Racing for final Paralympic qualification places begins

The racing started in beautiful conditions Thursday morning in Gavirate for the Final Paralympic Qualification Regatta. The water was flat and the sun was shining with mild temperatures.

PR1 Women’s Single Sculls (PR1W1x) – Race for Lanes

Four boats went to the startline in the PR1 women’s single, but there is just one spot available for qualification. It will all come down to Saturday’s final race, but today was an opportunity for athletes to test their racing condition. Off the startline Brazil, Italy and Sweden all went off quickly. It was just Algeria’s Nedjoua Gharbi who was slightly off the pace. Through the middle of the race, Brazil’s Claudia Cicero dos Santos Sabino found her stride and started to pull ahead. Then Italy went with her. Across the finish line it was Brazil ahead of Italy, Sweden and Algeria.

Finishing positions: ITA, SWE, ALG, *BRA

*Update – due to an underweight boat for Brazil, she is relegated to last position.

PR1 Men’s single sculls (PR1M1x) – Heats

In the first heat of the men’s single sculls, it was Poland’s Jaroslaw Kailing who went off the start together with Argentina’s Alejandro Magno Vera. Kailing finished eight at the 2019 World Rowing Championships and comes to this event with plenty of experience. Vera continued to push hard behind him, but Kailing had the better boat speed. Through the finish line Kailing held his dominant lead to claim the one spot directly to the A-final, followed by Argentina, France and Kenya.

Heat 2 was a four-boat challenge between Hungary, Germany, Italy and Sudan. With just one spot directly through to the A-final, it was a quick start from Germany’s Marcus Klemp and Hungary’s Zsolt Peto. These two athletes have raced each other many times before and were certainly aware of the other’s strategy. Klemp tried to stave off Peto’s quick sprint by getting an early lead. But local favourite Massimo Spolon had something to say about it. He put in his move through the middle of the race and pulled ahead of Peto. Across the finish line it was Germany ahead of Italy, followed by Hungary and Sudan.

A-final qualifiers: Poland, Germany

PR2 Mixed double sculls (PR2Mix2x) – Heats

In the first heat, Canada went off to a slow but synchronous start. Italy jumped off the line and took a quick lead. These two crews moved through the middle of the race together with Canada rating slightly lower. But the battle between these two crews pulled them farther away from the trailing Germany and Russia. Coming into the final sprint, Italy made a push, which gave them the advantage ahead of Canada. They crossed the line first.

Australia absolutely shot off the start in Heat 2 and they opened up a huge advantage in the first few strokes. Both Uzbekistan and Latvia went away more cautiously, but rowing well together. Through the middle part of the race, Australia did not look back. They were able to control from the lead and secure the one spot directly to the A-final. Behind them Uzbekistan and Latvia battled for the second and third positions while Kenya dropped slightly off he pace.

A-final qualifiers: Italy, Australia

PR3 Mixed coxed four (PR3Mix4+)

Canada put their new line-up together with two returning members of their bronze-medal Paralympic crew from 2016 in hopes of qualifying for the Tokyo Paralympic Games. Off the start they looked good in Heat 1 of the PR3 mixed coxed four, but Brazil was hot on their tails. The Canadians tried to shake off the Brazilian challenge through the middle of the race by rating slightly lower and longer. Into the sprint, Canada had the advantage and Brazil’s push was not enough. Canada secured the one spot into the A-final.

Heat 2 was a very close race between the front-runners Germany and Spain. They both had bucket-rigged line-ups and they went together off the start line. They went bow-ball to bow-ball for the majority of the race, until Germany made a push in the third 500 meters. Into the sprint, the Spanish coxswain was desperately urging her crew on, but it was not enough. Germany secured the one spot into the A-final. Across the finish line was then Spain, Japan and Mexico.

A-final qualifiers: Canada, Germany