Champions crowned at the World University Championships

Lightweight Women’s Single Sculls – Final

After some trouble lining up at the start, these six lightweight rowers got off to a quick start with Poland making and early impression on the race. But Great Britain’s Emily Craig was not about to let her get away. Making a huge push just before the 1000 metre mark, Great Britain moved into the lead. Craig raced earlier this season at the World Rowing Under 23 Championships, finishing sixth. What a race she was having today as she took several boat lengths open water. The race continued behind her between Julie Marechal of France and Joanna Dorociak of Poland. Taking up her rate and pushing past Poland, Marechal showed she wanted to perform in front of her home crowd.

Craig calmly held her position through the finish line, followed by France and Poland held off a move from the Czech Republic to take the bronze medal.

Results: GBR, FRA, POL, CZE, NZL, RUS

Lightweight Men’s Single Sculls – Final

Germany’s Konstantin Steinhubel had the fastest start out of lane one and quickly established a lead. Steinhubel came out of the German lightweight men’s quadruple sculls who took silver at the World Rowing Championships just a few weeks ago.  Behind Steinhuebel, Hungary and Russia started their own battle for the next two places on the podium. But Great Britain’s Jamie Copus still had something left. With just 500 metres to go, Great Britain charged through Russia’s Alexander Tupanyuk and moved into bronze medal position. It looked like these medals had all but been decided. Germany held off a late charge by Hungary to finish first, Hungary’s Daniel Matyasovszki in second and Great Britain with the bronze.

Results: GER, HUN, GBR, RUS, POR, NED

Lightweight Women’s Double Sculls – Final

Coming into the final of the lightweight women’s double sculls, Great Britain had the fastest time and looked to be the favourite. But it was Poland who got off the line in first and held a small lead over the British crew who started to move back at the 500 metre mark.  Switzerland moved into the third position, but Mexico and Ireland were not far off.

Poland looked very smooth despite the tricky wind conditions and rated 33 strokes per minute throughout the body of the race to hold their lead. Into the last 250 metres Great Britain picked up their rate trying to move back on the Polish crew, but it was not enough. Poland took gold, Great Britain silver and Mexico, who had made their move with 500 metres to go held off a challenging Ireland to take bronze.

Results: POL, GBR, MEX, IRL, SUI, CAN

Lightweight Men’s Double Sculls – Final

The home crowd had high expectations for the French crew in this race, but it was Great Britain who took the lead. Great Britain’s Zak Lee-Green had a successful 2014 season at the elite level competing in the lightweight men’s single sculls. Great Britain took open water, leaving France, Hungary and Germany to fight for a place on the podium.

It was a very experienced field in this boat class and these rowers did not seem fazed by the windy conditions. With just 500 metres to go, Hungary started to make a move. Great Britain, glancing to the side saw Hungary starting to move and pushed back. Could they hold off the attack? Taking their rate up, Great Britain held off Hungary to take the gold medal, Hungary took silver and France moved past Germany to take bronze.

Results: GBR, HUN, FRA, GER, SUI, IRL

Women’s Single Sculls – Final

The wind increased slightly at the start, making it difficult for these boats to get aligned. Once off, a false start from the Netherlands meant lining up again, this time with Germany getting out first and pushing away from the Czech Republic in lane one.  Lenka Antosova (CZE), with a long and powerful style, started taking inches back from Germany moving through 1000 metres. Germany had no response, but the move from both crews pulled them away from the rest of the field.

Behind them, Australia’s Fiona Albert moved into the bronze medal position ahead of France, but did not look ready to move on the two leading crews. Out in front, with just 250 metres to go, Germany picked up the rate and moved easily past Antosova who seemed unable to react, keeping her rate quite low. Open water set these two apart from the field, with Australia finishing in third.

Results: GER, CZE, AUS, FRA, NED, FIN

Men’s Single Sculls – Final

The gold medal looked to be decided at the start of this race when Hungary took the lead. Despite a vicious fight going on behind him, Bendeguz Petervari-Molnar held his lead in front of the field. Britain, Poland and Mexico took the next three positions and the order seemed to change with every couple of strokes.

Hungary held off the charging pack to take home the gold. But who would join him on the podium? Poland had the biggest sprint and took a lead over Great Britain and Mexico. Mexico’s Juan Carlos Cabrera then seemed to run out of steam, leaving Great Britain to take the bronze medal.

Results: HUN, POL, GBR, MEX, SVK, RUS

Women’s Double Sculls – Final

With just four crews entered in this boat class, these athletes competed in a race for lanes yesterday which established Poland as the fastest crew. Maria Springwald and Agnieszka Kobus have both competed internationally and they looked set to take the gold medal today. They were followed by Belarus’s Tatsiana Klimovich and Krystsina Staraselets. Staraselets recently won a medal at the Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China.

Coming across the line, Poland held their first place position with open water over the Belorussian crew who in turn had open water over Germany.

Results: POL, BLR, GER, FIN

Men’s Double Sculls – Final

What a race from Poland in the final of the men’s double sculls. After a quick start from Estonia, Poland powered into the lead and didn’t look back. They took open water by 500 metres and continued to walk away in a style of complete dominance. Miroslaw Zietarski and Dawid Grabowski rowed in the men’s quadruple sculls on the senior level at the World Championships in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Coming through next was the Italian crew of Federico Garibaldi and Davide Mumolo who took open water over the rest of the field. In the last 500 metres the field spread even more with Poland securing the gold medal, Italy silver and the Netherlands bronze.

Results: POL, ITA, NED, CAN, EST, NOR

Women’s Four – Final

Clouds rolled over the sky and the temperature dropped slightly as the afternoon of racing continued. The first sweep boats of the day got off to a quick start in the A-final of the women’s four. Great Britain took the lead, with the Czech Republic and France slotting into the next two positions. Passing the 1000 metre mark, the Czech Republic dug in their heels and started to move on Great Britain, but the British crew saw it coming and reacted well to hold them off.

France established themselves well in third and moving into the last 500 metres they would have to hold off small challenges from Germany and Italy. The home crowd started to cheer as these boats moved to the finish line. The positions remain unchanged.

Results: GBR, CZE, FRA, GER, ITA, NED

Men’s Four – Final

With the biggest team here at the University Championships, Poland seemed to be on top of their game today in the A-finals. Poland took the lead with long and powerful strokes and soon established open water over their counterparts.

Behind them the race was close and it looked like it would be a race to line to determine the lesser medals. Great Britain held on to second crossing the 1000 metre mark, but they did not seem to have a response to the moves from Italy and Canada behind them. Four boats charged to the finish line, Poland strode out in front, Canada had the best sprint to overtake both the British and the Italians for the silver medal. In the final strokes, Italy passed Great Britain to take bronze.

Results: POL, CAN, ITA, GBR, CZE, NED

Men’s Pair – Final

At the 500 metre mark in the final of the men’s pair, it was three boats leading the way with South Africa, Hungary, and the Czech Republic going stroke for stroke. Hungary then did a move to stride out into the lead, with South Africa and the Czech Republic chasing.

Then the Czech Republic seemed to run out of steam, South Africa took advantage of the hesitation and powered up to chase down Hungary. Hungary responded and pushed out to a four second lead over South Africa. This chase increased the open water between these boats and the rest of the field. Crossing the line, Hungary scored the gold, South Africa silver and the Czech Republic bronze.

Results: HUN, RSA, CZE, FIN, ITA, NED

Lightweight Men’s Four – Final

The French came into this final with the fastest qualifying time, finishing first in their heat. France, along with Great Britain, qualified directly from the heat, meaning they avoided racing, and weighing in for the repechage. But at 500 metres, it was the Czech Republic to get their bow across first.  

Coming into the last 500 metres it was still a very close race, with nothing decided. France had moved slightly into the lead, but the Czech Republic was charging hard. The crowd was on their feet as France crossed the line first. But the next three crews had only a bow ball between them. Who would be on the podium? It was Italy sprinting to the line on the far side to take silver and Great Britain held off a late charge from Canada to take bronze.  

Results: FRA, ITA, GBR, CZE, NED, POL

Men’s Eight – Final

The final race of the day, the men’s eight, took to the start line with the home crowd looking for their second gold medal of the day from the French men’s eight. But it was Great Britain who had the faster qualifying time coming out of the heats.  After some difficulty getting aligned at the start, they were off. The British boat had taken half a boat length at 500 metres with France in second.

Lengthening out across the 1,000 metre mark the British took a full boat length on the field and tried to push for open water. France established themselves clearly in second and started to push back on the British, drawing these two crews further into the lead. The order remained the same through the finish line, Great Britain in first, France in second and Canada home in third to take the bronze.

Results: GBR, FRA, CAN, NED, POL, RUS