The year that was … men’s eight

The British crew topped it off by winning Olympic gold and reclaiming the Olympic title in this boat class for the first time since the Sydney 2000 Games.

Included in the 2016 Rio Olympic champion crew were Andrew Triggs Hodge and Pete Reed when became three-time Olympic gold medallists. Scott Durant, Tom Ransley, Matt Gotrel, Paul Bennett, Matt Langridge, Will Satch and cox Phelan Hill completed the victorious British line-up.

After four season wins in a row, Britain joins Germany (2009-12) as the only two nations who have won all three world titles as well as Olympic gold in one Olympiad in the eight. For Rio, Germany took silver and the Netherlands bronze, thus replicating the 2015 World Rowing Championships podium.

The well-publicised rivalry between Great Britain and Germany made the men’s eight one of the most exciting and tightest fields of the London to Rio Olympic cycle. But it was the Netherlands and newcomers like New Zealand, who spiced it up. They made the 2016 season one of the most thrilling yet and left everyone guessing right up to the last few strokes of the Olympic final, who would take the Olympic crown in this blue riband event.

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Quotes:
“From the first stroke just go and don’t look back. Coming into the finish it was like really surreal. I couldn’t believe it and still can’t believe it.” – Will Satch (GBR) – gold 

“We did everything for the second place. It’s my second medal from the Olympic Games. We have to be happy it’s a medal for the Olympics.” – Eric Johannesen (GER) – silver

“I’m disappointed about (losing) the silver but I’m sure by tonight I’ll feel better.”  – Peter Wiersum (NED) – bronze

Video: Rio Replay of the final: https://youtu.be/ZIetslktFQk

Year in review: During the London to Rio quadrennial, the London Olympic Champions Germany was unable to overtake Great Britain to reclaim the world titles. But at the start of the final 2016 Olympic season it was Germany who seemed to get the upper hand. They kicked off the pre-Olympic season by winning the European Rowing Championships over Great Britain and finished it off by winning the final World Rowing Cup in Poznan.

The British eight started 2016 with the confidence of three back-to-back World Championship victories, but mixed results came in following a reshuffle when coach Juergen Grobler took out his top four rowers from the eight to make a new men’s four. In their place came Triggs Hodge, former World Champion Matt Langridge as well as Scott Durant and Olympic bronze medallist Tom Ransley. Great Britain then medalled at two of the three regattas – taking silver at World Rowing Cup III and bronze at the European Rowing Championships. But Great Britain never made the top of the podium during the 2016 season and finished outside of the medals at the World Rowing Cup in Lucerne. At the Olympics it all came together with the crew winning both their heat as well as the final in a start-to-finish victory.  

Gold in Rio was not a two-horse race and the Netherlands made this clear early in the season. The Dutch proved their ongoing strength following their World Championship bronze in 2015 and shook up the event in 2016 when they won gold at World Rowing Cup II ahead of both Germany and Britain. They also won World Rowing Cup I. The win in Lucerne was the first victory for the Dutch over the Germans since the Athens Olympics. The 1996 Olympic Champions, who regularly have won Olympic medals in this boat class, then took the Rio bronze medal.

New Zealand added to the 2016 excitement and proved that their qualifying spot at the World Rowing Championships in 2015 was not a one-off. The New Zealand crew, which included five of the 2014 under-23 World Champions and was the youngest crew of the competition, took bronze at World Rowing Cup III. Rio was the Olympic debut for the entire crew and a sixth place finish in Rio suggests we will hear more from them in the future.

Late qualifiers to the Rio line-up were the United States and Poland, who finished first and second respectively at the Final Olympic Qualification regatta. Both nations also medalled during the season with Poland winning bronze at the first World Rowing Cup and the United States winning bronze at the World Rowing Cup in Lucerne. United States were fourth in Rio, followed by Poland in fifth. Italy completed the field in Rio finishing seventh.