The sun was shining and the water was glass flat as the first races of the 2024 Final Olympic and Paralympic Qualification Regatta got underway. We got a sense of what is to come in the finals as some crews secured direct progression while others will have to go through further rounds. We’re expecting some epic racing on Tuesday!

First finalists confirmed

Eva Mol of the Netherlands was the first to confirm a place in a final as she took the win in the first heat of the PR1 women’s single sculls, securing the only direct progression through to the final. In the next race, Ebba Einarsson took the win in heat two. Einarsson missed out on qualifying for the Tokyo Paralympic Games so will be desperate to make up for that on Tuesday. There will be just one place for Paris up for grabs so it will be all to play for!

Renê Campos Pereira hoping for third Paralympic Regatta

He won bronze in Tokyo but is yet to qualify for Paris. The Brazilian comfortably won the second heat of the PR1 men’s single sculls this morning though to progress directly to Tuesday’s final. His time of 9:48.70 was slower than the time that France’s Alexis Sanchez posted in the first heat. With only one qualification place up for grabs on Tuesday, the racing is likely to be tense!

Fireworks in the PR2 mixed double sculls

In our crews to watch, we had suggested that this boat class might be one to watch, and we weren’t wrong! The first heat saw a battle all the way down the course between Israel and France. The photo finish camera had to come out for the first time and it was just 0.02 seconds splitting the two boats on the line – Israel will progress direct to Tuesday’s final whereas France will have to go again in the repechage tomorrow. The second heat was a much-less close affair as Germany cruised to the line comfortably ahead of Brazil. The German boat was second at the recent European Rowing Championships so we look forward to seeing how they go against Israel and France in the final!

Can Udby Erichsen qualify for fourth games?

With just six boats racing for the two qualifying places in the women’s pair, it was the Danish duo of Hedvig Laerke Rasmusen and Fie Udby Erichsen that led across the line, Udby Erichsen hoping to secure qualification for her fourth Olympic Games. Germany’s Lena Sarassa and Hannah Reif crossed the line in second place.

Germany beat Olympic bronze medallists

The Danish men’s pair of Frederic Vystavel and Joachim Sutton is unchanged from the line-up that won Olympic bronze in Tokyo, having qualified at the Final Olympic Qualification Regatta on that occasion. However, today, they were beaten by Germany. Julius Christ and Soenke Kruse crossed the line less than a second ahead. Meanwhile, in the previous heat, the Dutch crew of Niki van Sprang and Guillaume Krommenhoek, who won at the 2021 FOQR, looked absolutely dominant.

Czechia and Germany progress in W2x

The sprint to the line from Switzerland just wasn’t enough to overhaul Germany in the second heat of the women’s double scull, with Frauke Hundeling and Sarah Wibberenz securing a direct route to Tuesday’s final. However, Germany’s time would have placed them third in the first heat which saw a battle between Czechia and Great Britain. The Czech duo of Anna Santruckova and Lenka Luksova took the honours and will progress directly to the final while Great Britain will have to race the repechage tomorrow.

Redemption for USA in men’s double

Sorin Koszyk and Ben Davison will have been disappointed not to qualify at the World Championships last year, but they are looking strong here in Lucerne. Their time of 6:18.46 was fast enough to comfortably win the third heat, and was the fastest across the three. While the top three from each of the heats will progress to the semifinals, the remainder will need to race a second time today, in the repechage.

All to play for in men’s four

With two returners from the crew that won bronze in Tokyo, Italy unsurprisingly looked strong in the first heat, leading from the start. Their time of 5:58.66 was impressive, but it was beaten in the second heat. There was absolute delight for the home supporters as the Swiss four came through from third place at 500m to cross the line first in a time of 5:57.30, putting them ahead of a strong looking Germany crew.

Fourth Games for Puspure?

We have seen Ireland’s Sanita Puspure in the women’s four and women’s double scull during the 2022 and 2023 seasons, but she is back in the single scull now, and looking strong. Puspure won the second heat in a time of 7:36.20, the fastest time across the three heats. In the previous heat, we had seen another Tokyo Olympian finish on top. Spain’s Virgina Diaz Rivas, who raced in the women’s pair in 2021, crossed the line ahead of the Swiss youngster, Aurelia Maxima-Janzen. Meanwhile, the third heat was won by Czechia’s Alice Prokesova.

30 to go down to 3

The men’s single sculls was always going to be one of the most competitive boat classes as a massive entry of 30 scullers has to be narrowed down to just three qualifiers for Paris. Kjetil Borch of Norway is hoping to secure a place to his fourth Olympic Games. He hasn’t been on top form recently, but looked impressive today and wont he first heat in 6:56.22. The second fastest time across the five heats came from George Bourne, in heat four. Bourne is one of just two boats here from Great Britain, and will hope to secure them another Olympic berth. Meanwhile, in the fifth heat, we saw a win for Romania’s Mihai Chiruta. Romania already has more boats qualified for Paris than any other nation, but Chiruta would love to confirm one more!

France overcome Italy in LW2x

Pipped to be one of the most exciting races of the day, the second heat of the lighweight women’s double sculls had both the gold and silver medal winning crews from Tokyo. The result was reversed on this round as France’s Laura Tarantola and Claire Bove crossed the line comfortably in the lead to secure direct progression to the final with Italy having to race the repechage tomorrow. The Greek duo of Dimitra Eleni Kontou and Zoi Fitsiou had secured a comfortable win in the first heat, and will also go direct to the final to race for Olympic qualification.

Eights wrap up the session

The racing session concluded with preliminary races in the women’s and then men’s eights. Italy looked really impressive in the women’s eight, crossing the line with a clear water lead ahead of Germany. Two boats will qualify for Paris on Tuesday. Shortly later, in the men’s eight, the USA took the honours, just over a length ahead of Canada.

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