Race Report: Final World Rowing Beach Sprint titles awarded on reserve day

Following the abandonment of racing yesterday due to worsening conditions, the remainder of the racing programme had been postponed to the reserve day. While conditions were still challenging, all racing was completed with the final four sets of medals being awarded at the 2023 World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals.

Coastal Under 19 Women’s Double Sculls

This boat class had begun yesterday and all that was left to conclude was the two finals.

Spain had already earned the bronze, as France had been classified as “DNF” when they capsized in the semifinal, so all Spain needed to do was complete the course, which they did in style, testing the conditions in the first race of the day.

Within minutes after the Final B, the much-anticipated race for the gold medal got underway. The initial stages of the race were incredibly close as the U19 women from Italy and Great Britain sprinted to their boats and rowed away from the beach. Italy was first to the turning mark, but Great Britain was just second behind, it was going to be a close one. However, on the row back, Italy just had that extra bit of speed and made it first to the beach and began their run. On home waters, Vittoria Pastorelli and Maria Vittoria Crevatin had become World Rowing Beach Sprint Champions, earning the gold for Italy. It was silver for Great Britain.

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

Coastal Under 19 Mixed Double Sculls

As conditions continued to be challenging, this boat class threw up all sorts of surprises and, in many cases, came down to the sprints to the line as crews looked to progress through the rounds of racing.

The second semifinal was eventful with Great Britain being absolutely battered by the waves on the way out and it looked like it was going to go Tunisia’s way. However, on the return leg, it was Tunisia’s turn to get hit by a wave, allowing the British to take the lead. GB got to the line first and Tunisia would have to race for bronze.

Tunisia got away from the beach first in the Final B, and continued to extend their lead, earning the bronze ahead of Spain. It would be another medal for Hela Belhaje Mohamed, bringing her all time Beach Sprint total to six.

The Final A provided absolutely everything. On the outward row, there was absolutely nothing between the USA and Great Britain, but the USA got their navigation wrong and were in danger of receiving a time penalty. However, the drama continued on the return leg. On the approach to the beach, the British boat was caught by a wave and capsized. Jonathan Martini had to exit and sprint to the line and the two runners arrived almost simultaneously. However, it was confirmed that the USA had been awarded a 30 second penalty, and the gold went to Great Britain.

Jonathan Martini, Great Britain, CJMix2x, Gold: “Everything that could happen in beach sprints did in that race.”

2023 World Rowing Beach Sprint Champions: GREAT BRITAIN
Silver: USA
Bronze: Tunisia

Coastal Men’s Solo

Christopher Bak of the USA came into this as reigning World Champion but got knocked out in the quarterfinals when Germany’s Karl Schulze handled the conditions better. Meanwhile, Giovanni Ficarra of Italy was out to try and match his recent gold at the European Beach Sprints. It was those two who met in the second semifinal where Ficarra was victorious, securing his place in another Final A

For Schulze, it was the Final B, and he was up against the experience Lithuanian international, Zygimantas Galisanskis. Schulze repeated his performance from the European Rowing Beach Sprints and took another bronze medal.

Two former World Champions were going head-to-head in the Final A; Adrian Miramon Quiroga had won it in 2019 and Giovanni Ficarra had won in 2021, so it was likely to be an epic race. The race did not disappoint, but the coastal experience of Miramon Quiroga really showed as he surfed all the way into the beach and claimed his second gold medal in this boat class.

Adrian Miramon Quiroga, Spain, CM1x, Gold: “I am very happy as I am the first man to win two gold medals in endurance and two gold medals in beach sprints. ”

2023 World Rowing Beach Sprint Champion: Adrian Miramon, Quiroga, SPAIN
Silver: Giovanni Ficarra, Italy
Bronze: Karl Schulze, Germany

Coastal Women’s Solo

The conditions really started to come into play in this boat class and those who could handle them better were victorious. Janneke van der Meulen of the Netherlands took advantage in her quarterfinal as Spain’s Celia Miguel Gomez got caught up in the waves coming back into the beach.

Meanwhile, recent European Rowing Beach Sprint Champion Elodie Ravera-Scaramozzino of France secured her place in the semifinals where she would come up against Christine Cavallo of the USA.

With Cavallo taking the bronze ahead of Ireland’s Monika Dukarska, the stage was set for the Final A, and it was an exact repeat of the Gold medal race from the Europeans just a few weeks ago where Ravera-Scaramozzino had beaten van der Meulen by just 0.18 seconds. While the French rower took the early lead, it changed hands on the return leg and it was revenge for the Dutch athlete; Janneke van der Meulen had become World Champion!

2023 World Rowing Beach Sprint Champion: Janneke Van Der Meulen, NETHERLANDS
Silver: Elodie Ravera-Scaramozzino, France
Bronze: Christine Cavallo, USA