Speeding semifinals in Tokyo tail winds at the Olympic rowing regatta

The Sea Forest Waterway, turned on a steady cross tail wind for today’s semifinals at the Tokyo Olympic Rowing Regatta. For the rowers it meant trying to keep the oars clean through the stroke and also making the most of the speed helped by the tail wind. Already some of the previous races of the day had seen rowers ‘catch crabs’ when their oars got stuck in the water.

Lightweight men’s double sculls (LM2x) – Semifinals

Starting the afternoon of semifinals racing was Semifinal One and sitting in the middle lanes were Germany and Norway. The Germans, Osborne and Rommelmann, have the fastest time coming through to these semis. Norway’s Brun and Strandli followed in second. Osborne is heading to pro cycling after these Olympics and they remained in the lead at the 700m bridge mark. Behind Norway were Poland and Canada who had both raced the repechage to get to this semifinal. Norway medalled in this boat class at the Rio Olympics and they are the most experienced, long-lived crew in this race.

Osborne and Rommelmann had extended their lead and were at World Best Time speed as they went out to an open water lead. This race was very uncharacteristic for lightweight doubles rowing as the field was now quite spread out. With 500m left to row Poland and the Czech Republic were having a fight for third and the final qualifying spot. This brought them closer to Norway. Then the Poles caught a little crab. But then .. Norway capsized! Norway, the medal hopefuls, would not be in the final. This left the field wide open. Uruguay was charging. Germany had won. Uruguay’s Ferreira and Berriolo had grabbed second and the Czech Republic’s Simanek and Vrastil were in the A-final.

Meanwhile at the head of the field Germany had set an Olympic Best Time of 6:07.33.

The World Champions Ireland lined up in Semifinal Two and the crew of Paul O’Donovan and Fintan McCarthy must have been the favourites to win. But it was Italy that led at the start. Oppo and Ruta of Italy are the reigning European Champions. Spain was doing great as well, as O’Donovan and McCarthy started to move. With every stroke the Irish were coming and they hit the front of the field just after the 700m bridge. Italy, however, didn’t let the Irish get away and hung onto them.

Coming through the middle of the race Italy and Ireland had broken clean from the rest of the field. Belgium now followed in third with Spain still very much in the picture. Van Zandweghe and Brys of Belgium finished fifth at World Cup II and third at the European Championships in 2020. All the crews were keeping it clean as Ukraine wound it up for the sprint. Belgium stuck in there to stay in third. Everyone had got to the finish cleanly. And a new World Best Time had been set. McCarthy and O’Donovan had gone 6:05.33. This was also a new Olympic Best Time, a time that had been set just one race ago.

Qualifiers: GER, URU, CZE, IRL, ITA, BEL

Lightweight women’s double sculls (LW2x) – Semifinals

France and the Netherlands had won their heats earlier in the week and they sat next to each other as the top boats for this Semifinal One. The Dutch set a new World Best Time at World Cup III this season and they are the favourites to medal. Great Britain, however, was the fastest at the start. Then the Dutch started to move. Ilse Paulis in the Dutch boat took gold in this event at Rio. At the head of the field Great Britain and the Netherlands were neck-and-neck with France just a bit back.

Great Britain are Emily Craig and Imogen Grant and they come to Tokyo as winners of World Cup II. Craig and Grant stuck with Paulis and partner Keijser and these two boats remained in the lead. It was the final sprint and barring any muck ups, the three qualifying positions had been decided with France firmly in third. Craig and Grant had now pushed away from the Dutch and they were making sure they were clearing the water. Now the French had com up on the Dutch. Tarantola and Bove of France have a good sprint and they were now using it.

The British had finished first with France coming through to second. A new World Best Time had gone to Craig and Grant. The new time is 6:41.99 and is also the new Olympic Best Time.

Back up at the start Semifinal Two was about to get under way. The fastest qualifier from the heats, Romania sat in the middle of the race. Ionela Cozmiuc and Gianina Beleaga of Romania had finished second at World Cup II this season and they got away quickly using the highest stroke rate off the line. Italy stuck with Romania and these two boats matched each other. Then the United States moved up and at the first 500m the US had a small lead over Romania. Reckford and Sechser of the United States continued to lead at the half way point as the ROC pulled into second with Romania in third.

The US now has a small margin over the field with an absolute line forming between Romania, ROC and Italy. With only three spots available this was going to be a mighty race. Italy had now moved into second with ROC just beginning to fade. The US still looked aggressive, but the Italians were coming. Italy was at 39 to the US 36 and they continued to come through. At the line it was Italy in first. A new World Best Time had gone to Italy’s Valentina Rodini and Federica Cesarini. The time: 6:41.36 is also the new Olympic Best Time.

Qualifiers: GBR, FRA, NED, ITA, USA, ROU

Men’s pair (M2-) – Semifinal

Grabbing the lead at the start of Semifinal One was the Australians with Denmark following closely. Australia’s Sam Hardy and Jushua Hicks won their heat and they were third at the 2019 World Champs. Denmark now took the lead. Vystavel and Sutton of Denmark qualified from the Final Olympic Qualification Regatta and they continued to lead over Australia as Spain and Romania pushed on. This meant four boats tightly packed for three spots.

Spain now pushed into second behind Denmark before Romania’s Cozmiuc and Tudosa did a move. Coming into the final sprint Australia was out of qualifying. Australia went to 41, but Romania and Spain had also moved up in their stroke rate. Romania had overtaken Denmark as Spain continued to move. Australia had been dropped. Romania, Denmark and Spain’s Pazos and Ordonez all celebrated.

Semifinal Two had the Croatians. Did this mean for the rest of the line up it would be about racing for second? Leading the way was Martin and Valent Sinkovic with the Dutch and the Italians following the closest. The Netherlands’, Krommenhoek and van Sprang, won the Final Olympic Qualification Regatta and they were stuck in second. Now Croatia moved clean away to an open water lead. Serbia had come up to challenge for second and had moved past Italy.

Serbia’s Mackovic and Vasic were first at World Cup III and third at the European Championships. Vasic was diagnosed with Covid after arriving in Tokyo and had to go into isolation before he could attend his training camp. They now had a handy margin over Italy who had needed to make a crew change coming into this race. The Netherlands held on to third and it looked like the finishing order had been set.

But the Canadians launched a surge. The Netherlands caught a boat-stopping crab just before the line. Canada had grabbed a qualifying spot over the Dutch.

Qualifiers: ROU, DEN, ESP, CRO, SRB, CAN

Women’s pair (W2-) – Semifinal

Canada and Australia both won their heats and they sat in Semifinal One and they sat in the middle lanes. But it was Great Britain who had the lead at the start. Helen Glover of Great Britain won gold in 2012 and 2016 in the pair but then took a break. She’s now joined with Polly Swann and they continued to lead over Canada and Australia. The British now had a boat length lead over Canada as Australia began to move.

Australia’s McIntyre and Morrision had won a medal earlier today in the four and they must have been feeling the effects. Canada and Australia were neck-and-neck with Greece in fourth. Glover and Swann were at World Best Time pace and had over a boat length lead over Canada. Greece had the highest stroke rate but a lot of work to do to get into a qualifying spot. The three qualifiers looked wrapped up, but in what order? Canada and Australia were gaining on Great Britain with every stroke. With 250m left to row Canada’s Filmer and Janssens had the lead. But the Greeks were coming and had taken the lead in an almighty sprint. Kyridou and Bourmpou, both 20 years old, had set a new World Best Time of 6:48.70 and the new Olympic Best Time. This comes on the back of a third at the European Champs.

Semifinal Two had the 2019 World Champions Prendergast and Gowler of New Zealand. It was a good start from ROC with New Zealand starting to move. Romania was in third. Prendergast and Gowler had the lead with 500m rowed. They were rowing at the World Best Time pace and Prendergast and Gowler now had a boat length lead over ROC’s Stepanova and Oriabinskaia.

Romania remained in third as this race turned into a procession through the middle of the race. It would take some magic for any of the other boats to get up into a qualifying position. But anything is possible in these conditions. The last 500m was in view with Spain moving up on Romania. Spain’s Cid and Diaz Rivas won World Cup II and they were now challenging the ROC. New Zealand remained in front and crossed the line to take back their World Best Time which had been taken from them in the previous semifinal. The new time is 6:47.41. It is not so long ago that no women’s pair had gone under 7 minutes.

Qualifiers: GRE, CAN, GBR, NZL, ROC, ESP

Women’s eight (W8+) – Repechage

This race was about not finishing last. The top four boats would make it to the final and at the start there was no doubt that five coxswains were out there as the voices could be heard. There was nothing in it at the first 500 with less than a second separating the field. Only Great Britain was down a little. The top speed was now Romania as they tried to catch China and Canada who were just in front. Canada then took the lead. The top four had been decided as Great Britain was now off the pace. Romania had the best sprint and took first on the line. Romania had set a new World Best Time: 5:52.99 was the new time and also new Olympic Best Time.

Qualifiers: ROU, CAN, CHN, AUS

Men’s eight (M8+) – Repechage

The top four of these five boats would go to the final and it was anybody’s guess who would miss out. This was going to be one fast race. There was a bit of a delay as the boats tried to get into the starting boot that holds the bow of the boat and then drops on the word ‘go’.  Great Britain went off like a rocket just outside of World Best Time pace. New Zealand followed in second with the United States in third. Only Australia was off the pace.

Then Australia did a push and came back on Romania in fourth. The Kiwis were now reeling in the British and the race closed through the middle of the race. Great Britain answered and New Zealand and Great Britain went neck-and-neck. The United States in third tried to hold off Australia who had pushed Romania into fifth. New Zealand now had a half boat length lead. Great Britain came back as Australia and the US charged. At the line New Zealand had it. Only Romania missed out.

Qualifiers: NZL, GBR, USA, AUS