Race Report: Big B-final results at under-23 World Rowing Championships

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

The favourite must have been Sofia Asoumanaki of Greece. Asoumanaki ,19, raced in the women’s double sculls at the Rio Olympics and swapping back to the single has taken a bit of adjustment. She sat behind Switzerland at the start of this B-final. Then Asoumanaki got her boat in front and once there the World Record holder on the indoor rowing machine pushed away from the field. Canada’s Layla Balooch slotted into second but did not seem to have the speed to catch the Greek. In the final sprint a mad dash between Switzerland, Russia and Canada saw Ekaterina Kurochekina of Russia take second.

Results: GRE, RUS, SUI, CAN, NZL, UKR

Under-23 Men’s Pair (BM2-) – B-final

Due to the absence of Great Britain, this was a two-horse race with Greece’s Paschalis Konstantas and Thomas Karamitros leading from start to finish. This meant that Germany became the chasing boat and they were unable to change this position. Germany had beaten Greece in the repechage, so this race was quite a turnaround.

Results: GRE, GER

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

Poland’s Julia Styla and Katarzyna Welna led from start to finish. The Poles recorded a good time in the heats, but then missed out in the A-final following their semifinal race. They watched a tight dual between China and Hungary which ended in a photo finish and Hungary earning second.

Results: POL, HUN, CHN, NOR, CAN, LAT

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

The big deal in this race was Gergo Cziraki and Jacopo Mancini of Italy who had a closing sprint that brought them from fifth place through to second and they nearly caught the leaders, Mexico. At the start of the race Juan Florez Rodriguez and Diego Sanchez Sanchez of Mexico had a very fast start. But then Poland pushed ahead with a race that saw just two seconds separating the entire field at the half way point. Then the Mexicans got back in the lead and held off the flying Italians in the final sprint. Mexico becomes seventh in the world for 2016.

Results: MEX, ITA, POL, LTU, INA, CZE

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

Romania’s Andreea Asoltanei was in the A-final at the European Rowing Championships, but here Asoltanei was only able to make the B-final. Asoltanei made the best of it and by the half way point she had a comfortable lead over Luisa Werner of Germany. Asoltanei felt confident enough to drop her stroke rate through the middle of the race and the Romanian had no need to sprint the finals. Italy challenged Germany in the close of the race, but Werner had enough of a lead to hold her off.

Results: ROU, GER, ITA, USA, JPN, ESP

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

Both Tunisia and Slovenia got away very quickly leaving a virtual line to form behind them between the rest of the fleet. Slovenia’s Ales Jalen and Tunisia’s Mohamed Taieb went neck-and-neck through the body of the race and both boats were still together coming into the final sprint. Jalen went to 38 to try and stay ahead. The gap between the field closed right up and Uncas Batista of Brazil proved his worth by overtaking Tunisia and the Czech Republic to finish second.

Results: SLO, BRA, CZE, TUN, AUT, IRQ

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

Italy was the fastest of these six boats in the semifinals and they had the lead at the start. Emanuele Giacosa and Pietro Cappelli of Italy had a small margin by the middle of the race with Canada’s Grayson Gray and Taylor Ashwood now moving into second. Italy is the reigning under-23 World Champions and they must have had some big pressure to perform. Keeping their stroke rate high, Italy held the lead through to the end with the best sprint going to Germany who pushed ahead of Denmark to get third.

Results: ITA, CAN, GER, DEN, HUN, JPN

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

Canada and Greece were the two crews that just missed out on making the A-final when they raced in the semifinals. Today Canada’s Ellen Gleadow and Jennifer Casson led the crews out of the starting blocks. Greece followed in second and these two crews moved clean away from their opposition. Canada remained in front and just had a bit more power than Greece. Canada looked strong and remained in front until the line, while Greece was able to hold off Denmark, at 36, who worked the sprint.

Results: CAN, GRE, DEN, ESP, HUN, RUS

Under-23 Lightweight Men’s Double Sculls (BM2x) – B-final

In the semifinals, Germany missed out on qualifying for the A-final by just 0.03 of a second. Germany hold the title of reigning under-23 World Champions and they must have been disappointed not to make the A-final. Jonathan Schreiber and Joachim Agne of Germany got away quickly at the start and by the middle of the race they had a handy lead over Serbia in second. Germany maintained the margin and did sprint the finish, keeping a wary eye on Serbia. The big fight, though, went on between China and Belgium who were vying for third. Belgium got there first.

Results: GER, SRB, BEL, CHN, HUN, CRO

Under-23 Men’s Quadruple Sculls (BM4x) – B-final

In race 270 of this regatta began with a false start with Ireland jumping out too soon. The restart saw France in the lead. Behind them Canada and Russia were neck-and-neck. The Canada-Russia tussle saw them close on France. Canada and Russia had recorded the next fastest times in the semifinals and they were doing their best to haul in the French. In the third 500m Russia pushed into the lead. The Russians were really flying. The final sprint had totally upset what had gone on earlier in the race. France held on to second, but Canada slipped back into fifth.

Results: RUS, FRA, BLR, UKR, CAN, IRL

Under-23 Women’s Four (BW4-) – B-final

Canada led from start to finish. But not with ease. First Ukraine put the pressure on the Canadians, then Poland and finally, in the closing sprint, China did their best to catch Canada. Rating 38, Canada remained in front. Just before the line, however, Canada caught a crab. They recovered and had enough of a lead to stay in first.

Results: CAN, CHN, POL, UKR

Under-24 Men’s Coxed Four (BM4+) – B-final

The Serbians only just missed out on the A-final when they raced in the repechage. Would they pull off a win today? At the start Serbia shared the lead with Switzerland in one lane over. By the half way point, Switzerland had pushed into the lead with Germany overtaking Serbia. At the head of the field Switzerland was flying. They moved out to an open water lead and left the rest of the field to play catch up. Germany held on to second with Canada grabbing third.

Results: SUI, GER, CAN, SRB, BLR, AUT

Under-23 Lightweight Women’s Quadruple Sculls (BLW4x) – B-final

Three boats raced in this B-final and Austria had the lead at the start. During the repechage Denmark had beaten Austria to the line and they chased hard. At the back of the field was the United States with Emma Betuel in stroke seat. Betuel raced just 40 minutes ago in the lightweight single and she must have been feeling it. Austria remained in front as the United States closed on Denmark. In the final sprint the high rating Americans pulled ahead of Denmark and went after Austria. The Austrians just managed to hold them off.

Results: AUT, USA, DEN

Under-23 Women’s Pair (BW2-) – B-final

If Chile had been in the other repechage they could well have made the A-final. Luck of the draw saw them in the B-final today. Melita and Antonia Abraham of Chile are quadruplets with two brothers that also row. The duo led the way today and by the middle of the race Chile had a small margin over Romania in second. Romania could not hold the pace as Switzerland did a piece and pulled into second. But still the Abraham’s continued to lead. Striking 33, Chile looked very much in control.

China then did a push and went after Switzerland with Romania back in the picture. Chile had to watch out. Chile got there first.

Results: CHI, CHN, ROU, SUI, CRO

Under-23 Lightweight Men’s Quadruple Sculls (BLM4x) – B-final

France are the reigning under-23 World Champions and they have retained one member of that 2015 winning boat. France did not have a good semifinal and they race in today’s B-final. France led for the entire race with Norway slotting into second. The final sprint saw the high-rating France cross the line in first with Norway just a bit behind in second.

Results: FRA, NOR, NZL, AUS, POR, AUT

Under-23 Men’s Four (BM4-) – B-final

Argentina had the best result in the semifinals of these boats, but it was Canada that had the lead at the start. The Canadians still were in front at the 1000m mark with Argentina and the Czech Republic going neck-and-neck for second. This helped push Argentina up to Canada and this would have to be a full-on sprint to the line. Striking 40, Canada was reacting well to the Argentinian sprint. Going to 42, Canada was able to pull away. Then Italy came flying down the outside, snatching second from Argentina.

Results: CAN, ITA, ARG, CZE, CRO, RUS

Under-23 Lightweight Men’s Four (BLM4-) – B-final

France and Denmark just missed out on making the A-final when they raced in the semifinals and they sat in the middle lanes of this race. At the start Denmark was at the head of the field with France down the pack. Austria was the first to challenge Denmark’s lead, but by the middle of the race they had slipped right back. Then the United States tried to go after Denmark. The Danes went to 38 coming through the final sprint as France began to pick it up. France was, though, quite a way back. The United States went to 40. Denmark held them off.

Results: DEN, USA, FRA, CHI, AUT, ESP

Under-23 Women’s Quadruple Sculls (BW4x) – B-final

Great Britain and New Zealand shared similar times in the repechage and this was likely to be a race between these two crews. New Zealand got away the quickest with Great Britain following in second. By the middle of the race New Zealand had earned an open water lead. But then they seemed to tire. Great Britain began to creep back. New Zealand did a push coming into the final sprint as they saw the British coming. The two boats were now neck-and-neck with China also very much within striking distance. The Kiwis had held off Great Britain as China came through to nearly get second.

Results: NZL, GBR, CHN, UKR, USA 

Under-23 Women’s Eight (BW8+) – B-final

A two-boat race between France and the Czech Republic was likely to go the way of the Czech Republic if the repechage was anything to go by. With that the Czech Republic took the lead using a higher stroke rate than the French. The order did not change through to the line.

Results: CZE, FRA

Under-23 Men’s Eight (BM8+) – B-final

The United States had the fastest time of these boats coming through from the semifinals. But it was France that had a flyer of a start recording a 1:21 split for the first 500m. Russia, in one lane over, followed in second. Then Australia began to close on France. The final sprint was now in view and Australia had nearly caught France. Behind these two leaders the United States and Russia were neck-and-neck. France went from 42 to 42, Australia was on 42. There was nothing in it. France had done it, a nose ahead of Australia.

Results: FRA, AUS, RUS, USA, POL, ESP

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

Benjamin Davison of the United States just missed out on the A-final when he raced in the semifinals. Davison was part of the US men’s quadruple sculls that tried to qualify for the Rio Olympics earlier this season. Today he made the best of the B-final and got out to an early lead. By the middle of the race Davison had a small lead over Belarus. Davison was then able to push away from Pilip Pavukou of Belarus. The final sprint saw Davison remain in front to finish seventh overall at this regatta.

Results: USA, BLR, MON, HUN, NOR, SLO