13 Jul 2015
Fournier favourite to win Pan Am Games single
The Pan Am Games are the third largest multi-sporting event in the world after the Olympic and Asian Games. One hundred and seventy eight athletes representing 14 nations are participating in the rowing regatta taking place 11-15 July at the Royal Canadian Henley course in St. Catharines, Canada.
Racing includes some big names like Cuba’s Angel Fournier Rodriguez in the men’s single and double sculls and host nation Canada represented by their top team. With 16 years since hosting the World Rowing Championships in 1999, the Pan Am Games is also a chance for the local organisers to show off an updated and international caliber regatta course at St Catharines.
Men’s Single Sculls (M1x) – Heats and repechages
Cuban sculler Angel Fournier Rodriguez won gold at World Rowing Cup I in Bled (SLO) at the beginning of the season, followed up with a silver in the same event at World Rowing Cup II in Varese (ITA) in June where he finished behind New Zealand’s Mahe Drysdale. Fournier finished in bronze medal position at the 2014 World Rowing Championships, and is the favourite for Pan American gold.Fournier won easily in the first heat, ahead of 2014 South American Games champion Brian Rosso of Argentina.
The second heat went to Yohann Rigogne of the United States, who posted the fastest time of either heat by a fair margin. Rigogne, who finished 20th in the single at the World Rowing Cup II in Varese (ITA) cruised across the line with Canada’s Rob Gibson falling back in the final 500m for second place. Gibson, a veteran of the silver medal Canadian men’s eight at the London 2012 Olympics, made his international sculling debut this year as a member of the Canadian men’s quadruple sculls that took bronze at World Rowing Cup II in Varese (ITA).
Four more scullers advanced to the A-final through two repechages of five crews each. Brian Rosso (ARG),Garcia Revolorio (GUA), Rob Gibson (CAN) and Juan Cabrea (MEX). This is Revolorio’s second Pan American Games appearancewhile Cabera earned silver in the both the men’s single and quad at the 2014 Central American and Caribbean Games.
Men’s Double Sculls (M2x) – Heats and repechages
Twelve crews entered in this boat class. The United States combination of Sam Stitt and Ryan Monaghan won the first heat, crossing the line well ahead of Alvaro Torres and Renzo Leon Garcia of Peru. Stitt has a significant amount of international experience including a fifth place finish at the Beijing 2008 Olympics as part of the US men’s quad. The combination proved effective during the first day of racing .
Cuba and Canada placed a close first and second in the second heat. Fournier teamed up with fellow Cuban Eduardo Rubio and moved steadily from a rocky third place in the first 500m of the race into second by the half way point at 1000m and into first with a strong third quarter sprint that put them just out of reach of the Canadians, who moved from third into second with a powerful final 500m move. The Canadian crew of Pascal Lussier and Matthew Buie, were part of the Canadian men’s quad that finished 7th at the 2014 World Rowing Championships.
Repechage one saw Argentina’s Rodrigo Murillo and Cristian Rosso advance through to the A-Final in first position while the Peruvian double of Alvaro Torres and Renzo Leon Garcia managed to stay ahead of Mauricio Lopez Berocay and Emiliano Dumestre Guaraglia of Uruguay for the valuable qualifying spot. Murillo and Rosso raced to a 4th place finish together in this event at World Cup II in Varese (ITA) in June and will certainly be using this race as preparation for the 2015 World Rowing Championships in August.
Canada took the second repechage with ease ahead of Mexicans Miguel Carballo and Juan Flores. Both crews advance to the A-final.
Lightweight Men’s Double Sculls (LM2x) – Heats and Repechage
Five boats lined up in the first heat. American’s Colin Ethridge and Austin Meyer finished in first and advance directly to the A-Final. Ethridge was a member of the 7th place lightweight men’s quad for the US at the 2013 World Rowing Championships and Meyer finished 10th in the lightweight men’s double at the 2014 World Rowing Championships. The Mexican duo finished second and also advance to the A-Final. This crew is a mix of experience and youth with bow Alan Armenta having won gold in the double sculls at Guadalajara 2011 Pan Am Games and he was part of the 8th placed Mexican lightweight men’s quad at the 2014 World Rowing Championships. His partner was 18-year-old stroke Alexis Lopez. Canada, Venezuela and Guatemala moved on to race the repechage.
Heat two in this event went to Cuba’s Raul Hernandez and Liosbel Hernandez. Hernandez was a member of the lightweight men’s four that placed 15th at the 2013 World Rowing Championships. Andres Oyarzun and Bernardo Guerrero of Chile also qualified for the A-final. Oyarzun has a bronze medal in the lightweight men’s four from the Gueadalajara 2011 Pan Am Games and Guerrero won a silver in the single at the 2014 South American Games.
Canada’s Saul Garcia and Mark Henry advanced in first place from the reperchage. A duel citizen, Garcia has raced in the past for Mexico including placing 5th in the lightweight men’s quad at the 2009 World Rowing Championships. Henry was a member of the 9th place Canadian lightweight men’s double at the 2012 World Rowing Under23 Championships. Rodolfo Collazo Tourn and Bruno Cetraro Berriolo of Uruguay also advanced to the A-final from second place. Collazo Tourn finished 9th in the lightweight men’s quad at the 2014 World Rowing Championships.
Lightweight Women’s Double Sculls (LW2x) – Heats and repechages
Cuba placed first of four crews in the first heat. Yislena Hernandez and Licet Hernandez finished almost 20 seconds ahead of second place Mexico to secure an automatic place in the A-final.
The second heat went to Canada’s Liz Fenje and Katherine Sauks.. Fenje has raced for Canada at the World Rowing Under23 Championships several times and most recently, in 2012 at the World Rowing Championships as a member of the lightweight women’s quad that placed 8th. Her partner Sauks is a relative newcomer to international level competition.
Four crews advanced to the A-final from the repechage. This group was led by Argentina’s Milka Kraljev and Maria Rohner. This duo had placed 15th in this boat class at the London 2012 Olympics and 18th at the 2015 World Rowing Cup II in Varese (ITA) in June. The US double of Sarah Giancola and Victoria Burke placed second and also advance to the A-final. Giancola was part of the 7th place US lightweight women’s quad at the 2014 World Rowing Championships.
Mexico’s Fabiola Nunez and Itzama Medina qualified in third place. Together they earned silver in the women’s double at the 2014 Central American and Caribbean Games. Nunez was also part of the Mexican crew that finished 8th in the lightweight women’s quad at the 2014 World Rowing Championships. Brazil’s Caroline de Carvalho Corado and Sophia Valente Camara Py were the final qualifying crew. Camara Py raced to a 17th place finish in the junior women’s single at the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing (CHN) and earned silver in the lightweight women’s single at the 2015 South American Junior and Under23 Rowing Championships.
Women’s Pair (W2-), Women’s Double Scull (W2x), Men’s Four (M4-) – Race for lanes
With only six crews in the women’s pair and women’s double sculls and five in the men’s four, today’s heats were simply races for lanes to determine a rank order for Monday’s A-final with all crews advancing.
W2- Qualifiers: USA, CAN, CHI, ARG, CUB, NCA
W2x Qualifiers: CAN, USA, ARG, CUB, CHI, BRA
M4- Qualifiers: CAN, ARG, USA, CUB, BRA
Follow results live online on the official Pan American Games web page http://results.toronto2015.ets.net/IRS/en/rowing/