First 2022 World Rowing U23 Champions Crowned on Lago di Varese

Racing earlier than originally scheduled due to the forecast of adverse weather, the first of the 2022 World Rowing U23 Champions were crowned on Italy’s Lago di Varese. The Italian national anthem was heard three times on home waters during the nine finals, and seven new World Championships Best Times were set.

Women’s coxed four (BW4+) – A-Final

Having smashed the World Championship Best Time during the preliminary race, it perhaps wasn’t a surprise to see Australia go out fast in this final and establish the early lead, much to the delight of all of the supporters in the stands. By halfway, the Australian crew was in a comfortable position ahead of the USA and Italy – the fact that they had been training on the course ahead of the Championships was perhaps starting to show. The green and gold were going for gold with clear water as they went into the final quarter of the race. There was still a fight for the silver medal between the USA and Italy. The crowds went wild as the crews came into the closing stages, the support really lifting the Italian crew who gained overlap on Australia again, but they left it too late and Australia took gold, smashing the World Championship Best Time again with a 6:44, and finishing only one second off the World Best Time too.

Result: AUS, ITA, USA, GER, ROU, NZL

Men’s coxed four (BM4+) – A-Final 

After the excitement of the Australian women’s coxed four, the crowds were delighted to hear that their men’s coxed four had also got off the start quickest, but they were under serious pressure from Italy and Great Britain. By the first timing point, Italy had moved into the lead, and by 1000m, it was Great Britain that got ahead. In the third quarter, Italy, at 42 strokes per minute, was really starting to put the pressure on, but Great Britain continued to lead. There was very little to choose between the other crews so it was still all to play for. Great Britain started to look really strong and was starting to break clear. As the race came into the closing stages, Great Britain maintained their lead and really went to the line to take an impressive gold, with another World Championship Best Time being broken in a time of 6:02.90.

Result: GBR, USA, ITA, GER, AUS, NZL

Lightweight women’s pair (BLW2-) – Final

The defending champions from Italy went off at 46 strokes per minute and held it for the first 300m. Peru was still hanging in there, looking over the shoulders to see how much work had to be done. Turkey was sitting in third place at halfway, and Italy was looking really strong. Into the third quarter, the battle for bronze was really starting to heat up with Germany coming into the mix. As the race came into the closing stages, Italy remained untouchable, and defended their 2021 title. Peru managed to hold off a final charge from Germany. The third World Championship Best Time of the day was broken, and this one by nearly 10 seconds: 7:17.42!

Result: ITA, PER, GER, TUR, USA, URU

Lightweight men’s pair (BLM2-) – A-Final

There were a lot of returning rowers from last year in this boat class, looking to make their mark this year. Italy took early control of the race but by 1000m, it was the USA that had moved into the lead and had established almost have a length lead. Chile was sitting in bronze medal position, but it certainly wasn’t set. In the third quarter of the race, USA started to move away and thought they taken control away from the host nation, but then the cheers of the home crowds started to lift Italy. Meanwhile, the fight was on for third place as Hungary moved into the mix – it had to go to a photo finish, but the Chileans were eventually confirmed as the bronze medallists. The USA had held off the Italian sprint.

Result: USA, ITA, CHI, HUN, MDA, BRA

Lightweight women’s quadruple sculls (BLW4x) – Final

With four crews racing for three medals, it was all to play for. Italy, who had dominated the Preliminary race, went off the start hard and were leading over Germany, ahead of France and the USA. All crews were still high on the ratings but Italy, with the highest boat speed, was starting to pull away. In the second quarter of the race, the Italians established clear water and were starting to run away with the race. While the gold looked set, and Germany fairly comfortable in second place, the bronze medal was still undecided. As the crews crossed the line, the positions from the Preliminary race were unchanged and it was the USA that missed out on a medal.

Result: ITA, GER, FRA, USA

Lightweight men’s quadruple sculls (BLM4x) – A-Final

Looking to match the performance of the women, Italy took the early lead with Germany sitting in second place and by the second quarter of the race, the Italians were really starting to pull away. The battle for bronze was between France and the USA with very little between the two crews in the third quarter of the race. But, the Italians looked absolutely stunning, still at 40 strokes per minute. With the gold and silver looking set, it was still all to play for between France and USA for bronze. Italy sprinted to the line and Germany had to respond to the charge to the line from France and the USA. France was eventually confirmed as taking the bronze medal, the USA missing out by 0.6 seconds. Italy’s sprint to the line allowed them to claim a new World Championship Best Time, breaking the previous time which had been set in 2017.

Result: ITA, GER, FRA, USA, DEN, SUI 

Women’s pair (BW2-) – A-Final

Lithuania took an early lead, but Canada was very high on the rating too – over 50 strokes per minute. But it was soon all about Greece. Christina Ioanna Bourmpou, who was fifth in this boat class at the Tokyo Olympic Games, was racing with Evangelia Fragkou here and they were such an impressive pairing. At 1000m, Greece had a comfortable lead with Lithuania in second and Canada in third place. Into the third quarter, the Greek crew was really starting to move away, setting a furious pace. Canada, still at 40 strokes per minute, was holding off a move from Germany. Into the final quarter, Greece looked imperious and took gold. Canada got overhauled by Germany, who also started to challenge Lithuania. It was yet another World Championship Best Time with Greece knocking 0.27 seconds off the previous time which had been set in 2019.

Result: GRE, LTU, GER, CAN, DEN, ITA

Men’s pair (BM2-) – A-Final

Lithuania’s Domantas and Dovydas Stanukas were here to see if they could improve on their U23 silver from last year, but they knew they had their work cut out. South Africa had the lead, but the Stanukas twins tried to eat into that lead in the second quarter of the race. Damien Bonhage-Koen and Christopher Baxter from South Africa was a quality crew though and they still had clear water in the third quarter, they were setting a bullet-proof rhythm. There was still a scrap for the bronze medal between Romania, Uruguay and Canada. In the closing stages, gold and silver looked set, but the battle for third place was still on. South Africa led the way home, but the field was starting to close up. They held off the Lithuanian charge and the race to the line had allowed them to break yet another World Championship Best Time. It was silver again for the Stanukas brothers and Romania secured the bronze.

Result: RSA, LTU, ROU, URU, CAN, GBR

Women’s quadruple sculls (BW4x) – A-Final

There was very little between the crews in the first quarter with Romania holding the slightest of leads ahead of Germany and then the Netherlands. By the 1,000m mark, Romania was still holding to the lead and were looking absolutely fabulous. Second and third place were unchanged, the crews also looking very strong. Inside the final quarter, things started to close up and Romania had to respond to a challenge for the gold form the Netherlands. An incredible final sprint from the Dutch crew won them the gold with Romania having to settle for silver. After a few seconds, it was confirmed that Germany had taken the bronze just 0.3 seconds ahead of Czech Republic. The last final of the day saw another World Championship Best Time be broken, the previous time from 2016.

Result: NED, ROU, GER, CZE, ITA, USA

 

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