Ready for Para-Rowing finals at the 2014 World Rowing Championships

For immediate release
Amsterdam, 28 August 2014

The 2014 World Rowing Championship regatta in Amsterdam, the Netherlands is ready for the finals of the five para-rowing boat classes that will be raced today, Thursday 28 August, 2014.

Australia has proved to be the team to beat in many of the races and they will contest three out of the five finals.

First up will be the Para women’s single sculls (ASW1x). This final is shaping up to be the race of the newcomers. Great Britain’s Rachel Morris is just half a year into para-rowing after switching from hand cycling and she has proved herself already by winning her heat on Monday. But the fastest qualifier for the final was Norway’s Birgit Skarstein. Skarstein started para-rowing last year and quickly came through to be the 2013 World silver medallist. These two scullers will meet for the first time in the final.

The Para men’s single sculls (ASM1x) is likely to be a battle between Great Britain’s 2008 Paralympic Champion Tom Aggar and the reigning World Champion Erik Horrie of Australia. Both of these scullers won their heats and the final will be their first race against each other at this regatta.

The Para mixed double sculls (TAMix2x) may be a repeat of the World Rowing Championships a year ago when Australia (Gavin Bellis and Kathryn Ross) and France (Perle Bouge and Stephane Tardieu) finished first and second respectively. Both of these crews are back again with both recording similar times in their heats on Monday.

It is the second year for new boat class, the Para LTA mixed double sculls (LTAMix2x) and the 2013 World gold medallists Kateryna Morozova and Dmytro Aleksieiev of Ukraine are back again to defend their title. Ukraine’s strongest challenge is likely to come from the crew from Australia which set the fastest qualifying time when they raced in their heat.

The Para mixed coxed four (LTAMix4+) has been dominated by World and Olympic Champions Great Britain. But the British were challenged in their heat by the United States. Great Britain came out ahead forcing the United States to qualify for the final through the repechage round. The US won it handily and will again face Great Britain in the final.

The para-rowing finals begin at 17:45 CET and will be live streamed on www.worldrowing.com.

For results, schedules, full race reports, photos and live blogging go to www.worldrowing.com.