mark passed, they had nearly a boat length's lead. Germany continued to lead comfortably with Canada and Poland in a tight race for second. The Canadian's came through in second with Poland in third.

Earlier in the season at the first Samsung World Rowing Cup in Sydney (AUS), Australia's crew had won. They went on to medal at the next two World Cups but in Chungju the Australian's hit a road bump. The crew did not qualify for the final through the repechage and in the B-final they found themselves fighting for the lead against New Zealand. In the end Australia were eighth overall.

Look out for these crews in the upcoming 2014 season with the Netherlands, Italy and the United States likely to be back in the medals mix.