Aiguebelette begins with Para-rowing heats

AS Women’s Single Sculls

The AS Women’s Single Sculls (ASW1x) had two heats. In Heat One Natalia Bolshakova of Russia who is the reigning World Champion looked calm and controlled. She came down the course to finish in 5:32.6 with the fastest time in her heat. Bolshakova picked up speed in the second half of her time trial, with Great Britain’s Rachel Morris in the lead at 500m. Morris finished with the second fastest time and will find herself in the repechage.

In Heat Two it was Liudmila Vauchok (BLR) off to a quick start, crossing the 500m and the finish line with the fastest time. Vauchok clocks the fastest time in both heats at 5:27.3. Who will come out on top in the A-final?

Qualifiers: RUS, BLR

AS Men’s Single Sculls

The biggest boat class of the Para-rowing races was the AS Men’s Single Sculls (ASM1x). This meant tough competition for last year’s World Championship bronze medallist Alexey Chuvashev of Russia. Chuvashev started quickly and managed to race fastest against the clock, finishing in a time of 4:52.8.

A slight tail wind picked up for Heat Two, helping Tom Aggar (GBR) to finish with the fastest time in both heats, 4:46.25. Aggar and Chuvashev will progress directly to the A-final, all other crews must contest the repechage.

Qualifiers: RUS, GBR

TA Mixed Double Sculls

The TA Mixed Double Sculls (TAMi2x) had two heats and featured local heroes Perle Bouge and Stephane Tardieu of France. Bouge and Tardieu were silver medallists at last year’s World Rowing Championships and they are in fine form this year as well. They stormed down the course to record the fastest time of both heats, 4:01.21.

In Heat Two, the Netherlands looked to challenge France’s fast time, but came up short, finishing in  4:13.04.

Qualifiers: FRA, NED1

LTA Mixed Double Sculls

With three boats competing in the LTA Mixed Double Sculls (LTAMix2x) this race acted as a race for lanes for the final. France set the standard to come through with the fastest time, followed by Germany and Ukraine. It will be interesting to see these three go head-to-head in the final.

LTA Mixed Coxed Four

As early evening light started to cover the Lake Aiguebelette regatta course the LTA Mixed Coxed Four (LTAMix4+) saw Great Britain record the fastest time of 3:31.12. With five boats in this category, this time trial acted as a race for lanes. It was an exciting performance from the powerful Italian crew who overtook the Polish crew at the 500m mark, but they were eight seconds behind the British, finishing in a time of 3:39.14.  All crews will go head-to-head in the final.