Day One Daily Digest : Heats completed at World Rowing Cup III in Lucerne

Racing at the third and final World Rowing Cup of the 2022 Series got underway in glorious conditions on the Rotsee in Lucerne, Switzerland. Although the competition saw several withdrawals for medical reasons, the heats produced some close racing as crews raced for qualification places and we should expect some intense finals on Sunday.

Olympic champions impress in women’s pair

The first boat class of the competition was the women’s pair and after a final sprint from Romania won them the first heat over Great Britain, New Zealand’s Olympic Champions Grace Prendergast and Kerri Williams absolutely dominated the second heat, beating Croatia’s Jurkovic sisters by over 11 seconds. Both boats will go directly to Sunday’s final.

Fighting for qualification in men’s pair

Serbia’s Martin Mackovic and Milos Vasic, who finished fifth at last year’s Olympic Games, dominated heat two, finishing over 20 seconds ahead of Spain. Meanwhile, in heat three, New Zealand and Great Britain were battling for the single qualifying place with Kiwis Matt Macdonald and Thomas Mackintosh getting the better of Josh Bugajski and Harry Glenister across the line. In the fourth and final heat, Great Britain1 of Tom George and Ollie Wynne-Griffith, who lost out narrowly to Macdonald and Mackintosh in the final at Henley Royal Regatta just a few days ago, took the qualifying place to progress directly to tomorrow’s semi-finals. The heats demonstrated we should look forward to some great racing in the later stages of the regatta.

Tight racing in double sculls

The heats of both the women’s and men’s double sculls produced some of the closest racing of the morning so far including four boats finishing in under two seconds of each other in heat one of the women’s double sculls, the fourth placed crew (Italy2) needing to go into the repechage. Romania’s reigning Olympic Champions Ancuta Bodnar and Simona Radis took a three second win in heat two. In the men’s double sculls, it was perhaps no surprise to see Croatia’s Sinkovic brothers winning heat one, with Noway2 taking the second qualification place from that race. In heat three, Great Britain established a comfortable lead in the early stages of the race, allowing them to wind down towards the line.

Grant posts fastest time in lightweight women’s single

Fresh from racing at Henley Royal Regatta and at her first World Rowing event of the 2022 season, GB’s Imogen Grant posted the fast time across the three heats of the lightweight women’s single sculls, a time of 7:33.46. Germany’s Marie-Louise Drager, who took bronze in Poznan, won heat two, and Mexico’s Kenia Lechuga won heat three.

Stage set for battle between Australia and Great Britain in men’s four

With Australia having won gold in Poznan and Great Britain gold in Belgrade, both crews were out to stamp their authority on their respective heats this morning. They certainly didn’t disappoint and were the two crews to secure direct qualification to Sunday’s final with Australia1 winning heat one in 5:55.29 and Great Britain winning heat two in 5:53.64. The remaining crews will contest the repechage.

Germany’s U23 World Champion steps up to senior level

Alexandra Foester won gold in the women’s single sculls at last year’s World Rowing U23 Championships and is clearly looking to make her mark at senior level this year. She won the first heat comfortably in a time of 7:31.92. Meanwhile, Switzerland’s Jeanine Gmelin took top position in heat two with a time of 7:36.86. Australia’s Tara Rigney, who took bronze in this boat class in Poznan, won the third heat in 7:29.64. Rigney had been due to race in a women’s quad at this regatta, but the boat was withdrawn before the Draw for medical reasons, so she will be pleased to be performing well in the single scull.

Wide open field in men’s single sculls

With Zeidler and Borch having had to withdraw, the field was wide open in the men’s single sculls. Great Britain’s Graeme Thomas posted the fastest time across the six heats, winning the second in 6:50.62m although in heat four, Marc Weber and Hugo Boucheron had both wound down well before the finish line. The sixth heat was a 1-2 for Hungary with Bendeguz Petervari-Molnar finishing just over a second ahead of Mate Bacskai. The top placed scullers will race again this afternoon in the quarter finals.

Great Britain has eyes on prize in lightweight women’s double sculls

With Australia having had to withdraw, Great Britain, who won gold earlier this season in Belgrade, has their eyes on trying to become overall World Cup Series winners in the lightweight women’s double sculls. China has raced at both World Rowing Cups so far this season taking silver in Belgrade and finishing fourth in Poznan but Great Britain posted the fastest time of the boat class today, winning heat two in 6:49.23. France’s Olympic silver medalists Laura Tarantola and Claire Bove finished ahead of China in heat one, posting a time of 6:53.87. Poland has changed their line-ups slightly since the previous World Rowing Cups this season, and they won heat three in 7:00.94.

1-2 for Italy in lightweight men’s double sculls.

Italy1 managed to hold off a charge from the Czech Republic in heat one of the lightweight men’s double sculls to take the second qualifying places for the semi finals, finishing less than a second behind Italy2. In heat two, France took the win, but the Swiss duo pleased the home crowds when they took the second qualifying place. Norway1 won the third heat with the fastest time, 6:14.86, with Poland taking second place.

Photo finish for women’s quad

Great Britain and Italy were trading places throughout heat one with the British boat eventually crossing the line just 0.08 seconds ahead. The GB line-up is slightly changed from the crew that finished fourth in Belgrade. Both crews will progress directly to Sunday’s final. In the second heat, China2, the same line-up which won gold in Poznan, took a comfortable lead over Poland.

Eights conclude morning session

With just five entries in the women’s eight, a test race was held. Romania was first across the line, but they were kept under pressure all the way by Canada and Australia. All boats will race again in the Final on Sunday. In the men’s eights, there was a surprise in heat one when Australia1, looking very strong, crossed the line ahead of Germany, a reverse of the result from Poznan. In heat two, Great Britain was leading at 500m but came under pressure from an absolutely stacked Italian crew. As the race progressed, GB found more speed and started to pull away from the field. It will be all to play for in the final on Sunday.

Men’s Single Sculls

Whilst the majority of racing this afternoon was repechages, given the number of entries in the men’s single sculls, quarterfinals were held. In quarterfinal one, Great Britain’s Graeme Thomas and Canada’s Trevor Jones were neck and neck throughout, Thomas eventually secured the win by 1.36 seconds with France’s Olympic gold medallist Hugo Boucheron taking the third qualifying place. France and Great Britain both qualified a second single sculler in the second quarterfinal with Matthieu Androdias and Callum Dixon finishing first and second respectively. Mate Backsai of Hungary finished third. In the third quarterfinal, Bendeguz Petervari-Molnar booked the second slot for Hungary finishing in second place, he was behind Italy’s Luca Rambaldi and ahead of Martin Helseth of Norway. Belgium’s Kristian Vasilev finished ahead of Germany’s Marc Webber and Spain’s Jordi Jofre Senciales to take the three qualifying places from quarterfinal four.