Who to Watch - Rowing World Cup I - Munich, Germany

Women’s Single Scull (W1x) Four-time Olympic medallist Ekaterina Karsten of Belarus dominated this event last season with a winning streak that stretched through the entire 2005 rowing year and up until the Duisberg regatta early May where she finished first place. But with a fresh season, a clean slate and another year of experience under their unisuits, Mirka Knapkova of the Czech Republic, France’s Sophie Balmary and Michelle Guerette of the United States are bound to put the heat on Karsten. Knapkova and Guerette took second and third respectively at last year’s World Rowing Championships while Balmary set a new world record on the indoor rowing machine during the off-season. Also stepping out at Munich is World Under- 23 Champion Iva Obradovic of Serbia & Montenegro and Sweden’s up-and-coming Frida Svensson.

Knapkova

Men’s Single Scull (M1x)

Some big names have stepped out of team boats to start off the season solo. Names like Slovenia’s Iztok Cop and Luka Spik will no doubt continue to make their double go faster by racing against each other. Ivo and Martin Yanakiev of Bulgaria also leave the double behind to race the single and Alessio Sartori steps out from double and quad success to represent Italy single handedly.

But the real race could be between single specialists Olympic Champion Olaf Tufte of Norway and Germany’s Marcel Hacker. Hacker held off Cop at the Duisburg Regatta early May and looks to be back on form this season. Watch out also for Ondrej Synek of the Czech Republic, last year’s world bronze medallist. There’s also bound to be a battle of the Dutch with both World Under-23 Champion Sjoerd Hamburger entered along with the more experienced two-time Olympian Dirk Lippits.

Women’s Pair (W2-)

The Australians are out in full force with their women’s eight divided into pairs. China has followed suit and also loaded up the field with members of their eight. This brings many new names to the event and opens up the potential for surprises. But with current World Champions New Zealand not competing at Munich, last year’s bronze medallists, Vera Pochitaeva and Valeriya Starodubrovskaya of Russia have a good opportunity to step up in the medal ranks.

Watch out too for the Romanians. Despite their young age both Rodica Florea, 23, and Simona Strimbeschi, 25, already have loads of experience stretching back to Junior and Under-23 competition. They also make up the stroke pair in the highly-ranked Romanian eight.

Men’s Pair (M2-)

Successful combinations are sticking together. Last year’s silver medallists, South Africa’s Ramon Di Clemente and Don Cech go into their ninth season as a duo while Croatia’s Niksa and Sinisa Skelin have been together now for six years. These two crews will definitely be the known quantities along with Italy’s Luca Agamennoni and Dario Lari. Coming at them is a flotilla of Australian boats that will make up the men’s eight later in the programme as well as a solid Spanish and Slovenian contingent, racing at Munich as another selection process step towards the World Rowing Championships.

Keep an eye out also for Nikos Pagounis and Ioannis Christou of Greece. They surprised many rowing specialists by finishing a credible fifth at last year’s World Rowing Championships and another season together will surely improve their potential.

Women’s Double Scull (W2x)

A medley of new mixtures and absences leaves the door wide open in this event. The three-time World Champions, Caroline and Georgina Evers-Swindell will arrive in Europe for the Rowing Word Cups in Poznan and Lucerne. The Bulgarians are out as Rumyana Neykova takes the season off to have a baby. The Australians haven't sent a combination and Germany is trying all sorts of new duos.

Tucked inside the melee is lightweight champion Marit van Eupen of The Netherlands and the adaptable Yuliya Bichyk of Belarus who raced in the women’s eight, pair and double at last year’s World Championships. Bichyk pairs up in this event with Volha Berazniova.

The top returnees from last year’s World Rowing Championships are the sixth-placed Italians, Laura Schiavone and Elisabetta Sancassani. Watch out also for Great Britain’s new combination of Annie Vernon and Anna Bebington who have been showing their worth in recent trials.

Men’s Double Scull (M2x)

Favourites going into this event must be the Italians. Luca Ghezzi and Federico Gattinoni finished second last year and are the only returning 2005 finalists in this event. But stiff competition will be coming from Germany’s new, but experienced, combination of Robert Sens and Rene Bertram.

Then there’s Norway’s Morten Adamsen and Nils-Torolv Simonsen who didn’t fare so well last year, but are back to improve their posture in 2006. Also on the potentials list are former World Champions from Hungary Akos Haller and Tibor Peto. Haller and Peto haven’t been getting the good results since their 2002 win but they remain the dark horses with medal potential.

Men’s Coxless Four (M4-) Who has the potential to break Great Britain’s winning streak? Andy Hodge, Alex Partridge, Peter Reed and Steve Williams are back and recently showed their strength by finishing at the head of the field in their home country trials. But they will be up against a fleet of German crews racing with home water advantage and the return of last year’s silver medallists, The Netherlands. Also likely to be on the pace are Denmark with a line-up that continues to gain medal potential.

Canada, bronze medallists in the four at the 2005 World Rowing Championships

Women’s Lightweight Double Scull (LW2x)

The potential here is limitless with experience and results abounding as many well-known names in the world of lightweight rowing come together. Last year’s World Champions from Germany Daniela Reimer and Marie-Louise Draeger have split to race against each other as part of the pool of top German lightweights. The crews who finished second, third and fourth at the 2005 World Rowing Championships – the United States, Finland and Poland – have remained intact.

Then sitting in the French double is Benedict Luzuy-Dorfman, silver medallist in the single at last year's World Champs. Sitting in the Irish double is former lightweight single World Champion Sinead Jennings. Sitting in the Greek boat is three-time Olympian Chrysi Biskitzi. This adds up to a talented field that will all want to be knocking on the medals door.

Men’s Lightweight Double Scull (LM2x)

You cannot go past the experience of Mads Rasmussen and Rasmus Quist of Denmark. Coming into their sixth season as a combination, Rasmussen and Quist have been regular finalists and frequent medallists including silver in 2005. But always in with a strong challenge are the Germans; Manuel Brehmer and Joerg Lehnigk will make the most of their home advantage and will also want to stamp their dominance over the two other German crews entered.

Keep an eye out for the Italians. Three-time World Champion Elia Luini is back in the double after competing last year in the four. Teamed up with Marcello Miani, the pair recently beat out Leonardo Pettinari and Stefano Basalini to get selected as the number one double for Italy. Then there’s the return of Olympic bronze medallists from Greece, Vasileios Polymeros and Nikolaos Skiathitis as well as Chilean’s Miguel Cerda and Felipe Leal who move from success in the lightweight pair into this event.

Men’s Lightweight Four (LM4-)

The skill of the Irish will be tested as they come to Munich with three out of four of the same crew that came second last year. Added newly to the mix is Gearoid Towey back from an attempt to row the Atlantic in his off-season. The Danes must be in selection mode. Their three entries will help Denmark’s coaches determine who should be in the top boat.

World Champions France have stayed away despite finishing second at the Duisburg Regatta early May while Australia have turned up along with Italy. Both crews will give the Irish a solid run for their money.

Women’s Quad Scull (W4x)

Conspicuous in their absence, the Germans have stayed away from their once flagship event. Furthermore, it is the only event that Germany has not entered at least one boat in at this regatta. Instead all eyes will be on last year’s champions, Debbie Flood, Sarah Winckless, Frances Houghton and Katherine Grainger of Great Britain. These top British scullers are likely to find their main competition coming from a strong Australian line-up that has Junior Champion Sally Kehoe in the stroke seat. Also keep an eye out for Russia. They finished third last year and continue to plug away at this event. Also watch out for the two relatively unknown Chinese crews: they may surprise.

Men’s Quad Scull (M4x)

After very tight racing in 2005, the entries in this event have lessened in stature undeniably leaving Poland as favourites. Konrad Wasielewski, Marek Kolbowicz, Michal Jelinski and Adam Korol are back again to work at defending their World Champion status.

Watch out for the Czech Republic’s line-up that includes single sculler Vaclav Chalupa. And do keep an eye on Australia .

Women’s Eight (W8+)

Australia won last year and come back this year with an almost entirely new crew to defend their top spot. Kate Hornsey, Emily Martin, Sarah Heard and coxswain Lizzy Patrick remain as the experienced part of the boat and they will go up against the always formidable Romanians. Also in the mix are the Germans who have added two entries as they continue to work towards selecting the best arrangement. Keep an eye out also for The Netherlands who finished in bronze medal position last year.

Men’s Eights (M8+)

In the absence of the United States, Italy seem to be the team to beat. They have mostly the same line-up that finished second last year. But the Germans love this event and their eight come to Munich after a healthy win over Poland and Great Britain at the Duisburg Regatta a couple of weeks ago. This will give Germany an added boost when these crews face each other again.