Daily Digest: 2023 World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals Underway!

Barletta Beach today welcomed rowers from around the world as the 2023 World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals got underway in Italy. The first day of the three day Championships saw all crews racing the processional time trial format to gain a ranking for further rounds of racing. Conditions were relatively benign on this first day with the temperature gradually increasing throughout the racing session.

Impressive start for the USA

It was a great start to the day for Team USA as they posted the fastest times in the time trials for both the CJM1x and CJW1x. the U19 men’s solo was the first boat class of the 2023 event and it was American Malachi Anderson that set the fastest time. After his sprint from the boat to the buzzer, his finish time was 2:42.84, which put him comfortably ahead of Italy’s Lucio Fugazzotto who, aged just 16, won gold at the European Rowing Beach Sprint Championships a few weeks ago. The U19 women’s solo was up next and while all eyes were on Hela Belhaje Mohamed of Tunisia, who has won this boat class for the last two years, it was the USA’s Annelise Hahl that set the fastest time in the time trial, two seconds clear. Recent European Champion from Great Britain, Evelyn Pakule, took third place.

New Zealand with a point to prove

With the U19 solos completed, we moved on to the biggest boat, the mixed quad where reigning World Champions New Zealand were up first, and went off to a flying start! Spain has come to Barletta having won gold int his boat class for the last three years so New Zealand were clearly keen to improve on their silver medal from last year. The Kiwis definitely laid their marker with a win in the time trial, clocking 2:23.22, just over a second quicker than France with the home team from Italy coming in third. Spain could only manage 7th in the time trial, but it could all change when the knockout racing begins.

Tight times in CMix2x

There was just over two seconds separating the top four crews in the time trial of the mixed double sculls. The fastest time was clocked by Kory Rogers and Christine Cavallo of the USA, finishing just over a second of Spain. The Spanish crew includes Ander Martin, who has won gold in this boat class for the last two years. It was third place for New Zealand, the boat containing a familiar face for Cavallo; she was up against Jackie Kiddle in the lightweight women’s double sculls, most recently in 2019. Great Britain took fourth place in this time trial, but there may be more to come from them in the knockout rounds.

Welcome to the beach, PR3 CMix2x!

This year, an inclusion event has been included in the schedule for the first time at a World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals. Although not formally part of the World Championship programme yet, the PR3 Coastal Mixed Double Sculls had four entries. It was Australia’s Macintyre Russell and Phoebe Robinson that made the most of the time trial finishing in a time of 2:57.97, comfortably ahead of Great Britain.

Penalty punishes USA U19 Women’s Double

The CJW2x from the USA, Annelise Hahl and Annalie Duncomb, who are keen to improve on their bronze medal in this boat class last year, were awarded a 10 second penalty in the time trial for early entry into the boat meaning they were relegated to sixth place and will need to race the second round to ensure progression into the Last 8. Their relegation meant a win for Summer Harlow and Leah Saunders from Great Britain with French twins Amaia and Maider Irazoqui taking second place.

Bak under pressure to defend title

With 35 nations represented, the men’s solo is the biggest boat class of the championships and the field was absolutely stacked, so it was all to play for. Christopher Bak of the USA was out to defend his title as World Champion in this boat class, but it was Spain’s Adrian Miramon Quiroga who was the fastest in the time trial. The Spaniard, clearly keen to lay a marker clocked 2:23.61, which put him 3.52 seconds ahead of Bak, although Bak’s outward leg had been the quickest. Meanwhile, Italy’s Giovanni Ficarra, who won gold in the CM1x at the European Rowing Beach Sprints just a few weeks ago, finished third in the time trial and will undoubtedly be challenging for a medal here.

Van der Meulen looking for revenge

She missed out on becoming European Champion by just 0.18 seconds a few weeks ago when Elodie Ravera-Scaramozzino won gold on home waters. However, the Dutch athlete was the fastest in the time trial this morning, clearly attempting to stamp her authority on the CW1x. The time of the French competitor was just 1:35.16 seconds slower though suggesting we should expect some very close racing in later rounds of racing. Meanwhile, Christine Cavallo of the USA, who had posted the fastest time in the CMix2x earlier in the racing session, finished in third place, only 0.42 seconds behind France.

More to come

After a short break, the second round of racing will get underway at 15:00 local time. For some boat classes that is a second time trial, while we will also see our first knockout rounds as boat go side-by-side.