Tough for the top crews in Day 6 semis

Lightweight Men’s Single Scull (LM1x) – semifinal

Semifinal One:  Was this a case of young blood reeling in the old guard? Three-time World Champion, the 30 year old Duncan Grant of New Zealand is not in the final following a badly judged race that saw Grant lead at the start and then get overtaken with about 300m left to row with no energy left to give. Slovakia’s Lukas Babac, 25, finished in second after carrying out a negative split formula for racing. Italy’s Marcello Miani, 26, who comes to the single after racing at the Beijing Olympics in the lightweight double, hovered around the head of the field finishing in third.
But the big story is Henrik Stephansen of Denmark. Stephansen is best known for being the fastest lightweight in the world on the indoor rowing machine and not so well-known for his exploits on the water. Stephansen came out of the start at the back of the field and hovered around the back going through the middle of the race before turning it all on in the final sprint. This burst of power, at a 36 stroke rate, brought Stephansen through the field and into the lead as the finish line came into view. Stephansen makes the A-final.

Semifinal Two: Coming into this World Championships Peter Galambos of Hungary was having the best season. He is unbeaten, winning the Rowing World Cup series as well as the European Championships. Today Galambos totally showed his dominance by leading from start to finish and using a solid 29 stroke rate pace to move clear of the field. This left everyone else to race for second. Japan’s Daisaku Takeda slipped into second with Germany and Great Britain being the closest challengers. Takeda, however, was able to counter every attack with Peter Chambers pulling out a solid sprint to earn the third and final qualifying spot.

Qualifying Crews: DEN, SVK, ITA, HUN, JPN, GBR

Men’s Double Sculls (M2x) – semifinal

Semifinal One: New Zealand’s Nathan Cohen and Joseph Sullivan picked a strategy that meant getting out in front at the start and holding on. It must have taken the rest of the field by surprise as by the half way point Cohen and Sullivan had a slight open water lead. Where were the World Champions, France? Cedric Berrest and Julien Bahain of France were the winners at the European Championships and they also won the final Rowing World Cup this season. As New Zealand remained in the lead Berrest and Bahain sat tussling with Nick Hudson and Jared Bidwell of Australia for second.
Bringing the boats into the final sprint, the United States charged. Australia and France had to react as Cohen and Sullivan remained in the lead. To the delight of the crowd New Zealand qualify from first, with Australia and France earning second and third respectively.

Semifinal Two: The British have been having a great season and part of that has been Matthew Wells and Marcus Bateman in the double. Bateman and Wells have come together just this season and in the first two Rowing World Cups they won. Wells has a fine pedigree having medalled in this event at the 2008 Olympic Games. Today the Brits jumped into the lead at the start followed closely by reigning World Champions, Eric Knittel and Stephan Krueger of Germany. Knittel and Krueger have come through injury this season which leaves them out of the ‘favourite’ position, but they were doing a fine job today and coming into the final sprint Knittel and Krueger earned the lead. Great Britain, however, fought back. Great Britain take first, Germany second and an extremely happy Nils Jakob Hoff and Kjetil Borch of Norway earn third.

Qualifying Crews:  NZL, AUS, FRA, GBR, GER, NOR