Women's Single Sculls (W1x) - Final

Back in the single due to the injury of her doubles partner, Ekaterina Karsten raced as Belarus2. Karsten, 42, has an incredible rowing record that dates back to the 1992 Olympic Games. After finishing outside of the medals at the London Olympic Games, Karsten moved into team boats as she worked towards her seventh Olympic Games. Karsten was up against 2012 Olympic Champion Mirka Knapkova of the Czech Republic.

At the start Tatsiana Kukhta of Belarus1 got away the fastest with Austria’s Magdalena Lobnig in second. Then moving together, Karsten and Knapkova decided the time was right to move on the two leaders. Often the women’s single is a relatively spread out race. But not today as five boats went through the half way point practically together. Karsten then moved through to second as Kukhta began to run out of steam. Karsten then went to 37 strokes per minute to show her superiority. At the line Karsten had won, Knapkova came through in second and Kukhta was third.

Results: BLR1, CZE, BLR2, CHN, AUT, SRB

Gold – Ekaterina Karsten – Belarus

This race was very good. I am training in the double now, but my partner was injured so I hope we can race the double in Poznan and definitely in Aiguebelette.

Silver – Mirka Knapkova – Czech Republic

Physically I feel very good but I wasn’t 100% today. This is only preparation for Europeans as we don’t train on the water during winter.

Bronze – Tatsiana Kukhta – Belarus

It is my first medal in the single at a World Cup. It is really hard and heavy to race the single, but it feels very good.

B-final

Jeannine Gmelin of Switzerland had the fastest time of these scullers coming from the semifinals and she had the lead at the start. By the middle of the race Gmelin had a very nice advantage and she continued to make it grow. Gmelin won the Bled International Regatta here two days ago and maybe was a little disappointed to be in this B-final, but she made the most of it crossing way ahead of the rest of the field.

Results: SUI, AUT, BEL, BUL, SRB, QAT