Race report - European Champions crowned in final day of Rowing

On the second day of finals at the 2022 European Rowing Championships, spectators were once again treated to thrilling racing with many more nations appearing on the medal podium for the first time.

Lightweight men’s pair (LM2-) – Final

Slovenia got ahead off the start but were closely tracked by the reigning European Champions from Hungary. Shortly after the 500m marker, Hungary moved into the lead and in the second quarter of the race, the Hungarians started to open up more of a lead. There was then a huge push from Turkey and they went from being a length down to being in front of Slovenia. Nobody could touch Hungary, they defended their European title, and Turkey took the silver.

Result: HUN, TUR, SLO

Lightweight men’s single sculls (LM1x) – A-Final

Italy’s Gabriel Soares took the early lead but there was nothing to choose between him and Switzerland’s Andri Struzina in the first quarter of the race with the lead constantly changing. Greece’s Antonios Papakonstantinou then made a move and took the lead, but it was still all to play for. There was less than two seconds between the top three scullers at halfway and then a gap back to the remainder of the field. In the third quarter, the Greek sculler started to open up more of a lead over Soares with Struzina starting to drop back. With 500m left to go, and Papakonstantinou still leading, the medals looked pretty set, but then Soares started to move and Papakonstantinou had to respond. He held on to take gold and become European Champion.

Result: GRE, ITA, SUI, SLO, AUT

Lightweight women’s single sculls (LW1x) – A-Final

With less than a second separating Dutch sculler Martine Veldhuis and Italy’s Stefania Buttignon at 500m, it was clear we were going to be in for an exciting race. By halfway, Romania’s Ionela Cozmiuc had moved to the front of the race and things were starting to hot up in the medal zone. Zoi Fitsiou of Greece had been over-rating all of the other scullers for all of the race so far and then moved into medal contention in the third quarter of the race, overtaking Buttignon. Ireland’s Aoife Casey certainly wasn’t out of contention yet either. Cozmiuc was really motoring in the final 500m but there was a fantastic tussle for the medals behind her – the silver definitely wasn’t yet decided. Fitsiou sprinted to the line and had more to give than Veldhuis.

Result: ROU, GRE, NED, IRL, ITA, GER

PR2 mixed double sculls (PR2 Mix2x) – Final

It was unbelievably close off the start between all of the boats with Poland and France eventually breaking away and getting ahead – there was less than a quarter of a second between the two of them at 500m with the Ukrainian double sitting in bronze medal position. However, in the second quarter of the race, the Ukraine moved ahead of Poland and was starting to challenge France too. Ukraine then took the lead and were starting to move away. With France still sitting in silver medal position, the rest of the field was opening up. Ukraine crossed the line first to huge cheers from the crowds.

Result: UKR, FRA, POL, IRL, GER

PR3 mixed coxed four (PR3 Mix4+) – Final

With a head wind picking up slightly at the start, the crews all got off cleanly. Reigning European, World and Paralympic champions Great Britain perhaps unsurprisingly established the early lead and quickly moved into a dominant position. By 500m, the British were over five seconds ahead of France with Italy sitting in bronze medal position and Germany close behind them. The margin had opened up to over ten seconds between Great Britain and France at 1000m while Germany had moved into third place, ahead of Italy. Great Britain continued to be the fastest moving boat, looking really impressive with 500m to go. Nobody could catch them. France continued in silver medal position and Germany were holding off any challenge from Italy to secure the bronze.

Result: GBR, FRA, GER, ITA, ESP

Lightweight men’s double sculls (LM2x) – A-Final

This race was billed to be an absolute thriller. Italy established the early lead, going stroke-for-stroke with Switzerland. We expected a move from Ireland though, they were sitting in third place at 500m. By halfway, Ireland had moved past Italy and were starting to attack the Swiss double too, sitting just half a second behind. What could the Olympic Champions do in the second half of the race? During the third quarter, Ireland got ahead for the first time, and then really started to motor, and very quickly established a strong lead over Switzerland. Switzerland was now really being challenged by Portugal, who seemed to have appeared from nowhere. The young Swiss double just managed to hold on to bronze, less than half a second ahead of Portugal.

Result: IRL, ITA, SUI, POR CZE, UKR

Lightweight women’s double sculls (LW2x) – A-Final

This field was absolutely stacked. Ireland flew off the start with the highest stroke rating and took the early lead over Great Britain. The Irish duo was still leading at the 500m marker but soon after, the Brits took the lead. France was sitting in bronze medal position with the Olympic champions from Italy in fourth. By halfway, Great Britain was nearly two seconds ahead of France and Italy was really challenging Ireland. With 750m left to go, the British had established clear water and was starting to look comfortable for gold, but Italy was starting to make their move too – could they move into the medal zone? The GB boat was untouchable, but it was all to play for for the remaining medals. Italy had moved into bronze medal position ahead of Ireland but couldn’t quite catch France.

Result: GBR, FRA, ITA, IRL, SUI, POL

Men’s double sculls (M2x) – A-Final

The young Spanish double absolutely blasted out of the blocks and took the early lead, but Croatia’s Sinkovic brothers were tracking them every single stroke. At halfway, Spain was still the highest rating boat, but Croatia had moved into the lead by just 0.33 seconds. Lithuania was sitting in bronze medal position with a gap then back to Greece, Serbia and Italy. The top three looked set, but the order of the medals was not! Croatia was starting to push away from Spain in the final quarter of the race while Lithuania was holding on to third place. It was another international gold for Martin and Valent Sinkovic, their fourth so far this season.

Result: CRO, ESP, LTU, SRB, GRE, ITA

Lightweight women’s quadruple sculls (LW4x) – Final

With two crews racing for one medal, it was all or nothing in this race and there was nothing between the two crews in the early stages. However, as the race progressed, Italy started to open up a lead. The Italian crew held on to the lead for the rest of the race, Germany just couldn’t match their speed.

Result: ITA, GER

Women’s single sculls (W1x) – A-Final

Olympic bronze medalist Magdalena Lobnig from Austria was the first to make a showing in this final, but then the Dutch sculler, Karolien Florijn, who took silver in Tokyo, but in the women’s four, moved into the lead and started to move away. Greek sculler, Evangelia Anastasiadou, who won gold in the lightweight women’s single sculls at the recent U23 Championships was also in medal contention and, by halfway, had moved into silver medal position, ahead of Lobnig. In the third quarter, Florijn had established a dominant lead and was looking really impressive, it was going to take a lot of work for anyone to catch her. The medal positions were unchanged with 500m to go, with home sculler Alexandra Foester sitting in fourth place. Florijn was untouchable, but what about the other medals? Foester had a real sprint on her and overtook Lobnig int he closing stages to take bronze, the crowds went wild!

Result: NED, GRE, GER, AUT, ESP, NOR

Women’s eight (W8+) – A-Final

The hotly anticipated women’s eight final was underway and Italy took the early lead but Romania had the highest stroke rate, at 43 strokes per minute. The Netherlands then moved into the front of the field with Great Britain going with them. At the 500m timing point, less than a second separated the top three crews with Italy not far behind, in fourth. Into the second quarter, Great Britain started to move and got ahead of the Dutch for the first time. The Romanians were trying to latch on to the British speed. At halfway, with Great Britain leading, Romania had also despatched the Netherlands, but it was still too close to call. Great Britain then really started to make a move, but Romania was really challenging them. Romania had the higher rating, and Great Britain just couldn’t match their speed in the closing stages. Romania crossed the line first, the heads dropped in the British crew. The Netherlands took the bronze.

Result: ROU, GBR, NED, ITA, GER, DEN

Men’s single sculls (M1x) – A-Final

There was absolutely no doubt that all eyes were on Germany’s Ollie Zeidler in this race; what could he do on home waters? Just like the heats, Zeidler had a slow start and that allowed Bulgaria’s Kristian Vasilev to get our first. However, the crowds erupted when, 250m into the race, Zeidler took the lead. However, Zeidler wasn’t going to get to have it all his way, as Greece’s Olympic Champion, Stefanos Ntouskos, then moved into the lead in the second quarter of the race. Ntouskos was then starting to move away. Zeidler was in second at 1000m with Melvin Twellaar of the Netherlands sitting in bronze medal position and Great Britain’s Graham Thomas not far behind either. The race was far from over! Could the home supporters make a difference to Zeidler? Approaching 500m to go, Zeidler started to sprint early. The cheers from the crowds increased, Zeidler had taken the lead, everyone was on their feet. Twellaar was now coming back too though and closing in on Zeidler fast. Twellaar then took the lead with Ntouskous also making another move. Zeidler was spent, he slowed right down and got overtaken in the closing stages by Vasilev and missed out on any medal.

Result: NED, GRE, BUL, GER, GBR, DEN