Morning Digest: Surprises and sprints as more Paris places secured

Some of rowing’s biggest names ensured they would write more pages of history on Friday in the last of the semifinals for the 2023 World Rowing Championships, booking their boats tickets to next year’s Olympic and Paralympic Games. They will be joined by up-and-coming stars, with more nations adding to those who have already got their boats to Paris 2024.

Perini, Polianskyi and Pritchard Paris-bound

As in the heats, France’s Alexis Sanchez shot out the blocks in the first semifinal of the PR1 men’s single sculls, but he was already losing ground by 500m. Race favourites Roman Polianskyi of Ukraine and Italian Giacomo Perini drew ahead and were absolutely level at 1500m; it was Perini who took the semifinal win. In semifinal 2 Great Britain’s Benjamin Pritchard led out, chased hard by Germany’s Marcus Klemp taking long, powerful strokes and Australian Erik Horrie. Klemp came through Horrie in the third quarter for second.

“It was pretty tough, that headwind is relentless, and Marcus (Klemp) gave me a good run for my money. I was just going down the course, keeping in my lane, and hoping that he’d break but he didn’t, he just kept coming at me,” said Pritchard.

Boats qualified: Italy, Ukraine, Israel, Great Britain, Germany, Australia

Damir Martin is back

While the winners of the two men’s single sculls semifinals, Germany’s Oliver Zeidler and the Netherlands’ Simon van Dorp, were unsurprising, the fact that Croatian Damir Martin is in the A-final and on the road to Paris is more surprising. The Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 bronze medallist has not made an A-final since Tokyo, but he produced a solid row to claim third place behind Zeidler and Olympic champion Stefanos Ntouskos of Greece. Van Dorp had to row through fast-starting New Zealander Thomas Mackintosh and Dane Sverri Nielsen to win the second semifinal.

“I feel somewhere between water and sky, and more a little bit in the sky – knocking on heaven’s door. The main goal this season is achieved, so every suffering, every blood, every tear paid out,” an emotional Martin said.

Boats qualified: Germany, Greece, Croatia, Netherlands, Denmark, New Zealand

Lithuania and Bulgaria add Olympic berths

If there’s a good time to claim your first-ever A-final place at a major championships, it’s Olympic qualification year – and that’s what Viktorija Senkute of Lithuania did in the women’s single sculls semifinal, finishing third, just 0.39 seconds down on Australia’s Tara Rigney. Kara Kohler of the USA claimed the win in the second semifinal after rowing through in the third quarter; Austrian Magdalena Lobnig’s unexpected return to the single ended with fourth place. Meanwhile Desislava Angelova of Bulgaria overturned Germany’s Alexandra Foester for third place in semifinal 1 as Kiwi Emma Twigg qualified for her fifth Olympic Games.

Senkute said: “The conditions are rough, my body hurts, but it is worth everything. I didn’t expect a lot coming into this event, but now I feel really confident for the final on Sunday.”

Boats qualified: Netherlands, New Zealand, Bulgaria, USA, Australia, Lithuania

Fourth Olympics for Sinkovics

Martin and Valent Sinkovic of Croatia’s experience showed in the men’s double sculls semifinals, as they kept composed against huge pressure from Ireland to win and qualify for a fourth Olympic Games – their second in this boat class. Semifinal 1 saw another big victory for the Dutch, with Italy so delighted to come second they were already celebrating before their bows had crossed the line. China’s third place eliminated Romania and France, including 2022 world and Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion Hugo Boucheron, from the medal race.

“Qualifying for the Olympics is very very emotional, and I’m very happy to share this with Matteo (Sartori) – a young guy with a big heart,” said Italy’s Luca Rambaldi.

Boats qualified: Netherlands, Italy, China, Croatia, Ireland, Spain

Ireland and Lithuania add more Paris places

Lithuania’s women’s double sculls crew is a mix of experience and youth, but they added an Olympic qualification place to their European championships silver medal as they finished second in the second semifinal. Romania continued to look dominant to take the win, and New Zealand’s double of new mothers, Lucy Spoors and Brooke Francis, consolidated their comeback with third. The USA were pushed by Ireland right down the course in the first semifinal, while France’s third place was perhaps unexpected but celebrated by their teammates and fans.

“We’re chuffed as. It’s been a pretty big year getting back in the boat; to be able to qualify we’re pretty proud of ourselves,” Francis said.

Boats qualified: USA, Ireland, France, Romania, Lithuania, New Zealand

Romanian sprint past Germany

Despite racing in the unfavoured lane 5, Romania’s men’s eight pulled off one of their spectacular trademark sprints to secure A-final qualification from the repechage. They came back from two seconds down at 1500m to beat Germany by 0.6 seconds. But it was a good showing from the green German boat, who kept their Olympic dreams alive by finishing second ahead of Canada.

Australia pull back British lead

Great Britain led out the women’s eights repechage, looking smooth and strong as they looked to qualify for the A-final. But they had reckoned without Australia’s desire to win, and as the line approached the gap of nearly 1.4 seconds at 500m to go narrowed and narrowed. Australia’s surge took them through in the final metres and they claimed first place by 0.05 seconds. Behind the British and Australians, Olympic champions Canada and Italy also go through to the A-final.