Big boat, big attitude – the eight

These two races will be wrapping up the 2010 World Rowing Championships in Karapiro, New Zealand. For the men, World Champions Germany secured their spot in the final by winning their heat earlier in the week. Great Britain qualified by the same channel. The remaining crews, New Zealand, Australia, United States and the Netherlands then qualified through the repechage.

The Germans won at the 2009 World Rowing Championships and have not lost a race since. In their heat here at Karapiro, however, they were pushed hard in the finishing sprint by the newly established New Zealand crew. Ever since New Zealand won the 1972 Olympic Games in the eight, the country has yearned for another top eight. On the Lake Karapiro course at the 1978 World Rowing Championships the men’s eight for New Zealand finished third. The hopes of the nation now ride on this boat.

The big story in the British press for their men’s eight is the already great comeback story. Greg Searle became an Olympic Champion in 1992 and last raced internationally in 2000 at the Olympics. Late last year the pull of the Olympics being in his home country was too much for Searle. He fought his way back into the British team and into the eight. The British eight has had a great season coming into the Karapiro World Champs.

For the men’s eight final at Karapiro, the Dutch men have the tallest crew with an average height of 197.3cm. They also have the second tallest rower in the race. Former singles sculler, Sjoerd Hamburger returns from time out of international competition to row in his country’s eight. He measures 205cm in height. The tallest rower across the field is newcomer to the eight, Lukas Mueller of Germany. Mueller is a statuesque 208cm. However, the overall average of the crew is 193.2cm making them the shortest on average of the field. Mueller is 14cm taller than the next tallest in his crew. 

The heaviest crew turned out to be harder to measure with some crews a little shy about giving all of their weights. But it is likely that the British are the heavier at just over 94kg. The Dutch sit at the other end of the spectrum at 91kg.

For the women, the United States come into their eights final as favourites. They are the reigning World Champions, the reigning Olympic Champions and they hold the World Best Time. The United States won their heat earlier in the week with Canada looking to be the next fastest. Great Britain and Romania also qualified for the final from their heat while it took a repechage for China and the Netherlands to become finalists.

Canada has been at the edge of the top eights picture lately but they showed their boat speed when they finished just a smidgen behind the United States at the final Rowing World Cup this season. Coxed by the very competent Leslie Thompson-Willie, Canada will meet the Americans again in the final.

The United States women easily make up the tallest crew of this field. Their average height is 184cm, well above the Canadians, at the other end of the scale, who average just over 179cm in height. The British, however, have the tallest woman in the field. Victoria Thornley is 192cm tall. Sizing in as the second tallest is Roline Repelaer van Driel of the Netherlands. Repelaer van Driel is 190cm tall.

The women, like the men, were a little bashful about their weight, but from statistics gathered the United States women have the most weight behind them with an average of 80kg.

Watch out on Sunday 7 November when the men and the women of the eight race for the title of World Champion in this flagship event.

Get to know Sunday's finallists by re-living today's press conference of the women's and men's eights.

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