Looking ahead to the final day of racing at the 2023 World Rowing U19 Championships

The competitors at this year’s World Rowing U19 Championships have dealt with several changes to the racing programme and with all of the repechages and quarterfinals completed yesterday (Friday), to say will see all of the semifinals and finals be raced. We caught up with a few competitors yesterday to hear their reactions and feelings ahead of the final day of competition.

Belgium’s Louise Gyssels and Lore Helsen secured their place in the semifinals of the women’s double sculls when they finished second in the fourth of four repechages. Gyssels was happy overall with their performance;

“I think we achieved our goal. This was our goal, to make it to the semifinals A/B, so if we have a good day tomorrow, we will try to go to the A final but everything is right and everything is possible, so we’re happy. It was a beautiful race. Yesterday we had a not so lucky day, so we had a bad heat. So we changed our minds and readjusted for today and it happened, and so we are very happy.”

Over in the men’s double sculls, there was success for Germany as Leonhard Goez and Yannik Sens won their repechage to confirm their place in the semifinals. Speaking after their race, Goez said:

“It’s great to achieve the semifinal AB and now it’s tomorrow, the next day. And the next step, it has to be taken. We have to take the next step and go further. We have to reflect on the race and then we’ll know. It’s always the first step to talk with the coach and what he has to say. Then we’re going to go tomorrow to the next race, then let’s see how we can do the things we want to.”

Italy’s Marco Selva won gold in the men’s single sculls at the European Rowing U19 Championships earlier this season and he is clearly keen to repeat that success on the world stage here in Paris. Commenting on the difference between the Europeans and the Worlds, Selva said;

“There are more opponents in this competition than in the European championships, but the strongest ones were already there. The main difference is the lake, that may make it more difficult for some athletes who aren’t used to the waves.”

The last repechage of the day yesterday was the men’s eight which saw the USA miss out on a place in the final when Italy took the final slot. Italy’s cox, Leo Vaughan Bozzetta was pleased with their performance;

“We are extremely happy with our result. We gave 110% in this race. We weren’t the favourites. Being in the eight’s final is an incredible achievement. Tomorrow, we will try to do a miracle. Tomorrow, it will be fly and die!”

Asked what he thinks about the German men’s eight who are the reigning world champions and who won the repechage, Bozzetta said;

“They are an excellent team. Last year, they beat the world record by three seconds. I think it will be a really tight race between them, GB (Great Britain) and the Kiwis (New Zealand).”

Copy thanks to the student reporters for the OIS Sports Reporting Programme.