Racing begins at 2021 World Rowing Under 23 Championships

On the opening day of the 2021 World Rowing U23 Championships, heats were held for events with more than 25 entries and those events with A finals on Sunday. Conditions were good with a slight tail wind on the Racice course.

 

Lightweight Women’s Pair (BLW2-) – Heats

In each of the two heats there was just one qualifier straight to the final with the rest of the crews going to the repechage. Italy had a fast start in the first heat and held a lead over the USA throughout the race. Turkey had the fastest first quarter of the second heat but Germany came through by halfway and maintained the lead to the finish.

Qualifiers: ITA, GER

 

Lightweight Men’s Pair (BLM2-) – Heats

It was a strong first half for the United Stated in heat one. However, Chile started to put the pressure on and, in the closing stages, rowed through to take the single qualifying place. In the second heat, it was Uzbekistan that took the single qualifying place after holding off a challenge from Hungary.

Qualifiers: CHI, UZB

 

 

Women’s Pair (BW2-) – Heats

Spain had a very quick start in the first heat and continued to hold the lead at the halfway marker. However, the USA then started to increase their rating and they were trading places with Spain in the final quarter of the race. Spain managed to hold off the charge from the USA. In the second heat, the Jurkovic twins Ivana and Josipa led the race from the start to win comfortably.

Qualifiers: ESP, CRO

 

Men’s Pair (BM2-) – Heats

There were two crews to qualify from each heat in the men’s pair and it was Croatia and Lithuania who confirmed their progression through to the semifinal in the first heat. Great Britain led the second heat from the start. It was a photo finish for the second qualifying place between Italy and Greece, with Italy being confirmed as the eventual qualifier. Heat three also provided a close finish with Turkey crossing the line just ahead of France.

Qualifiers: CRO, LTU, GBR, ITA, TUR, FRA

 

Lightweight Men’s Quadruple Sculls (BLM4x) – Heats

Despite their yellow card for being late to the start, France made the first heat look comfortable, leading the race from their start, with Turkey taking the second direct qualification place. Germany led the second head throughout the race with Italy taking second place comfortably ahead of the remainder of the pack.

Qualifiers: FRA, TUR, GER, ITA

 

Women’s Quadruple Sculls (BW4x) – Heats

With three heats, it was the top three from each heat to progress directly to the semifinals. Germany led Estonia to the line in heat one with the United States taking third place. The front three looked fairly well set in in heat two with Switzerland crossing the line first. Italy appeared comfortable at the front of heat three and with Russia in second, there was a great race for the third qualifying place with Romania just pipping Canada to the line.

Qualifiers: GER, EST, USA, SUI, POL, CZE, ITA, RUS, ROU

 

Men’s Four (BM4-) – Heats

Two crews were to progress to the semifinals but Romania and Belarus still both raced hard to the line in heat one. Canada led the second heat but Ireland were in second at 1,000m and had enough left for a final sprint. Canada held off a sprint from Ireland in the second heat to cross the line first. Great Britain dominated the third and final heat with Germany taking the second qualifying place.

Qualifiers: ROU, BLR, CAN, IRL, GBR, GER

 

Lightweight Men’s Single Sculls (BLM1x) – Heats

The first of four heats in this lightweight men’s single sculls provided exciting racing and it was all to play for in the closing stages with three scullers fighting for two qualifying places. Sandro Gradella Bozzo of Peru and Max von Buelow of Germany took the qualifying places. It was perhaps not surprising to see Niels Torre of Italy comfortably leading heat two with Rasmus Lind of Denmark coming in second. Lazar Penev of Bulgaria had a comfortable lead in heat three, finishing ahead of Nicholas Aronow of the United States. Greece’s Antonios Papakonstantinou wasn’t troubled in the final heat, finishing with a strong lead ahead of Jan Schaeuble of Switzerland.

Qualifiers: PER, GER, ITA, DEN, BUL, USA, GRE, SUI

 

Men’s Single Sculls (BM1x) – Heats

With 29 scullers entered, there was five heats in the men’s single sculls with the top four from each progressing to the quarter finals. Javier Insfran of Paraguay had the fastest start but Germany’s Jonas Gelsen sculled through by halfway and continued to lead to the finish. Tristan Vandenbussche won the second heat, but just 0.29 seconds ahead of Piotr Plominski of Poland. Brazilian Thomas Levy won the third heat with Bulgaria’s Emil Neykov taking the honours in the fourth heat. The final heat had five scullers fighting for four qualifying places. Romania’s Cristian-Vasile Nicoara was fifth and will progress to the repechage.

Qualifiers: GER, DEN, CYP, NOR, BEL, POL, URU, MDA, BRA, HUN, SLO, SUI, BUL, ISR, CAN, SVK, BLR, USA, POR, ITA