Race Report: Two boat classes before racing abandoned in Barletta

The third day of racing at the 2023 World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals got underway today in Barletta. While conditions were good to start the day enabling all of the Last 16 races to be complete, they began to get more and more challenging as the programme continued. After two boat classes were completed, and medals confirmed, racing was halted mid-way through the Coastal Under 19 women’s double sculls, with the finals, and remaining boat classes postponed until tomorrow, Monday 2 October 2023.

PR3 Coastal Mixed Double Sculls

Offered as an inclusion event this year, the PR3 mixed double sculls had four entries so all crews got to race in a final. The Final B was contested between Italy and Turkiye and saw a bronze medal won by the home nation. Moments later the Final A got underway and was a close race throughout. With less than a second separating Australia and Great Britain at the line, Macintyre Russell and Phoebe Robinson took the gold medal in this boat class. 

2023 World Rowing Beach Sprint Winners: AUSTRALIA
Silver: Great Britain
Bronze: Italy

Coastal Under 19 Men’s Double Sculls

Spain had won gold in this boat class in 2021 and 2022 but it was not to be today as they were beaten by France in the second semifinal. Italy had overcome Great Britain in the first semifinal and the local supporters were ready to cheer on Leonardo Bellomo and Pasquale Tamborrino in the Final A. 

Great Britain took the advantage off the start of the Final B as Spain missed a couple of strokes upon pushing away from the beach. However, there was disaster for the British boat on the return leg when they got pushed sideways and had to take evasive steering. Incredibly, they managed to recover and went on to win the sprint to the line to grab the bronze.

The noise from the crowds was incredible as Italy got underway in the Final A and there was absolutely nothing between them and France in the early stages. The conditions were starting to get much more challenging and France were thrown off course on the inbound leg, giving Italy an advantage. On home waters, Bellomo and Tamborrino had done it, they had become World Champions!

2023 World Rowing Beach Sprint Champions: ITALY
Silver: France
Bronze: Great Britain

Coastal Under 19 Women’s Double Sculls

This boat class provided huge drama when, in the fourth qurterfinal, there was a collision between the USA and Italy. After a review by the Umpires, the USA were excluded as it was deemed that they had not been in control of their boat. This meant that Italy progressed to the semifinals.

As racing progressed, the conditions were starting to become really challenging and we saw a capsize for France in the second semifinal which allowed Italy to progress to the Final A.

However, not long later, racing was paused and subsequently abandoned for the day as the conditions really started to deteriorate. Following an assessment of the current weather and wave conditions, which result in potentially unsafe conditions, racing for today has been postponed to the spare day 02 October 2023.

Racing will restart at 07:20 CET with the finals of the CJW2x, and the updated programme is here.