Poland buoyant at World University Rowing Championships

The athletes hailed from 27 nations across six continents making it a truly global event with 14 boat classes being contested. As host nation, Poland fielded the largest team with 41 athletes, while the Netherlands and Great Britain were not far behind with squads of 34 and 31 athletes respectively. Poland’s team took medals in eight of the boat classes including one gold. But it was Germany that had the shine, winning four gold medals.

Lightweight men’s and women’s single sculls

Australia’s Amy James took gold in the lightweight women’s single, maintaining her position to the line against a powerful attack by Anja Manoutschehri of Austria, who couldn’t break James’ lead after moving from fourth into second in the last 1000m of the race. Patricia Mara of Canada finished with bronze as Italy’s Federica Pala faded.

With 17 entries, the lightweight men’s single sculls attracted the largest field. Italian sculler Federico Gherzi cruised to first, besting Poland’s Jerzy Kowalski and Daniel Matyasovszki of Hungary. Canada’s Matthew Christie finished fourth despite a strong first half.

LW1x Results: AUS, AUT, CAN, ITA, GER, GBR
LM1x Results: ITA, POL, HUN, CAN, SVK, RSA

Lightweight men’s and women’s doubles

A four boat dash to the line in the for the men saw Johannes Ursprung and Cedric Kulbach of Germany held off a resurgence from Slovakian duo of Peter Zelinka and Richard Vanco, for gold while France’s Francois Teroin and Luke Epain snatched the final podium position by 0.04 seconds from a flagging Italy, who had sat second for most of the race.

In the women’s event, however, it was Italy all the way as Federica Cesarini and Valentina Rodini leading,. Russia’s Anastasiia Lebedeva and Anastasiia Ianina finish second, while Germany’s Kathrin Morbe and Katrin Thoma held on to a narrow lead over Poland that they had opened up in the second half.

LM2x Results: GER, SVK, FRA, ITA, HUN, CZE
LW2x Results: ITA, RUS, GER, POL, AUS, CZE

Lightweight men’s four

Poland finished just 0.75 seconds ahead of Italy and 1.43 seconds ahead of France. A solid Polish performance later on in the race made up for a poor first quarter, which saw the host crew in sixth position through the first 500m. By 1000m they had assumed the lead and they held off all challengers.

Results: POL, ITA, FRA, GBR, NED, RSA

Men’s and women’s pair

The Czech duo of Jakub Podrazil and Kukas Helesic were dominant in the men’s pair, finishing almost 2.5 seconds ahead of Narey McCaffrey and Louis van Velthooven of New Zealand and 4.16 seconds ahead of Australia’s Angus Moore and Nathan Bowden.

The women’s pair looked like it would be Poland’s race as Anna and Maria Wierzbowska pushed their lead through the first 1500 metres. Ludovica Serafini and Carmela Pappalardo (ITA) had only been waiting for the right moment to open up their speed, which they did with devastating results for their competition as they surged into first place in the final stretch and captured gold. Poland took the silver, while Great Britain’s Anastasia Chitty and Sam Courty finished with bronze.

M2- Results: CZE, NZL, AUS, FIN, POL, GBR
W2- Results: ITA, POL, GBR, CZE, NED

Men’s and women’s four

Great Britain’s Oli Knight, Will Warr, Tom Ford and Morgan Hellen claimed gold, never giving up their lead despite being pressed hard by Poland and then Italy in the men’s four. Italy had an incredible sprint to the line and overtook the Polish crew to take silver, but could not catch the British.

The women’s four was an easy win for Germany. Although behind the British at the 500m, the German crew of Clara Redetzki, Friederike Reissig, Charlotte Reinhardt and Conastanze Duell moved into first and held their position as Italy also pushed through the British to take silver in the final quarter.

M4- Results: GBR, ITA, POL, NED, SUI, CAN
W4- Results: GER, ITA, GBR, POL, CAN, NED

 Men’s and women’s single sculls

Germany’s Julia Leiding captured gold in the women’s single, safely ahead while the race for silver unfolded to her stern. Lisa Farthofer (AUT) advanced steadily from fourth to third and finally second, surging ahead of Monika Dkarska (IRL), who fell back to third.

 Czech sculler Michal Plocek won easily in the men’s single ahead of Dominik Czaia or Poland and Maximilian Fraenkel of Germany. For Plocek this medal follows a bronze at the World Rowing Under 23 Championships.

 W1x Results: GER, AUT, IRL, CZE, POL, NED
M1x Results: CZE, POL, GER, ITA, CAN, HUN

Men’s and women’s double sculls

In what was effectively a three boat race for the women, Czech scullers Lenka Antosova and Kristyna Fleissnerova gained an early lead and maintained first through to the finish. Poland’s Olga Michalkiewicz and Katarzyna Zillmann took silver following a dogged back and forth battle through the middle race with Rosa Bas and Roos de Jong (NED), who won bronze.

In the men’s race, Timo Piontek and Stephan Krueger of Germany managed to hold off a Polish attack in the final stretch. It was too little too late for Poland’s Dawid Grabowski and Adam Wicenciak, who were still 0.81 seconds shy of closing the gap when they crossed the line. Dam Sterbak and Matyas Klang (CZE) took bronze.

W2x Results: CZE, POL, NED, GBR, ITA, CAN
M2x Results: GER, POL, CZE, AUS, ITA, CAN 

Men’s eight

What looked like it might become a showdown between France and Great Britain, started off with an exciting first half with the French leading by less than a second at the 500m. At 1000m the British were in front, but by the scantest of margins. That momentum was enough and the crew of Richard Clarke, Ed Gleadowe, Jacob Dawson, Tristan Vouilloz, Cameron Buchan, Robbie Massey, Tim Clarke, Janes Stanhope and coxswain Rory Copus only increased their lead with each stroke finishing 3.43 seconds ahead of France at the line. Poland similarly surged in the second half and overtook the Netherlands to claim bronze.

M8+ Results: GBR, FRA, POL, NED, CZE, HUN

First contested in Milan, Italy in 1984 under the auspices of the International Federation for University Sports (FISU), the World University Rowing Championship are held every second year. Participation and competitiveness at the FISU rowing event have steadily increased to the point where rowing is now regularly included as an “optional sport” at the Summer Universiade Games during odd numbered years.

Poznan is often referred to as the “University City”. With a population just over 600,000, the city swells with 140,000 students attending from over 26 universities or higher leaning institutions. Poznan is also well known to the rowing family, with every level of international regatta coming to its famed Malta Lake. FISA’s World Rowing Cup is a regular event  including this years’ third World Rowing Cup.

The next World University Rowing Championships will take place outside of Europe for the first time in 2018 in Mar del Plata, Argentina.

Daily results, Information Bulletins, Photos and Regatta information for this year’s event can be found at http://rowing2016.com/championship/