Daily Digest - World Best Time and close semifinals at the 2023 World Rowing Cup II

Day 2 of the 2023 World Rowing Cup II in Varese saw some thick racing in vast conditions on Lago di Varese. The highlight of the morning session was the new World Best Time set up by Great Britain in the lightweight women’s double sculls.

PR1 men’s single sculls

In the first repechage, Israel’s Shmuel Daniel took a commanding win, with Brazil’s Rene Campos Pereira also safely through to the A-Final. In the second repechage, Uzbekistan’s Egamberdiev Kholmurod, a 2022 World Championship Finalists, led from the start before France’s Pascal Daniere took the lead. But Kholmurod’s late surge meant he took the win. A great battle, both will progress to the A-Final for a rematch.

PR2 Mixed Double Sculls

In the first repechage of the PR2 mixed double sculls, the Netherlands and Ireland easily qualified in first and second place, and will join Ukraine and Great Britain in the A-Final. In the second repechage, France’s boat overhauled Brazil’s brave row by half a second to get a slot in the A-Final. Poland was ahead of both crews to come first and also book a A-Final place.

Lightweight Men’s Single Sculls

Switzerland will be delighted with two scullers into the A-Final, needing to come top three in each of the semis. Switzerland’s Andri Struzina, the European Bronze Medallist, eased into a win, with a tighter scramble for second place that led to Spain’s Manel Balastegui and Baptiste Savaete coming second and third to join Struzina.

The second Semifinal was also tight, with Italy’s Niels Torre finishing with plenty of home crowd cheers to come first, followed by Poland’s Jerzy Kowalski and the second Swiss sculler Gian Struzina. There was heartbreak for Algeria’s Sid Ali Boudina who misses out by less than a second to instead go to the B-Final.

Men’s Pair

Great Britain’s Tom George and Oliver Wynne-Griifith dominated their semifinal, with clear water by halfway, before easing off. Netherlands and Croatia will also join the A Final, alongside Switzerland, who won the first Semi, Australia and USA1.

Women’s Double Sculls

Double is the theme with USA looking happy with both of their doubles going through to the A Final, coming first and third in their first Semi, alongside France in a tight finish. Not wanting to be outdone, China match USA in qualifying two crews into the A Final, coming first and third, with Australia also joining in second.

Women’s Four

Australia 1 beat Great Britain 1 in an epic duel by less than half a second, with People’s Republic of China coming third to all progress to the A Final. There was a tighter contest in the second Semi, with USA coming first followed by Denmark and Canada 2. Australia, Great Britain and USA all finished with very similar times, hinting at a close A Final to come!

Men’s Four

The rivalry of Great Britain and Australia continues, with the former taking a confidence boosting win in the first Semis, followed by Italy 2. A very tight second Semis was won by USA by one third of a second ahead of France 1, with China 1 earning their A Final slot by a fraction of a second ahead of Switzerland 1, who are relegate to the B Final.

Men’s Single Sculls

There was a high rate scramble in the end for the first Semis of the Men’s Single Sculls with Denmark’s Sverri Nielsen winning, followed by French brothers Theophile Onfroy and Valentin Onfroy. All three will meet again in the A Final.

Germany’s Oliver Zeidler continues to dominate, winning his Semi with clear water. It was tighter for a place in the remaining A Final lanes, with Japan’s Ryuta Arakawa coming second and Belgium’s Tim Brys just taking the crucial third spot from crowd favourite Italy’s Davide Mumolo.

Lightweight Women’s Double Sculls

Great Britain’s Emily Craig and Imogen Grant will be hot favourites having won their Semi with a new World Best Time of 06:40.47, beating the previous time of 6:41.36 set in 2021, followed by France and China 1. All three go to the A Final. USA, Canada and Italy come top three respectively in the second Semifinal to contest in the A Final.

Women’s Quadruple Sculls

With China 1 and Great Britain already in the A Final, having won their respective Heats, two Repechage Races on the second day of competition were held to settle the full line up of the A Final.
In the first Repechage, Switzerland and France came first and second to earn their place in the A Final.

In the second Repechage Race, all four crews were within a few seconds of each other halfway through the course. Bow ball to bow ball, Germany sneaked just ahead of Italy to come first and both join the final places in the A Final, with USA missing out and therefore going to the B Final.