Lightweight Women’s Single Sculls - Final

This race was delayed due to an equipment breakage in the Canadian boat. They got away as the last race of the day with the Netherlands Two boat of Marieke Keijser being the favourite. Keijser recorded the fastest qualifying time from yesterday’s heats and she thus took over one of the centre lanes for this final. Keijser sat next to Canada’s Katherine Sauks who had a new boat to row. Sauks won her heat yesterday and was potentially the biggest threat to Keijser. But today was a new day and anything can happen especially in the world of single sculling racing.

Italy took the lead around the 500m mark, but by 750m the lead had changed to Keijser. Keijser was meant to race in the lightweight double at this regatta, but her partner could not race which put Keijser into the single. This is a boat that she knows well after winning the World Rowing Junior Championships last year. Sauks now followed very closely in second with Federuca  Cesarini of Italy also very much on the pace. In the final sprint Switzerland challenged Cesarini for the final medal spot. It now seemed reasonably clear that Keijser would win. At the line Keijser recorded a winning time of 7:36. Sauks took silver and Cesarini took bronze.

Results: NED2, CAN, ITA, SUI, POL, NED1

B-final

These crews all had to race in the repechage this morning and this afternoon they contested the B-final. Pauline Delacroix of Switzerland had the early lead before Ireland’s Denise Walsh took over. But Delacroix wasn’t giving up pushing back into the lead. Walsh wasn’t giving up either and at the line Walsh had crossed first. A shout out to Algeria’s Amina Rouba. Rouba finished third in a very respectable time of 7:58.

Results: IRL, SUI, IRL

Lightweight Women’s Single Sculls

Marieke Keijser – NED – gold

“I started this race to win it. I was behind the Canadian at one time and then I pushed past her. She tried to come back on me, but I knew I could hold her off because I had already mentally cracked her.”

Katherine Sauks – CAN – silver

“I am very happy because it is my first medal at the World Cup level. I broke an oar in the warm up and that is why the race was delayed, so I am especially proud of my result. I would like to think I could have done better if this hadn’t happened, but of course you never know.”

Federica Cesarini – ITA – bronze 

“It is really special to get a medal here because my own club is just down the road in Gallarate. I started rowing here. All my friends and family were here to watch so it was amazing.”