Race Report: Stormy start for rowing's under-23 heats in Rotterdam

Under-23 Women’s Single Sculls (BW1x) – Heats

The first four in each of the five heats would go through to the quarterfinals which meant the goal was not to be last. In strong tail wind conditions Cara Grzeskowiak of Australia led the way in Heat One starting out at a 32 stroke rate and getting enough of a lead that she was able to reduce it to 25 by the end.  Germany’s Cariotta Nwajide  raced at the head of the field in Heat Two and crossed the finish line with a handy lead and a time of 7:41. For Heat Three Spain had a very fast start, but was then overtaken by Cicely Madden of the United States. Madden has been part of the US junior team and has medalled in the junior women’s quadruple sculls. New Zealand’s Luka Ellery followed in second. But Madden had nice lead at the finish.

The under-23 World Champion, Ieva Adomaviciute of Lithuania raced in Heat Four and held a close early battle with Layla Balooch of Canada. Balooch then managed to pull away a bit and hold off Adimaviciute until the line. Sweden and the Czech Republic held a battle at the front of Heat Five as the rain began to pour down. Then Lovisa Claesson of Sweden managed to break away and cross the line in first. Overall Claesson and Nwajide had the fastest qualifying times.

Results: AUS, UKR, ISR, ESA, GER, SUI, RUS, GER, NZL, ESP, NED, CAN, LTU, DEN, HUN, SWE, CZE, NOR, PAR

Under-23  Men’s Single Sculls (BM1x) – Heats

A large field of 26 countries had been split into five heats with the top four boats in each heat getting to go directly to the quarterfinals. In Heat One Russia’s Andrey Potapkin held the lead and kept the power on for the full race. The first casualty of the day happened for Latvia’s Gints Zunde. With just 40m left to row Zune fell into the water. He was soon rescued. The under-23 World Champion in the men’s double sculls, Time Ole Naske of Germany powered away to a huge lead in Heat Two. Naske is a former junior champion and has also dabbled in senior racing. Straight from racing at the Rio Olympics, Peter Purcell-Gilpin of Zimbabwe followed in second.

Heat Three had Michal Plocek of the Czech Republic out in front with Norway’s Jan Helvig on second. Helvig tried to qualify for Rio in his country’s men’s quad and he has a big career ahead of him. Plocek remained in the lead. A fine race by Quentin Antognelli of Monaco kept him in the lead for the entire Heat Four. Antognelli had a handy lead at the finish. Heat Five had Natan Wegrzycki-Szymczyk dominate the race. From Poland Wegrzycki-Szymczyk comes to Rotterdam directly from the Rio Olympics. The former junior champion led from start to finish.

Qualifiers: RUS, SWE, SLO, HUN, GER, ZIM, ITA, EST,CZE, GBR, NOR, TUR, MON, BLR, FIN, SUI, POL, USA, LTU, CRO

Under-23 Men’s Pair (BM2-) – Heats

Two heats saw a race to be in a top two position for a direct path to the finals. This led to a solid race in Heat One with the United States crew of Jovanni Stefani and Brennan Wertz leading for the entire race. Rating 40 the United States crossed the line ahead of Serbia. The United States had the fastest qualifying time. For Heat two it was Maximillian Kohlmayr and Joerg Auerbach of Austria who pushed away from Germany to take the lead. Behind them a very close battle happened for the second spot which caused the crews to close on Austria. France did a huge closing sprint rating 39 to make the finish almost dead level. Romuald Thomas and Raphael Lescieux of France had got there first. Austria qualify from second.

Qualifiers: USA, SRB, FRA, AUT

Under-23 Women’s Double Sculls (BW2x) – Heats

Three heats made up this boat class with the top three boats from each heat advancing directly to the semifinals. In Heat One Great Britain’s Mathilda Hodgkins-Byrne and Jess Leyden got out to a very handy lead ahead of Germany. In the final push Great Britain remained in front with third-placed Hungary catching a crab in the final sprint. Great Britain had the fastest qualifying time. Hungary will now have to go through the repechage. Heat Two included Ioana Vrineanu of Romania who was part of the 2015 World Champion crew. Vrineanu was now teamed up with Elena Logofatu and after getting ahead of the fast starting crew from Belarus, the Romanians got into the lead. Belarus, however, was not giving up. Klimovich and Staraselets of Belarus went head to head for the entire race with Romania and together they crossed the line with barely any water between them, Romania just in front.

Heat Three had the United States crew of Emily and Eliza Kallflez in the lead. The sisters remained in the lead with Latvia trying to hold off the rest of the racers. Then China went to 35 strokes per minute and came back from an early race crab to move from fourth into third and a qualifying spot. The United States continued to dominate and they crossed the line in first.

Qualifiers: GBR, GER, POL, ROU, BLR, DEN, USA, LAT, CHN

Under-23 Men’s Double Sculls (BM2x) – Heats

Divided into three heats, the goal here was to be in a top three position for a direct path to the semifinals. In Heat One the Netherlands overtook Canada to take the lead. Canada held on but in the final sprint Amos Keijser and Abe Weirsma of the Netherlands pulled into a handy lead to win the race. Canada came through in second with Belgium qualifying from third. Heat Two had Bradley Betts and Kyle Schoonbee of South Africa leading for the first half of the race. But Poland followed closely and managed to push into the lead going through the third 500. Betts and Schoonbee, however, held on and crossed the line in first. Fighting for third, the Czech Republic got into the final qualifying spot using a 38 stroke rate.

Heat Three had the reigning under-23 World Champions, Germany in the lead. Although it was a different crew from the 2015 boat, the crew of Max Appel and Philipp Syring of Germany was making a great show of this race. They flew down the course and with every stroke opened up more of a lead over Norway and Mexico. In the final sprint Germany crossed easily and the Norwegian  crew proved to have the best sprint to hold on to second.

Qualifiers: NED, CAN, BEL, RSA, POL, CZE, GER, NOR, ITA

Under-23 Lightweight Women’s Single Sculls (BLW1x) – Heats

This boat class was divided into four heats with the top two boats only in each heat getting to go directly to the semifinals. This was a change from the original schedule as one boat, Peru’s rower did not make weight, changing the number of boats competing. In Heat One Sweden had the fastest start before Germany’s Luisa Werner got her nose in front. Annie Svensson of Sweden held on and these two boats went neck-and-neck through the middle of the race. Werner used a slightly higher stroke rate to hold the lead, but still Svensson did not give up. Then Werner was able to break away and a 33 stroke rate got her to the line first.

A fast start by Japan’s Miharu Takashima got her into the lead of Heat Two. Canada followed in second, but Takashima was able to hold off Larissa Werbicki of Canada. With torrential rain falling, Werbicki did not give up on the battle for the lead. In the final sprint Werbicki stayed in front. Heat Three had the poster child of this regatta, Marieke Keijser of the Netherlands in the lead. Keijser is the reigning junior champion in the open single after her win in Rio last year. By the middle of the race Keijser had a huge lead with Austria in second. By the end of the race Keijser had created a yawning gap back to Austria (Anja Manoutschehri) and recorded the fastest qualifying time of 7:50.

Heat Four opened with Nicole van Wyk of South Africa in the lead. Van Wyk continued to lead handling these difficult conditions very well. Mexico’s Kenia Lechuga Alanis followed in second. Lechuga is a Mexican sporting hero after racing courageously at the Rio Olympics two weeks ago. In the final sprint Lechuga challenged van Wyk, but she had left it too late and van Wyk was able to remain in control.

Qualifiers: GER, SWE, CAN, JPN, NED, AUT, RSA, MEX

Under-23 Lightweight Men’s Single Sculls (BLM1x) – Heats

A full field of 27 nations lined up in this boat class. They were divided into five heats with the top four boats in each heat going directly to the quarterfinals. Heat One opened with Kalman Furko of Hungary in the lead. But margins were tight and by the middle of the race Jiri Simanek of the Czech Republic had the lead with Slovenia’s Ales Jalen now pushing into second.  Jonathan Rommelmann of Germany flew out at the start of Heat Two and he remained in the lead through the middle of the race by building up a huge margin over the rest of the field. Russia’s Jurii Lesnov slotted into second with Uncas Batista of Brazil right on Lesnov’s pace. Then Lesnov pushed into second. But the beautiful sculling by Rommelmann kept him well in front.

Heat Three had Neils van Zandweghe of Belgium get away very quickly and take the lead over Italy’s Federico Gherzi. Gherzi closed on van Zandweghe, but the Belgian pushed hard in the final sprint and won with open water. Van Zandweghe had clocked a time of 7:06 which gave him the fastest qualifying time overall. Japan and Thailand left the starting blocks together in Heat Four which was turning into one of the closest races of the day. Going through the middle of the race only three seconds separated the entire field. In single sculling this small amount meant any of the crews had a shot at taking the lead. Iraq’s Mohammed Al-Khafaji then pushed out in front. Al-Khafaji recently competed in the open single at the Rio Olympic Games and he still had the lead with 500m left to row. Al-Khafaji then managed to get away from the field and he crossed the line in first.

A no-show by Morocco meant four boats raced in Heat Five. This meant there was no pressure on these boats as all four would qualify. Still, Tunisia’s Mohamed Taieb made the best of it and he had the lead right through to the final sprint. Then Great Britain’s Samuel Mottram took up the rating to cross the line in first.

Qualifiers: CZE, SLO, HUN, NED, GER, BRA, RUS, POR, BEL, MEX, ITA, DEN, IRQ, AUT, THA, JPN, GBR, NOR, TUN, BLR

Under-23 Lightweight Men’s Pair (BLM2-) – Heats

Divided into three heats, it was the goal of these rowers to finish in a top three position to be on a direct path to the semifinals. In Heat One Switzerland’s Fiorin Rueedi and Joel Schuerch led from start to finish over the United States who had to hold off a late charge between Hungary and Denmark. Hungary and the Danes took their stroke rate above 40 to try and grab the remaining qualifying spot. Hungary had done it. Denmark will now need to race in the repechage.

Coming out of the Rio Olympic lightweight four and into this race were Stefanos Ntouskos and Ioannis Petrou of Greece. They led the way in Heat Two over Turkey. Rating 38 into the final sprint, Greece stayed ahead of Mert Kaan Kartal and Fatih Unsal of Turkey. But in the very close Turkey was able to get in front and they crossed the line with the fastest qualifying time.

The under-23 World Champions, Italy raced in Heat Three. The new crew of Emanuele Giacosa and Pietro Cappelli from Italy took an early lead. But then Grayson Gray and Taylor Ashwood of Canada got out in front with China’s Jie Dong and Guiying Zhu following closely. Rating 39, China got ahead with just 250m left to row.

Qualifiers: SUI, USA, HUN, TUR, GRE, IRL, CHN, CAN, ITA

Under-23 Lightweight Women’s Double Sculls (BLW2x) – Heats

There were three heats in this boat class and the aim was to be in a top two position for a direct path to the semifinals. In Heat One Germany’s Charlotte Meinen and Caroline Meyer grabbed the lead from the fast starting Danish crew. Once in the lead Meinen and Meyer remained there with the slower starting Amber Kraak and Anne Marie Schonk of the Netherlands building up to take second. Using 35 strokes per minute, then 38, Germany remained in the lead and recorded the fastest qualifying time overall.

Heat Two featured the reigning under-23 World Champions, New Zealand. Remaining in the boat from the 2015 win was Jackie Kiddle with new partner Lucy Jonas. But at the start it was Federica Cesarini and Valentina Rodini of Italy in the lead. The Italians remained in front through the middle of the race with Kiddle and Jonas slotting into second. Then New Zealand did a push to level with Italy and the final sprint was on. Italy held on and the two crews went neck and neck to the line with Italy crossing less than a second in front.

China’s Xiaoyu Yuan and Guoru Liang started out the fastest in Heat Three with Australia and Canada holding on to the Chinese pace. In the race to the line China managed to hold off Australia who in turn held off Canada.

Qualifiers: GER, NED, ITA, NZL, CHN, AUS

Under-23 Lightweight Men’s Double Sculls (BLM2x) – Heats

The first of four heats opened with a very exciting race as these crews raced with the goal of finishing in a top two position for a direct route to the semifinals. Italy got away the quickest in this Heat One with France chasing hard. France recently won the lightweight double at the Rio Olympics and the crew of Benjamin David and Adrien Constantini of France must have been fired up to do well. By the middle of the race Italy still had the lead. Then David and Constantini did a push and got their boat in front. The French stayed in the lead for the rest of the race.

Serbia’s Marco Josic and Petar Jovanovic had just a nose of a lead at the start of Heat Two. By the middle of the race Josic and Jovanovic had earned a full boat length lead with Slovakia and Belgium going neck-and-neck for second. This battle meant Slovakia was able to close the gap on Serbia. Going to 37 strokes per minute, Slovakia continued to gain on Serbia. At the line it was a photo finish with Slovakia just a fraction ahead of Serbia. Slovakia had recorded the fastest qualifying time overall.

Heat Three opened with Spain out in front and by the middle of the race Adria Mitjavila and Rodrigo Conde Romero had pulled to an open water lead. As a crack of thunder sounded the Spanish crew showed their dominance right to the line leaving the rest of the field to fight for the second qualifying spot. At the line South Africa had held off Hungary to qualify.  The fourth and final heat had Alexander Modest and Fredrik Leight of Denmark just ahead at the start. Then Jonathan Schreiber and Joachim Agne of Germany got into the lead. Germany is the reigning under-23 World Champions of the double with Schreiber and Agne being a new line up from the 2015 boat. Meanwhile, further down the field, Lithuania had a boat-stopping crab and they will have to contend the repechage. At the line Germany had won with Denmark qualifying from second.

Qualifiers: FRA, ITA, SVK, SRB, ESP, RSA, GER, DEN