Racing has started at the 2021 World Rowing Junior Championships in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. Plovdiv is known for warm water racing and with a heat wave passing through the country, racing was kept to the morning. Racing opened today with barely a hint of a head wind, flat water and temperatures rising up from an early 25 degrees Celsius.

Men’s pair (JM2-) – Heats

It was all about being in the top two for a direct path to the semifinals in these three heats and Heat One was all about high rating by especially for Italy who rated 38 strokes per minute for the majority of the race. At the start Italy’s Ferdinando Chercia and Federico Ceccarino was quick off the line with Russia following closely. Then Poland pushed into second behind Italy with Canada and Russia neck-and-neck. In the final sprint Italy held off a sprinting Poland.

The United States was the fastest boat at the start of Heat Two, but it was close with Turkey and Spain and Paraguay all moving well. Then the US moved out to a clear water lead. Wilson Morton and Emmett Infante row together back home and they looked the most polished. Spain followed in second after overtaking Turkey going through the third 500. The United States held the lead as Turkey tried to come back on Spain, but Spain held them off.

Heat Three opened with Bulgaria and Germany speeding along at the head of the field. Bulgaria’s Tsvetomir Malinov and Ivan Yankulov must have been enjoying their home course, but then Germany took over in the lead with Romania coming up to challenge the two leaders. Going through the middle of the race there was very little between these three crews with Romania and Germany both rating 35 strokes per minute. Germany continued to just hold on to the lead with Bulgaria looking to be pushed out of a qualifying spot. At the line Andrei-Petrisor Axintoi and Iliuta-Leontin Nutescu had taken the first qualifying spot and in the fastest time. Romania are the reigning champions from 2019.

Qualifiers ITA, POL, USA, ESP, ROU, GER

Men’s quadruple sculls (JM4x) – Heats

The four heats in the quad meant that rowers had to be first to get directly to the semifinals. Germany opened Heat One in the lead. They had a great start and got to the first 500m mark out in front. This boat class had attracted entries from 22 countries and everything pointed to some stiff competition. Germany moved out to an open water lead as they went through the middle of the race with the closest challenge coming from Belarus, with Ukraine chasing them. Germany rated 35 stroked per minute through the third quarter and remained the fastest boat on the water to qualify for the semifinals.

Heat Two had Russia get away quickly, followed closely by Hungary. Russia rated 41 through the early stages of the race to have the lead. They remained in front and by the half way point they had more than a boat length lead over Hungary in second. Poland was now moving up on Hungary, but they would need to do a lot of work to reach Russia. Poland then got into second and tried to close on Russia who went to 38 strokes per minute. Russia crossed the line in first. In contrast it looked like France never really raced in and they were at the back of the field.

It was all about the Czech’s in Heat Three. They came out at the start with a 41 stroke rate and looked like they wanted to dominate. Serbia followed in second with Ireland moving with them. But the Czech Republic looked great and continued to move away from the field. They had the fastest speed on the regatta course. The Czech Republic are the reigning World Champions from 2019 and they continued to head towards another win by finishing first in this heat with a clear water lead. Serbia had a battle with Ireland, but it was semantics as both boats will need to go to the repechage.

It was rather even at the start of Heat Four before Bulgaria push away to a length advantage over the rest of the field. Rating 37, they remained ahead of Switzerland in second. Switzerland pushed on, making Bulgaria wary of the Swiss position. Romania was now coming up on Switzerland and this was looking to be one of the closest races of these heats. This is the first regatta this year that has allowed spectators and the Swiss support could be heard. The Swiss crew used it and at the line Switzerland had snatched first off Bulgaria.

Qualifiers: GER, RUS, CZE, SUI

Men’s double sculls (JM2x) – Heats

This race had three heats and the goal was to finish in a top two position. In Heat One Ireland had the lead at the start. But Greece was pushing hard with Poland in hot pursuit. Going through the middle of the race Poland did a push and moved up on Ireland. In the third 500 Poland got their nose ahead of Ireland. Poland was in third and had now moved to first with Greece also getting the better of Ireland who had slipped back into third. At the line, Poland’s Mikolaj Kulka and Daniel Galeza had finished first with Greece keeping ahead of Ireland to take the second qualifying spot.

Slovenia went belting out in Heat Two. Only France looked to be holding their pace with Italy in third. Slovenia’s Matej Markuza and Gabrijel Potocnik remained in first going through the half way point. But then there was Italy, the Czech Republic and France who were neck-and-neck behind Slovenia. This brought the boats up on Slovenia with France then grabbing the lead. The French seniors had recently taken gold at the Olympics in this boat class and Samuel Arque and Martin Bauer must have been inspired. Slovenia had now been overtaken by the Czech Republic and out of the qualifying spots.

Heat Three had Germany moving the quickest at the start and by the first 500m mark they had an astounding open water lead over the rest of the field. This left three boats vying for second – Estonia, Latvia and Switzerland. Finn Staeblein and Adrian Groth of Germany have a silver medal in 2019 to defend for their country and their advantage grew and grew throughout the race. The real battle was now between Switzerland and Estonia. Switzerland had got the second spot.

Qualifiers: POL, GRE, FRA, CZE, GER, SUI

Women’s double sculls (JW2x) – Heats

This had the most entries of all the boat classes with 23 countries taking part. They were divided into four heats with the aim of finishing first for a direct path to the semifinals. Denmark jumped out at a 45 stroke rate in Heat One but it was Belarus that got to the 500m mark in the lead. Viktoryia Vasilyeva and Viyaleta Dzmitryieva of Belarus remained ahead in the middle of the race and had already created a gap over Slovenia in second with Canada trying to catch up to them. Belarus was maintaining their pace and they had increased their lead. In the final sprint Belarus did not push it and they took the qualifying spot. Slovenia held second over Canada with both boats having to go to the repechage.

Like their male counterparts, France was making the best of it in Heat Two. Gaia Chiavini and Jeanne Roche of France must also have been inspired by their country’s Olympic gold in this boat class and they still had the lead at the half way point. Lithuania was the closest boat to France with the Czech Republic in third. France rated a rather casual 33 strokes per minute but they were smooth and strong through the water and their speed reflected this. You could hear the coaches on their bicycles following the race, urging their athletes on. Now the Netherlands had moved up and along with the Czech Republic and Lithuania they were equal going into the final sprint. With France in first, the Dutch came through in second but will have to go to the repechage.

Heat Three saw a fast starting Irish crew take the lead. Holly Davis and Rachel Bradley of Ireland remained in front until Greece’s Styliani Natsioulas and Aikaterini Gkogkou pushed past in the middle of the race. The wind had picked up a bit and was more of a head breeze. Greece was at 37 strokes per minute and remained ahead of Ireland. Once in front, Greece was able to push out to a clear lead and remain at 37 strokes per minute. Ireland was at 35 and remained in second with the rest of the field in no position to challenge the leaders. Ireland came back in the final sprint but the Greeks had enough of a lead to hold them off.

It was a fast Italian crew that took the lead in Heat Four. The Italian duo was at 35 strokes per minute going into the second 500 to stay ahead of Germany who were hot on their heels. Alice Bussacchetti and Edda Volponi of Italy was still in front at the half way point and they had a handy lead now over Germany. At 33 strokes per minute Italy continued to lead with Germany at 34 but not able to dent the Italian lead. This race was rather a procession and no one really needed to sprint.

Qualifiers: BLR, FRA, GRE, ITA

Men’s single sculls (JM1x) – Heats

The men’s single had four head and their goal was a top two position for a direct path to the semifinals. In Heat One the United States was the fastest at the start. Isaiah Harrison of the United States came to rowing through his indoor rowing success. At one point Harrison owned all of the junior indoor records. Following Harrison was Denmark. By the middle of the race Harrison had an open water lead with Denmark way ahead of the rest of the field. Despite Harrison’s known strength he was not overpowering his boat. At 205 metres tall Harrison had a lot of length as well. Denmark couldn’t catch him, but it didn’t matter. August Wisholm of Denmark had the second qualifying spot.

The fastest boat on the water at the start of Heat Two was Germany. Oliver Holtz is on his first German national team and he is in a boat class that his nation has a very strong winning tradition. Turkey followed in second with Italy in third. Holtz rated 34 strokes per minute through the middle of the race as the breeze turned to a small tail wind. Holtz now had an open water lead. Italy had got the better of Turkey and moved into second and into a qualifying position.

Marco Prati of Italy is also making an international debut and he held on to second through to the finish.

In lanes next to each other, Lithuania and Greece got away quickly in Heat Three. Lithuania’s Povilas Juskevicius had a very slight advantage over Iasonas Exarchou of Greece. Both were at 32 strokes per minute and they now looked to be matching each other. Poland was also moving well and as Juskevicius got the lead, Poland looked to be moving up on Exarchou. Jakub Wozniak of Poland then overtook Exarchou to get into the second qualifying spot. But there was more racing to go and Exarchou had time to react back. It was a sprint to the line with Juskevicius also having to do his best to hold the lead. Wozniak kept coming but Juskevicius was able to just hold him off.

Heat Four opened with Croatia’s Davor Poljancic in the lead. Croatia’s Damir Martin medalled in the single at the Tokyo Olympics and it’s likely the popular Martin has inspired a whole generation of Croatian rowers. Poljancic looked inspired today. Follow the Croatian was the Netherlands and Belgium. Lucas Keijzer of the Netherlands held second but was being pushed hard by Aaron Andries of Belgium. Andries then did a push and overtook both Keijser and Poljancic to take the lead. Poljancic then took the power off and Andries finished first over Keijser.

Qualifiers: USA, DEN, GER, ITA, LTU, POL, BEL, NED

Women’s single sculls (JW1x) – Heats

Four heats lined up and the goal was to be first in each heat for a direct path to the semifinals. Heat One had a very fast start from Russia who had a nice lead already at the first 500 m marker. Marina Matveeva of Russia remained ahead of Romania who was the closest challenger. Turkey tried to get up with Romania, but at the half way point it looked rather sorted. Matveeva now had open water over Ana-Maria Matran of Romania. Both of these athletes are racing internationally for the first time. At the line Matveeva had won with Peru sneaking past Matran for second, but will have to return for a repechage.

Portugal had a great start in Heat Two and held a length over Latvia in second. Using 30 strokes per minute Beatriz Varela of Portugal continued to lead. Latvia’s Laine Rumpe rated 25 but was moving the quickest in the race. Rumpe’s low rating was paying off and she took the lead in the second half of the race. The race looked sorted as Ukraine getting the better of Portugal but not close enough to catch Rumpe. Rumpe remained in the lead with Ukraine then getting overtaken by Moldova.

Heat Three opened with Germany’s Rianne Lagerpusch in the lead, but by the middle of the race Aurelia-Maxima Janzen of Switzerland had got into the lead. Janzen raced to a medal at the World Rowing Under 23 Championships last month and she turned a lot of heads as she races with macon blades. Once Lagerpusch had been overtaken she looked like she wasn’t going to attack back. Janzen was able to move clean away from the field with Italy now overtaking Germany. Janzen held her lead rating a low 24 – a style that she demonstrated at the Under-23 Championships. The cow bells were ringing in the grandstand that allowed 50% capacity.

It was extremely close between the Netherlands and Greece in Heat Four. They were three lanes apart so had to keep looking over to see each other. Marg van der Wal of the Netherlands and Greece’s Evangelia Fragkou remained close together through the middle of the race. Then Fragkou pushed into the lead and once there she managed to get an edge over the Dutch. Fragkou kept the pressure on and went into the final sprint out in front. Van der Wal challenged in the final sprint, but the Greek held her off.

Racing ended at 11:50 am Plovdiv time as temperatures reached 33 degrees Celsius.

Qualifiers: RUS, LAT, SUI, GRE

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