Look who’s going to the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games

Para PR1 Women’s Single Sculls (PR1 W1x) – B-final

The winning boat in this boat class would earn a spot in the 2020 Paralympic Games and it was going China’s way at the start. Lili Wang of China shot out quickly to grab a very handy lead and already earning open water with just 500m raced. Argentina followed in second. Wang still had the lead at the half way point and the lead was enormous. Korea was in second with Liudmila Vauchok of Belarus in third. Then Wang looked like she’d gone out too fast too soon and first Kim of Korea overtook her and then Vauchok. The Belarusian has been to all three Paralympic Games. Would she be going to number four? Sejeong Kim still had the lead, but it was small with Vauchok right there. Wang could not keep up. Kim had done it. She qualified her country for the Paralympics.

Results: KOR, BLR, ARG, CHN, ITA, SWE

You can re-watch the race here

Para PR1 Men’s Single Sculls (PR1 M1x) – B-final

China was the first to show with this race to finish first. The winner would qualify a spot at the 2020 Paralympic Games for their country. China’s Jue Yang still had the lead going through the middle of the race with the United State’s Blake Haxton chasing hard. Haxton then pushed into the lead with Yang unable to respond. Once in the lead Haxton moved away from the field making him a sure qualifier for the Paralympics.

Results: USA, POL, CHN, ITA, LTU, FRA

You can re-watch the race here

Men’s Double Sculls (M2x) – B-final
Five Olympic qualification spots were available in this race. The goal was not to be last. But the line-up had no slow boats and included the reigning World Champions, France and the 2017 World Champions New Zealand. Australia – the fastest qualifiers from the semifinals – came out at the back of the field along with Lithuania. The new Dutch combination of Keijser and van Sprang were leading the way. They still had the lead at the half way point with New Zealand’s Storey and Harris the closest challengers. Germany’s Naske and Krueger followed in third. The Dutch had a clear water advantage going into the third 500. Then Storey and Harris began to reduce their lead. Naske and Krueger went with them. The gap closed as the final sprint began. Boats were rating in the low 40s with New Zealand at 44. The qualifiers were: NED, NZL, FRA, GER, LTU. Australia had missed out.

Results: NED, NZL, FRA, GER, LTU, AUS

Saulius Ritter – LTU
“Everybody wanted to win that race, it was really close so I’m happy considering the field we were racing. Our main goal was to qualify.”

You can re-watch the race here

Women’s Double Sculls (W2x) – B-final
Be in a top five position, don’t come last. These were the instructions for this b-final with the Czech Republic taking it seriously and jumping out quickly. A top five position would earn a spot for their country in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. One lane over from the Czechs were the reigning World Champions, Lithuania. Australia was the fastest qualifiers from the semifinals and China also did well in the semis. Antosova and Fleissnerova of the Czech Republic were the first to the 500m mark with the field remaining very tight. The current under-23 world champions, Belarus was also in this race and at the half way point only a second separated the top five boats. Italy was at the back but still well within striking distance of one of the valuable qualifying spots. The Czechs continued to lead. In the last 300m Lithuania and the Czechs led the way with Italy flying to the line. It was the final push by Buttignon and Gobbi of Italy that gave them the win. What a finish! Just a second separated the entire field. Belarus had missed out on Olympic qualification.

Results: ITA, CZE, LTU, CHN, AUS, BLR

Milda Valciukaite – LTU
“This is the hardest year I’ve had. So I’m pretty happy to qualify for my second Olympics” 

You can re-watch the race here

Women’s Eight (W8+) – B-final
Only five boats qualify for the Olympics at this regatta and as there are six competing crews in the a-final, no boats from this race would qualify. China has been using a fast start formula today and they did that again in this race. China still had the lead at the half way point with only Russia able to hold their initial pace. These two boats moved away from the rest of the field. Then the Netherlands started to push and came after Russia. China held on to the lead.

Results: CHN, RUS, NED, GER, DEN

You can re-watch the race here

Women’s Single Sculls (W1x) – B-final
There were three Olympic qualifying spots available for the single from this race. Sitting in the race was the 2012 Olympic Champion, Mirka Topinkova Knapkova of the Czech Republic and 2012 medallist Fie Udby Erichsen of Denmark. There was also home favourite Magdalena Lobnig of Austria. Lobnig was the first to show and she led the way for a short time before Erichsen took over in the lead. Both of these rowers are known for their fast starts. At the half way point just two seconds separated the top five scullers as Erichsen and Lobnig led the way. Diana Dymchenko of Ukraine was the slowest qualifier but she was giving it her all, overrating the rest of the field and sitting in third. Now Laila Youssifou of the Netherlands started to move and she got ahead of Ukraine with China starting to charge. They moved into the final sprint and Lobnig’s position was under threat. The crowd would have to help her home. Erichsen still had a small lead with the rest of the field equal. Only the Czech Republic was off the pace. Jiang of China went to 40, Lobnig was at 36 and Youssifou at 38. The crowd was going wild. China, the Netherlands and Austria had qualified for the Olympic Games.

Results: CHN, NED, AUT, DEN, CZE, UKR

Magdalena Lobnig – AUT
“I’m super happy to reach my target, it was really difficult! Today I found a better rhythm and pace than my semifinal. I’m now ready!”

You can re-watch the race here

Men’s Single Sculls (M1x) – B-final
Three placed would qualify for the 2020 Olympics. Damir Martin of Croatia went out at 50 strokes per minute. Martin was second at the Rio Olympics and one of the most experienced of the field. Robbie Manson of New Zealand came out at the back of the field. At the first 500m mark Martin had the lead at 35 strokes per minute with Greece’s Stefanos Ntouskos in second followed by Natan Wegrzycki-Szymczyk of Poland. Martin continued to lead the way through the half way point. But Simone Martini of Italy had done a huge push and moved into third right beside Ntouskos and Wegrzycki-Szymczyk. At the back of the field Manson was rating 40 and making up ground.

Martin was still easily out in front having a fabulous race with Martini in second as Manson continued to charge. Could the Pole hold him off? Manson was at 43, Martin went to 41. Manson had gone from last to first. Manson crossed the line to qualify for the Olympics along with Martin and Martini.

Results: NZL, CRO, ITA, POL, ITA, AZE

Simone MARTINI – ITA
”I am feeling really good. Now I’ve used up all of my energy for this final, I couldn’t imagine a final like this.  For me, the Olympic Games is really a dream. I want to say thanks to all the people who support me, to my girlfriend who follows me in every situation.“

Damir Martin – CRO
“That was a great race. I had a lesson to learn from my Semifinal, but the most important thing is to learn. Today I had a good start and tried to stay ahead of ITA as I knew he was strong. In the last 500m I was just counting the strokes, they were never ending! I’m so happy now to qualify the boat”

You can re-watch the race here

Men’s Eight (M8+) – B-final
No Olympic qualifying spots were available in this race so the race was for pride and for finishing 7 to 10 at this regatta. Romania and Italy shot out together with Canada taking chase. Only Russia was off the early pace. Canada then did a push. Romania was ready and continued to lead with Italy now under threat from Canada. The Canadians moved into second and tried to close the leading gap. Romania went to 43 with Canada at 40. Romania had won and finish seventh overall at this regatta.

Results: ROU, CAN, ITA, RUS

You can re-watch the race here