Perfect finish for finals at 2021 World Rowing Under 23 Championships

Gold, silver and bronze under-23 championship medals were up for grabs on this final day of racing at the 2021 World Rowing Under 23 Championships in Racice, Czech Republic. In flat calm waters and warm weather, these under-23 finalists got to enjoy perfect rowing conditions to race their best race.

Women’s four (BW4-) – Final

Great Britain took it hard at the start and got out in front rating 39 strokes per minute. The Unites States were at second rating 37. These two crews got a bit of a lead over the rest of the field going through the 500m mark. These two crews raced each other in the heats with the US winning over GB by 3 seconds. The US crew will also be racing in the women’s eight later today. The British four had done fewer races as they focused solely on the four. Stroke for Great Britain, Daisy Bellamy got to race at World Rowing Cup III. She was one of the few with international experience in this race.

Going through the middle of the race the British were around 36 strokes per minute and moving away from the US with Romania and Chile having a battle for third. Chile had a high start of 46-47 strokes per minute. Chile was now at 38 with Romania also at 38. Great Britain now had more than a boat length lead over the United States. The US, in the final sprint, was coming back. They got their boat overlapping. The British reacted back. Great Britain had won with a time of 6:35.66. The United States won silver and bronze went to Romania.

Results: GBR, USA, ROU, CHI, GER, RUS

Men’s four (BM4-) – Final

Ireland recorded the fastest time in the semifinals and they sat in the middle lane with Canada next door. The Irish had an aggressive start rating 49 to get a small lead. Ireland is known to have a good finish and the other boats would have to stay in touch if they wanted to get the better of Ireland. The Irish settled into 40 with Great Britain also rating high. Coming through the middle of the race Ireland had the lead but only slightly over Canada and these two boats looked to be going stroke for stroke with Great Britain in third.

Canada, at 38 strokes per minute, then got their bow ahead of Ireland. Great Britain was still in third, rating 40, and looked to have this position wrapped up. Both Ireland and Canada were rating 38 with Canada seeming to be moving their boat just a bit faster. In the final 500m Canada kept moving away from Ireland. Canada went to 40. Ireland would need some magic to catch them. Great Britain remained firmly in third. Canada had won in a time of 5:56.68

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

Lightweight women’s single sculls (BLW1x) – Final

This race was looking good for Italy’s Silvia Crosio after she recorded the fastest qualifying time in the semifinals. Crosio also raced at World Rowing Cup III where she won silver in the lightweight double. Five boats got away quickly with only Russia slightly off the pace. Then Lara Tiefenthaler of Austria managed to get a small lead over Greece’s Evangelia Anastasiadou. Tiefenthaler is known for her fast starts and the other scullers must have known this.

Austria, Italy and Greece were practically neck-and-neck at the head of the field with Crosio now taking over at the front rating 33 strokes per minute. Anastasiadou was at 34 strokes per minute and holding tightly to Crosio. Russia’s Aleksandra Fomina was now moving up. Fomina continued to push and she got her nose ahead of Anastasiadou and closed on Crosio. Crosio, however, was looking good and in the final sprint she had nearly a boat length lead looking smooth and long. Russia remained just ahead of Greece. Crosio had won in 7:49.92. Anastasiadou fought off Fomina to take silver.

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

Lightweight men’s single sculls (BLM1x) – Final

It was almost identical times between the winners of the two semifinals – Italy and Greece. They met today in the final. It was a flying start by Argentina (Pedro Dickson) that went off the line at 50 strokes per minute. Then Bulgaria’s Lazar Penev moved up. Penev raced at World Rowing Cup I where he finished fourth. Italy was now rating the highest at 38 strokes per minute, but it was Greece’s Antonios Papakonstantinou that then took the lead.

Coming through the middle of the race Papakonstantinou had a bit of a lead over Niels Torre of Italy. Torre has already won gold twice this season at World Rowing Cup II and III. Italy was at 36 and Greece at 35 and Greece still had the lead. Papakonstantinou had nearly a boat length lead coming into the final sprint. Torre was now under pressure by Bulgaria. Torre pushed away and Penev had no answer. At the line Papakonstantinou had won in 6:57.63) despite Torre’s massive sprint. Penev held on to bronze.

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

Women’s double sculls (BW2x) – Final

This looked like it would be a showdown between Germany and the Netherlands following both of them winning their respective semifinals. The boats were lined up evenly at the start and with the green light the crews took off for their 2000 metres of racing. Romania had a small early lead over Germany. Then Germany’s Cora Loch and Judith Guhse got in front. Guhse finished fourth in this event at the 2019 World Rowing Junior Championships. Then Greece took the lead with a line forming behind them of Great Britain, Romania, the Netherlands and Germany.

Coming into the middle of the race Greece still had the lead with Great Britain pushing into second. But margins remained incredibly tight. The Netherlands then did a push. The Dutch crew of Lisa Bruijnincx and Fien van Westreenen won gold in this boat class at the 2019 World Rowing Junior Championships. In the final sprint Greece had only a slight lead over the Dutch who had overtaken two boats and were closing on Greece. Germany now moved and took on the Greeks. The Netherlands had won in a time of 7:15.

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

Men’s double sculls (BM2x) – Final

Coming through from the semifinals these six crews had just a three-second spread of finishing times. This race was going to be close and all six crews looked to have a medal chance. The crews went flying out at the start with Germany and Greece going the quickest. Germany settled at 38 and Greece at 36 strokes per minute. They were neck-and-neck with Switzerland in third and Italy in there as well. At the half way point Greece had a small lead over Germany with Switzerland putting the leading two crews under pressure.

Greece’s Christos Stergiakas and Athanasios Palaiopanos continued to hold the lead and keep their boat moving the quickest over Aaron Erfanian and Moritz Wolff of Germany. Switzerland’s Kai Schaetzle and Tim Roth continued to threaten Germany.  In the final sprint Greece looked good in their lead with the real battle going on between Germany and Switzerland. Greece had done it in a time of 6:23.49.

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

Lightweight women’s double sculls (BLW2x) – Final

A false start brought the boats back into the blocks when Italy moved too soon. The Italian crew of Biancia Saffirio and Greta Parravicini look to be the crew to beat after scoring the fastest qualifying time in the heats. The second time it was a clean start and Italy shot out at 48 strokes per minute to have the quickest start. They got their bow in front. But there was little in it with the top five crews separated by just over a second. Hungary was doing great in second as Italy began to pull away. Then Turkey did a push to get into second. Turkey’s Merve Uslu and Elis Ozbay came to the final through the repechage and they were rating 37 to get into second.

Italy now had a boat length lead with Turkey the only one able to threaten Italy. Poland was now following in third with Heats winner Germany not looking like a medal prospect. Turkey continued to put Italy under pressure. Turkey had done it. What a beautifully timed race! Turkey had timed 7:14.

Results: TUR, ITA, POL, GER, HUN, GRE

Men’s quadruple sculls (BM4x) – Final

The Netherlands had the fastest time coming through from the semifinals. Fastest out of the blocks was the Dutch with Germany trying to hold on to the Dutch pace. The Netherlands was at 42 and Germany at 40 as they passed through the first 200m of the race. The Netherlands got to the first 500m just a fraction ahead of Germany and the Czech Republic. This Czech boat is the country’s hope for a medal and they would have known that all eyes were on them. The Czech boat then did a push and going through the middle of the race the Czechs had the lead. But the lead was slight with Italy and the Netherlands less than half a second back. Germany was still in touch too.

The Czechs were at 39, the Italians at 40 and the Netherlands at 39. The Czechs must have been loving this race as they now were pushing away and they went into the final sprint at 40 strokes per minute and in the lead. They had half a length over Italy in second. Italy had their work cut out for them by the Netherlands. There was just 200m left to row and it looked like the Czechs had done it. But Italy and the Netherlands weren’t giving up. The Czech Republic – Nosek, Sisma, Nedela and Zima – had done it.

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

Lightweight men’s double sculls (BLM2x) – Final

This was shaping up to be a full-on race. The winners of each semifinal, Germany and France, had recorded the same finishing times. Ireland had been the next fastest, just a second back. They lined up at the start taking in the quiet of the start zone. It was 50 strokes per minute from Ireland but Germany had the advantage ahead of France. At the first 500m mark it was Germany’s Fabio Kress and Melvin Mueller-Ruchholtz that had the lead. Mueller-Ruchholtz race in the lightweight quad at the 2019 World Rowing Under 23 Championships.

Behind Germany a virtual line formed with just over a second separating Belgium, Ireland, France and Switzerland. Only Poland was a little off the pace. Germany continued to push on at the fastest pace and they had earned clear water over France who looked like silver may be theirs. Ireland had fallen back a bit and Switzerland was still in the mix along with Belgium. In the final sprint Germany remained in front with France under threat from Belgium for the silver medal. Belgium was really pushing it. But it was too late. France challenged back and held on to second. Germany had won.

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

Women’s eight (BW8+) – Final

In the preliminary race for lanes the United States had taken first. Today it was Germany that took the early lead going from 45 to 42 strokes per minute. The United States was at 44 and were well on the pace. Half of the US eight won a silver medal in the four earlier today. Germany finished second in the preliminary race but were four seconds down on the United States. Behind Germany and the US was a close battle going on between the Netherlands and Poland.

Rating 37 strokes per minute the United States got their bow ahead of Germany and they kept going. The Netherlands was now in a solid third and these three boats looked to be solidly in the medals. But what order would they finish in? The Netherlands then overhauled Germany. The Dutch were at 37 and the Germans at 38. Now the Netherlands went after the United States. The US were ready and kept their speed up with their open water lead. The US had won. The Netherlands took the silver and the bronze went to Germany.

Results: USA, NED, GER, POL, FRA, ROU

Men’s single sculls (BM1x) – Final

The large number of entries in the men’s single sculls meant that they had to go through quarterfinals, then semifinals to get to today’s final. In the semis Poland’s Piotr Plominski had the fastest qualifying time followed closely by Emil Neykov of Bulgaria. Plominski had the best start and was rating 45 through the first 200m. This fast start was the strategy that Plominski used in earlier races and maybe he wanted that psychological advantage over the field. Following in second a line that included Denmark, Germany, Bulgaria and Belarus. Just half a second separated these boats. Belgium was just a bit behind but well within striking distance.

Plominski then moved into an open boat lead. But in single sculling this can be eaten up and especially as there was still 1000m left to row. Germany’s Jonas Gelsen and Denmark’s Bastian Secher were head-to-head for second. This is Gelsen’s first international regatta. Neykov was now moving and overtaken Secher. Gelsen was now closing on Plominski with Neykov and Secher holding on. This looked like four boats going for three medals. Neykov charged and went past Poland and he got the gold medal. What a finish by the Bulgarian. His Olympic Champion mother, Rumyana Neykova must have been ecstatic.

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

Women’s single sculls (BW1x) – Final

All eyes were on Aurelia-Maxima Janzen of Switzerland who had rowed her way through to the final with the fastest qualifying time from the semifinals and the whole way using macon blades. At just 17 years old Janzen is one of the youngest competitors here and at her first international regatta. At the start it was France’s Audrey Feutrie that jumped out first but then Germany (Alexandra Foester) took over in first with Janzen in second.  Foester is the reigning junior champion from 2019 and she still had the lead going through the middle of the race. Janzen had pulled into second.

Foester and Janzen had pulled away from the rest of the field with South Africa’s Katherine Williams pulling into third. Williams had to keep an eye on Great Britain and as the final 500m came into view. Germany was at 33 and Janzen was at 30 as they began to sprint. Foester now really started to sprint and she looked to be moving away from Janzen. Foester had won with Janzen taking silver and Williams winning third.

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

Men’s eight (BM8+) – Final

The last race of the regatta, the men’s eight looked towards the United States who had set the fastest qualifying time earlier in the week when they raced in the heats. Great Britain had won the second heat and these two boats met today. Germany got an advantage at the start and went through the 500m mark a fraction ahead of the field. But it was very close and Italy now did a push and got their bow ahead of Germany. Italy remained at 41 strokes per minute to try and break away. The United States then did a piece just before the half way point and the US had found the lead. But is was very close and the gap between the leader and the next two boats was less than half a second.

The United States continued to lead coming into the final sprint with Germany in second and Great Britain right on the pace in third. There was nothing in it an it looked like these three crews were racing in a line together. It was too close to call at the finish. Great Britain had won by a fraction with the United States taking silver and Germany in the bronze medal spot. The British time was 5:34.

Results: GBR, USA, GER, ITA, NED, CZE