Going for a top three place in semis at World Rowing Under 23 Championships

On this fourth day at the 2021 World Rowing Under 23 Championships in Racice, Czech Republic it was all about the semifinals. With a slight cross tail wind and perfect flat water, crews raced to finish in a top three position to get to move on to the finals.

Lightweight Women’s Single Sculls (BLW1x) – Semifinals

The Greek sculler went out at 51 strokes per minute in Semifinal One. Evangelia Anastasiadou of Greece was second to the first 500 metre mark. It was Austria’s Lara Tiefenthaler that had the lead. Then Anastasiadou got her bow ahead of Tiefenthaler and these two boats started a battle at the head of the field. Rol of Switzerland sat in third with Russia on the pace. Rol had to come to this race through the repechage. Anastasiadou was now moving away from Tiefenthaler. The Greek sculler raced in May at the Final Olympic Qualification Regatta in the lightweight double and at the 2021 European Rowing Championships she was eighth in the lightweight double.

Russia then did a push coming into the final sprint and got ahead of Rol and moved on Austria. Four boats were contesting for three spots. Greece had won with Russia coming through in second and Austria holding on to third.

In Semifinal Two it was Germany and Italy that jumped out quickly with the fastest qualifier from the heats, the Netherlands right on the pace. Italy’s Silvia Crosio then did a push with Cosima Clotten of Germany sticking with her. Both of these boats moved together at the head of field and both rated 33 strokes per minute. Then Crosio got a very slight edge over Clotten, but there was still 500m left to race. Femke van de Vleit of the Netherlands was still in third. Van de Vleit then began her sprint as Ireland started to charge in one lane over. There was just 200m left of water. Italy had done it and recorded the fastest qualifying time.

But what about Ireland! Cliodhna Nolan of Ireland came flying and overtook van de Vleit to earn the final qualifying spot.

Qualifiers: GRE, RUS, AUT, ITA, GER, IRL

Lightweight Men’s Single Sculls (BLM1x) – Semifinals

In Semifinal One it was Italy’s Niels Torre who was the first to show. Torre has a great pedigree coming to this regatta after winning at World Rowing Cup III last month. Torre continued to move but Switzerland’s Jan Schaeuble was challenging with every stroke with Peru and Estonia and Ireland all very much on the pace. Italy and Switzerland then managed to break away from the rest of the crews with an almost line forming between Estonia, Ireland, Peru and the United States. This was going to be a huge fight for third. Torre took first. Schaeuble took second and Estonia’s Elar Loot did the best sprint to grab third.

Greece’s Antonios Papakonstantinou shot out in Semifinal Two. He was followed most closely by Bulgaria and Argentina. Papakonstantinou, using a very dynamic stroke, got to the half way point with an open water lead. Behind him it was still Argentina and Bulgaria going neck-and-neck. Lazar Penev of Bulgaria raced earlier this season at World Rowing Cup I and finished in fourth. Argentina’s Pedro Dickson is at his first international event. It would be hard for anyone else to catch these three leading boats with Papakonstantinou continuing to control this race. Penev and Dickson were still going stroke for stroke. In the final sprint Papakonstantinou crossed the line in first and in the fastest qualifying time of 6:57.48. Penev grabbed second.

Qualifiers: ITA, SUI, EST, GRE, BUL, ARG

Women’s Double Sculls (BW2x) – Semifinals

It was a good start for Greece in Semifinal One. They came off the line using 49 strokes per minute. Cora Loch and Judith Guhse of Greece were looking great and they had started to move away to a full boat length lead. Behind Greece it was a full-on fight between Italy and Belarus and the Netherlands. Would this fight mean that they’d close on Greece? Going through the middle of the race the clear water lead that Greece had gained was starting to be eaten away. The Netherlands was really moving. The Dutch (Lisa Bruijnincx and Fien van Westreenen) had the fastest time coming from the heats and they won the 2019 World Rowing Junior Championships. The Netherlands continued to charge and they had more boat speed than the Greeks. Meanwhile Belarus and Italy were really sprinting.  At the line the Dutch had won and Greece had to be satisfied with second with Belarus coming through in third.

At the start of Semifinal Two it was Germany and Romania were the fastest. Germany had a bit more speed and had managed to get a slight advantage. Great Britain was the next best and followed very closely. At the half way point Germany’s Cora Loch and Judith Guhse had gotten there first with Great Britain’s Zoe Adamson and Katherine George now moving ahead of Romania who were rating 36 to Great Britain’s 32. At the head of the field Loch and Guhse were maintaining a 35-stroke rate pace to stay in the lead.

Romania wasn’t giving up and the battle between Great Britain and Romania remained. It looked as though no other boat would get into a top three position, although Lithuania was putting up a challenge. At the line the Germans had remained in first with Romania finishing a fraction ahead of Great Britain.

Qualifiers: NED, GRE, BLR, GER, ROU, GBR

Men’s Double Sculls (BM2x) – Semifinals

Italy had a flying start in Semifinal One. But there wasn’t much in it with less than two seconds separating the entire field at the first 500m marker. Then Switzerland did a push and both Italy and Switzerland moved together through the middle of the race with Belarus sitting in third. Russia was still on the pace and France also remained within striking distance. The final sprint had begun and Switzerland’s Kai Schaetzle and Tim Roth had the best speed. Belarus had got the better of Italy, but there was still more water to race. At the line the order hadn’t changed. The best race went to Switzerland.

It was all about Greece at the start of Semifinal Two with a very close battle going on between Spain, Germany and Great Britain. Greece’s boat of Christos Stergiakas and Athanasios Palaiopanos are at their first international regatta together but have raced individually in other boats at the international level. Greece continued to lead through the middle of the race with Germany now establishing themselves in second and Spain and Great Britain neck-and-neck for third. Greece was at 39 and Germany at 36 as the final sprint came into view. In the final sprint Germany was really closing on Greece with Spain and Great Britain going for it for the final qualifying spot.

Germany and Great Britain both had a huge final sprint. Germany had won with Greece only just holding off Great Britain.

Qualifiers: SUI, BLR, ITA, GER, GRE, GBR

Men’s Four (BM4-) – Semifinals

At the start of Semifinal One it was Ireland that had the best pace. Great Britain and Romania followed in second and third respectively with Russia also on the pace. Ireland continued to lead coming into the middle of the race. The Irish crew had raced at World Rowing Cup II and finished nineth. Ireland now had a slight lead over Great Britain who had pulled into second. But margins remained close with Greece and Romania both very much within striking distance. Then Russia did a big piece. This race was far from over.

Ireland continued to look good at the head of the field as they came into the final 500m. Great Britain had now pulled into second with Russia moving up on Great Britain and Romania trying to hold on. At the line Romania had missed out. Ireland had recorded the fastest qualifying time.

The fastest start in Semifinal Two went to Canada. The Canadians posted the fastest time in the heats and they must have been forming the role of favourites. Using a bucket rig, Canada’s technique looked textbook. Following the closest was Germany and Belarus who were racing neck-and-neck. The remaining three boats were in a practical line and all still within striking distance. Canada continued to move well racing 37 strokes per minute with Belarus and Germany remaining neck-and-neck as they fought for second.

Canada now had a boat length lead coming into the final sprint with the German – Belarus battle remaining oh so close. At the line Canada had it and Belarus got second over Germany.

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

Men’s Quadruple Sculls (BM4x) – Semifinals

Much to the locals delight the Czech Republic jumped out very fast in Semifinal One. This is the Czech team’s flagship boat and they are expected to medal. They rated 40 strokes per minute as they came into the first 500m marker. Italy and France followed very, very closely. Italy then got their nose in front with a 38 stroke rate. The Czech crew held on. The Czechs have a bit more experience over the Italians having raced at World Rowing Cup III.

Going through the middle of the race Italy had the lead with the Czech Republic and France going with them. These three crews had now moved away from the rest of the boats. Italy remained in front as they moved into the final sprint looking smooth. The Czechs held on to second with France in third.

Moving out at a fast pace in Semifinal Two was the Dutch crew. Two of the Dutch crew raced in the men’s eight at the 2019 under-23 championships and they won bronze. The Netherlands remained in the lead with Romania and Germany and Chile all on the pace. Romania had now moved into second with Germany and Poland going after the leaders. There wasn’t much in it and there were four boats going for three spots. With the Dutch still in the front there was just 0.18 of a second between second, third and fourth. Germany fought back to get second with Poland beating Romania by a second. The Netherlands had recorded the fastest qualifying time.

Qualifiers: ITA, CZE, FRA, NED, GER, POL

Lightweight Men’s Double Sculls (BLM2x) – Semifinals

Stroked by Melvin Mueller-Ruchholtz, Germany led the way through the first 500m of the race Semifinal One. All of these athletes had to weigh in before racing as this is lightweight rowing. Following Germany was Ireland and Belgium. Ireland made the racing look easy and they were holding on to Germany’s pace. There was now a gap emerging going through the middle of the race with Germany now nearly a boat length ahead of Ireland. But the Irish, rating 37, then did a piece in the third 500 and closed on Germany. Belgium was still on the pace. Austria was back in fourth and did not look like they were close enough to challenge for a qualifying spot. In the final few hundred metres Germany remained ahead of Ireland with Belgium still comfortably in third. The order did not change through to the line with Belgium slipping back as they were under no threat for their qualifying spot.

Poland received a yellow card for being late to the start in Semifinal Two. It didn’t hinder Italy who shot out very quickly with Switzerland and France moving with the Italians. Arturo Rotta and Tommaso Molinari of Italy are doing their international debut, but it didn’t show. Italy continued to lead through the middle of the race with Switzerland now moving on Italy and France holding on. Switzerland (Gian Struzina and Raphael Ahumada Ireland), rating 36 was now in the lead and they continued to move. Italy was now rating 38, but Poland at 37 was gaining every stroke on the Italian position. With France getting ahead of Switzerland to take first and second positions, the fight was on for the final qualifying spot. Poland had got the better of Italy at the line. The finishing time by France was less than half a second outside of Germany – the semifinal one winner.

Qualifiers: GER, IRL, BEL, FRA, SUI, POL

Men’s Single Sculls (BM1x) – Semifinals

Poland had a clean start in Semifinal One with Piotr Plominski looking good. Plominski has raced at the senior level this season and he had a tenth-place finish in World Rowing Cup III. Belarus and Hungary were the closest to Plominski. Going through the middle of the race Plominski remained in front but his lead was small with Belarus’ Yauheni Zalaty right on his tail. Coming through the third 500 Plominski remained in the lead with Zalaty looking rather comfortable in second and Belgium a margin back in third. It didn’t look like much would change through to the line. Zalaty still pushed Plominski in the final sprint and Belgium held on for third. Plominski had qualified with the fastest time.

At the start of Semifinal Two it was Bulgaria that had the fastest pace. Emil Neykov is the son of Olympic Champion Rumyana Neykova and has been racing internationally since a junior and he finished 18^th at World Rowing Cup I. The rest of the field remained in contact as they came into the middle of the race with Brazil right on top of Neykov. Only just over a second separated the top four boats. There remained four boats fighting it out for three spots as they went through the third 500. Denmark and Germany were at 37 and 38 respectively to hold on to Bulgaria and Brazil. Then Brazil began to run out of steam and Germany (Jonas Gelsen) and Denmark (Bastian Secher) were neck-and-neck behind Neykov.

At the line Neykov had won ahead of Secher and Gelsen.

Qualifiers: POL, BLR, BEL, BUL, DEN, GER

Women’s Single Sculls (BW1x) – Semifinals

As in the heats it was Katherine Williams of South Africa who had a fast start at the beginning of the race. Just behind Williams was Alexandra Foester of Germany. Foester was rating just 30 strokes per minute and she looked a lot smoother than Williams. Foester kept her stroke long and powerful and she was able to pull ahead of Foester. Going through the half way point Foester had more than a second over Williams with Italy and Ireland working to move up on the leaders.

Now the Czech Republic started to really push it. This race was really hotting up. Anna Santruckova of the Czech Republic has moved out of the pair to race the single. Coming through the final sprint Foester looked rather comfortable in first with the Santruckova moving up on Williams. What a finish! Germany had taken first with Williams holding second and Santruckova grabbing third.

A quick start by France’s Audrey Feutrie gave her the lead at the start of Semifinal Two. Feutrie raced at World Rowing Cup III last month where she finished 11^th. Switzerland’s Aurelia-Maxima Janzen was the closest challenger and she sat in second with Great Britain in third. Janzen then moved up on Feutrie. Janzen was rating 27 to Feutrie at 34 strokes per minute. Janzen was just ahead of Feutrie coming into the final sprint with Great Britain’s Lauren Henry closing on France with the Netherlands giving it her all to get into a qualifying spot.

At the line Janzen had won with Henry taking second and Feutrie held on to third. Janzen had recorded the fastest qualifying time.

Qualifiers: GER, RSA, CZE, SUI, GBR, FRA