Raise your glass to the new world champions

Russia’s women’s quad did it by slogging it. Denmark’s lightweight men’s Rasmussen and Quist did it by keeping controlled and consistent. The United States women’s eight did it by knocking a full second off their World Best Time. China’s lightweight quad women also broke their own World Best Time record that they set earlier this season.

Men’s Coxed Four (M4+)

New Zealand’s race plan; Get out fast and hang on. They got out fast, they maintained a 38 stroke rate and they hung on. But hanging tightly to the New Zealanders coat tails were the Canadians, made up of under 23 rowers and Germany. There was very little in it and at the half way point barely half a boat length split the top five boats. Only Italy had fallen off the pace. This was going to be a full 2000 metre race. With just 500 metres left to row you could still throw a blanket over the top five boats with Germany now gaining a bow ball of an edge over the field.

In the mad dash to the line water flew, ratings went high, Germany and New Zealand hit 43 strokes per minute, Canada held in there. Germany’s Florian Eichner, Philipp Naruhn, Matthias Flach, Jan Martin Broeer and coxswain Martin Sauer had won gold. The rest of the fleet sat there waiting for the call. Canada had taken second and New Zealand with bronze gain their second medal of the season, adding to their under 23 gold last month.

New Zealand’s James Dallinger: “I’m definitely happy about the race and it’s great to win a medal at the world champs.”

Lightweight Men’s Pair (LM2-)

Germany’s Ole Rueckbrodt and Felix Otto have had a great season coming to their first senior championships as winners of two gold and one silver Rowing World Cup medal. But the duo have far from dominated coming into this final. Today they rowed the race they wanted. Starting out in the lead Rueckbrodt and Otto held off early challenges from Australia with Spain and Italy fighting it out for third. Germany, holding a steady 35, remained in the lead with the higher rating Juan Manuel Florido Pellon and Jesus Gonzalez Alvarez of Spain starting to make a huge impression on the leaders.

The sprint to the line was on. Australia had run out of gas, Spain rated higher while Salvatore Di Somma and Andrea Caianiello of Italy let loose down the outside lane. Rueckbrodt and Otto held on to get gold. Spain belted through for silver and Italy take bronze.

Di Somma: “We started really well and we did not want to lose this medal. It was a wonderful race. This is my second medal this year.”

Lightweight Women’s Quadruple sculls (LW4x)

They broke the World Best Time earlier this season at the Poznan Rowing World Cup. They did it again today at Eton, knocking a staggering six seconds off their own record (old 6:29.24, new 6:23.96). Hua Yu, Haixia Chen, Xuefei Fan and Jing Liu took to the lead right from the starters gun and instead of going crazy, they maintained a very composed 35 – 36 stroke rate in these tail wind conditions.

Denmark took chase holding China’s pace. The Danes practiced for these World Champs by racing in the open weight class for the World Cup series and it was now helping in their challenge against China. As China stretched to an open water lead Great Britain fought to get into the medals by staging a fierce closing sprint. At the line China had gold, Denmark silver and Great Britain sprinted through to bronze.

What will these Chinese do if they’re really pushed? With 15 year old Fan in the boat, the crew have many years to find out.

Stroke for Great Britain, Sophie Hosking: “We were selected three and a half weeks ago. We knew we had to work hard to get a medal and it’s a great result in front of our family and friends.”

Lightweight Men’s Quadruple Sculls (LM4x)

This was Daniele Gilardoni of Italy’s for the taking. A staggering six World Championship titles hang around his neck and, coming through the race for lanes earlier in the week, Italy was surely the favourite. But getting off the line first was Great Britain taking the bull by the horns and driving hard. Italy’s new stroke, Daniele Danesin seemed unconcerned, biding his time, pushing at a solid 35 pace. Behind him were the three reigning World Champions; Luca Moncada in three, Gilardoni in two and Gardino Pellolio in bow.

By the half way point Italy had found the lead, keeping their pace steady to make further gains on the field. Germany then started to wind it up from their fourth place position overtaking first France and going after the Italians. A small stutter by Germany’s bow in the final sprint did not stop their charge and at the line Germany had closed the gap. Gilardoni becomes seven-time World Champion, Germany take silver and France earn bronze.

Moncada: “We determined at the beginning not to be surprised by our opponents. We know that if we kept the same level as the earlier race, we could make it. This is my fifth World Championship title. I’m really happy.”

Lightweight Women’s Double Sculls (LW2x)

Dongxiang Xu and Shimin Yan of China sent out a clear warning earlier in the season when they broke the World Best Time at the second Rowing World Cup. Xu is no stranger to top racing. She finished fifth at the Athens Olympics in this event and with new partner, Yan, the duo look formidable. In their recent domineering fashion, Xu and Yan took to the head of the field coming out of the starting blocks at a 41 stroke rate pace to take a slight lead

But Australia’s stroke Amber Halliday was having none of this. Halliday last met Xu in the Athens final finishing one spot ahead in fourth and then retired until this year. Today, with new partner Marguerite Houston, Halliday went after the Chinese. Settling into a hot 37 pace Australia was rating just a fraction higher than China. It had no impact. Xu and Yan remained in the lead with Houston and Halliday under threat from Canada.

Then Greece’s Chrysi Biskitzi and Alexandra Tsiavou appeared to find another gear and took off after the leaders. In the final sprint Xu and Yan managed to hold on to the gold, Halliday and Houston take silver and Biskitzi and Tsiavou charge through to bronze.

Biskitzi: “I’ve tried to win a medal since 1998 and this is the best result of my career.”

Halliday: “It felt like a re-run of Athens. It doesn’t feel like I’ve been out of it (rowing). Marguerite was the spare in Athens.”

Lightweight Men’s Double Sculls (LM2x)

Coming through this season there’s no doubt that all eyes were on Mads Rasmussen and Rasmus Quist of Denmark. Rasmussen and Quist used the Rowing World Cup season to refine their skills dictated under the guidance of new coach Thomas Poulsen and today they put it all into practice in a race that was nothing short of complete domination. In the company of class, Rasmussen and Quist got into the lead within the first 100 metres, settled into a comfortable 36 stroke rate which had the incredible effect of moving them absolutely clear of the rest of the field and to an open water command.

No one in the field had an answer. Not two-time Olympic medallists, Tomasz Kucharski and Robert Sycz of Poland. Not four-time World Champion Elia Luini of Italy with under 23 champion Marcello Miani. Not France’s Olympic silver medallist Frederic Dufour with new partner Fabrice Moreau. Instead these crews, along with Australia and Germany, formed a virtual equal line.

Rasmussen and Quist win their first World Champion title since they came together in 2001 dominating at the end by an incredible 3.48 seconds. Luini and Miani push through to take silver. Dufour and Moreau win bronze.

Moreau: “We’re sad that we weren’t in front of the Italians, but in the end what is the most important is to get a medal.”

Lightweight Men’s Four (LM4-)

China has a new coach. Former United States coach Igor Grinko has been given the task of getting the Chinese up to speed for Beijing. The lightweight women have been doing their bit. What about the men? Earlier in the week the newly formed Chinese crew of Zhongming Huang, Chongkui Wu, Lin Zhang and Jun Tian had shown their boat speed, but the question remained, could they do a repeat performance in the final?

The Chinese four hail from four different provinces and include 17 year old international newcomer Wu in two seat keeping the crew lively.

Leading the final at the start was last year’s silver medallists, Ireland. The Irish shot out at a high rating keeping their beat in the high thirties. China took chase and by the half way point had daken the lead. The Irish saw China coming and held on with defending World Champions France fighting back. Ireland sprinted first, taking their rate to 44 then 45, France charged at a 41, China held on to cross the line in first. A photo finish between France and Ireland gave the French silver and Ireland bronze.

Two seat for France Jeremy Pouge: “It’s a small disappointment but in the end we’re happy to be second in the photo finish. Now we have to take into account this Chinese team towards Beijing.”

Women’s Quadruple Sculls (W4x)

Ten years ago at the Atlanta Olympics Irina Fedotova, Larisa Merk and Oxana Dorodnova of Russia finished seventh in the quad. They raced again together in at Sydney and finished third. Last year they came together again along with Olga Samulenkova and were incredibly disappointed with their bronze medal result. Earlier in the week they had given reigning World Champions Great Britain a run for their money. Today the Russians were after one result alone.

Taking off in the lead Russia settled into a powerful 31 stroke rate to stay ahead of Great Britain at 35 with Australia no far behind in third. The margins between these three crews was small and an aggressive third 500 gave Great Britain the lead. Russia pushed back, In the last 100 metres they had the lead. Russia win gold, a completely devastated Great Britain take silver and Australia hold on for bronze.

Samulenkova: “We were in good shape and determined and really happy because it’s my first World Championship medal.”

Australia’s bow Catriona Sens: “Bronze is the wrong colour.”

Men’s Quadruple Sculls (M4x)

Ukraine decided if they were going to do some damage they had better do it at the start. Shooting out at a 43 stroke rate Ukraine gained a slight margin, but there was little in it going through the first 500 with all six crews still very much on the pace. Margins began to stretch out going through the half way point as reigning World Champions Poland took to the head of the field. Poland’s two seat Marek Kolbowicz, 35, and stroke Adam Korol, 32, have been racing together for 10 years and took a bronze in 1998 in the double. Together with Konrad Wasielewski and Michal Jelinski they set a new World Best Time earlier this season at the second Rowing World Cup.

Today, as the wind increased and the swell mounted, the Poles seemed unstoppable. Ukraine held on, Estonia charged, Italy gave it their best shot. Poland defend their World Champion title, an ecstatic Ukraine take silver and Estonia win bronze.

Estonia’s bow Allar Raja: “Our race was not perfect but the result is a good surprise. We are all happy.”

Women’s Eight (W8+)

Last year at the World Champs the United States led the race only to finish fourth in the final strokes. This year they were making no mistakes. Charging off the line at a 43 stroke rate, the United States had an amazing boat length lead over Germany with only 500 metres rowed. Stroked by Caryn Davies with Caroline Lind in seven seat, the US continued to increase their lead. What could the Germans do?

Meanwhile behind them defending World Champions Australia was having a right old tussle with China, while Canada and, never been seen before, Romania dropped off the pace.

The United States continued to lead. Germany fought back. China went to half slide and got their rating up to a 49. United States win gold, Germany take silver and Australia stay inches ahead of China to take bronze. The United States better their World Best Time (set at the Athens Olympics), setting the new time one second faster at 5:55.50.

Lind: “It was an amazing race and an amazing boat. These girls are the best, only champions can do this.”

US coxswain Mary Whipple: “It was really messy out there (wind and water conditions). We just kept believing in ourselves.”

Men’s Eight (M8+)

Germany had a plan. Three of their crew rowed in Great Britain this year for Cambridge University including stroke, Bernd Heidicker. They had local information. Under the watchful eye and voice of coxswain stalwart Peter Thiede, the Germans took off in the lead with both Italy and the United States holding on. The United States are the defending World Champions but today didn’t look to be going their way as Germany pulled out to a full boat length lead by the half way point.

No one could chase down the Germans who kept at a steady 37 through the race to win gold. Italy comes through to silver and the United States take bronze.

Bow seat for Italy, Carlo Mornati: “We hoped for success because all of the leading boats were within a second coming into this race. Our boat is good technically so the waves are fine for us.”