Who to watch at the European Rowing Champs

Racing will take place just outside of Athens, in Marathon, the 2004 Olympic rowing course.

Women’s Single Sculls (W1x)

Last year Rumyana Neykova of Bulgaria came out on top at the 2007 European Rowing Championships. This year, with an Olympic gold medal now added to her collection, Neykova will be the one to beat. There’s no doubt that Czech Republic’s Mirka Knapkova will be pushing Neykova along. Knapkova has barely rested since the August Olympic Games. Earlier this month she competed in the double at the University Games. Keep an eye out for Frida Svensson of Sweden who, at form, is always fast.

Men’s Single Sculls (M1x)

Both Ioannis Christou of Greece and Mindaugas Griskonis of Lithuania raced in the B Final of this event at the Olympic Games. Both of them exceeded expectations and showed that they are part of an exclusive group of up-and-coming single scullers. Griskonis has already proved his worth at the under 23 level, while Christou had to move to the single after losing his doubles partner and he has taken readily to this new discipline. At the Olympics Griskonis got the better of Chirstou. Chirstou can only improve. Normally a lightweight, the very seasoned Filippo Mannucci (ITA) has decided to foot it in this event. Mannucci has multiple World Championship titles from the lightweight quad but is rarely seen in a single. Martin Yanakiev of Bulgaria is similar. Most of Yanakiev’s international racing has been in the double. But both Mannucci and Yanakiev have the experience to do well.

Women’s Pair (W2-)

With five countries lining up, this event will be run as a straight final and it is likely to come down to a Belarus – Romania battle. Sitting in stroke seat for Belarus is two-time Olympic bronze medallist in this event, Yuliya Bichyk. Bichyk is partnering with up-and-coming Belarusian rowing star, 18-year-old Tatsiana Kukhta. Kukhta finished third in the pair at this year’s World Rowing Junior Championships. But Romania can outdo this experience. Sitting in bow of the Romanian boat is five-time Olympic gold medallist, Georgeta Damian-Andrunache. Like Belarus, Damian-Andrunache has partnered up with a less experienced up-and-comer; Ana Maria Apachitei is on the edge of breaking into Romania’s top eight and being chosen to row with Damian-Andrunache must be a huge honour.

Men’s Pair (M2-)

The most consistent crew, and current European Champion, is Serbia. Nikola Stojic and Goran Jagar have been together since 2006 and have made their mark internationally over the last couple of years. At this year’s Olympic Games they finished seventh. Stojic and Jagar will be hard to beat but potentially France will give them a run for their money. Stroke Laurent Cadot raced last month at the Olympic Games and he is teamed up with the very adaptable Jean-David Bernard. Watch out also for talented under-23 rowers, Maximilian Reinelt and Christoph Zimmermann of Germany as well as Italy which includes 2004 Olympic medallist, Lorenzo Porzio.

Women’s Double Sculls (W2x)

In amongst these crews are some top names better known for other events. Debbie Flood is there for Great Britain. Flood returns from winning silver in the quad at the Beijing Olympics. She also took silver in the quad at the 2004 Athens Olympics. Teamed up with top British under-23 single sculler, Kristina Stiller, this combination will be powerful. Sitting in bow of Bulgaria’s boat is the fastest single sculler in the world, Rumyana Neykova. But with Neykova also racing in the single it will be a test to see if she has overextended herself in this tight, three-day regatta. Italy’s top woman single sculler and Olympian Gabriella Bascelli is doing the double with top lightweight and 1996 Olympian Erika Bello. These mixture combinations could lead to some surprise results.

Men’s Double Sculls (M2x)

What happens when you put the Olympic bronze medallist from the four in a double with the Olympic bronze medallist from the quad? France is doing it, with Julien Despres and Julien Bahain the ones to answer the question. They will be up against the very established Belarusians, Dzianis Mihal and Stanislau Shcharbachenia. Mihal and Shcharbachenia were very successful at the under-23 level and competed at this year’s Olympic Games finishing a credible seventh. Germany’s crew of Karl Schulze and Tim Grohmann finished second at the under-23 level for the last two years. This gives them a level of stability and will be a crew to watch. Also keep an eye out for Slovenia’s second most successful rower ever, Luka Spik. Spik is racing with his younger brother Jan and as the older brother he has openly talked about the desire to race with his brother. In Athens they will get the chance.

Men’s Four (M4-)

Defending European Champions the Czech Republic will no doubt be the crew with the target on their back and all eyes on their progress. Jan Gruber, Michal Horvath, Milan Bruncvik and Karel Neffe Jr. of the Czech Republic went on to finish fifth at this year’s Olympic Games. No other crew in this event can match this record. A number of countries are boating a mixture of their top under-23 rowers including Great Britain, Greece and Serbia. It will be interesting to see how these countries match up. It will be surprising if the Czechs don’t come out on top.

Lightweight Women’s Double Sculls (LW2x)

Chrysi Biskitzi and Alexandra Tsiavou of Greece have barely taken a post-Olympic break in their desire to have the infrequent opportunity to race in front of a home crowd. Biskitzi and Tsiavou finished sixth at the Beijing Olympics making them the highest ranked crew in this event. It is likely that Frances Fletcher and Andrea Dennis of Great Britain will put up a good fight. Watch out also for the Austrians. The very experienced and international medallist in the lightweight single, Michaela Taupe-Traer, is teaming up with Agnes Sperrer to try her hand at the double. Poland should also be in the picture.

Lightweight Men’s Double Sculls (LM2x)

Of all the events at the European Championships, the lightweight men’s double will be one of the most competitive. Fifteen countries have entered and leading the pack will be local heroes Dimitrios Mougios and Vasileios Polymeros. The duo became Greece’s most successful rowers ever when they picked up silver at the Beijing Olympics. This will be Mougios and Polymeros’s chance to strut their stuff in front of a home crowd. But they will have to keep their wits about them. Former World Champions Zsolt Hirling and Tamas Varga of Hungary are racing. So are Jan and Ondrej Vetesnik of the Czech Republic who have had some positive results in the past.

Italy’s Lorenzo Bertini and Daniele Gilardoni have proven speed in the double and at last year’s European Championships they raced to fifth in the open double. As lightweights they have medalled together last year at the Rowing World Cup. Medalling in this event will demand proven speed.

Lightweight Men’s Four (LM4-)

The French have put together a talented line up from a variety of disciplines including the lightweight pair and lightweight quad. Together in the four, Jeremy Pouge, Fabrice Moreau, Guillaume Raineau and Vincent Faucheux could be the crew to watch. Serbia is likely to make a strong challenge with this year’s World Rowing Championship bronze medallists from the pair sitting in the two front seats. Watch out also for Italy. With Armando Dell’Aquila and Andrea Caianiello (under-23 and senior World Champions in the lightweight pair) in the boat, this crew is bound to be going places quickly.

Women’s Quadruple Sculls (W4x)

The best known names in this event are sitting in the Russian boat. Stroke Larisa Merk is a four-time Olympian and has a bronze medal in this event. Teammates Oxana Dorodnova and Julia Kalinovskaya rowed with Merk at the Beijing Olympics. Merk’s experience will play a big part at Athens when they face the less experienced crews from quad stronghold Germany and the always competitive Romanians.

Men’s Quadruple Sculls (M4x)

The men’s quad has a mixture of extremely accomplished and successful rowers with many Beijing Olympians in the mix. Leading the way is stroke of the Estonian boat, six-time Olympian Jueri Jaanson. Jaanson is joined by his 2008 Olympic doubles partner Tonu Endrekson. The duo finished second at Beijing. But a number of crews will be giving the Estonians a run for their money. Russia has two Beijing Olympians in the boat while both Belarus and the Czech Republic have preserved three members of their crew that raced in the quad in Beijing. Watch out too for Germany who has made up a crew of youth and experience.

Women’s Eight (W8+)

It is always a treat to see a women’s eight from Italy and Poland and they have come together to race in Athens. But they will be up against the might of the Romanians. Stroked by four-time Olympic gold medallist, Doina Ignat, it will take a lot of will to beat the reigning European Champions, Romania. Perhaps Belarus will get close, led by the accomplished Yuliya Bichyk and Natallia Helakh who will sit in stroke and seven seat respectively.

Men’s Eight (M8+)

Poland come to these championships off the back of a win at the University Games earlier this month. This young crew (with one change) finished a very credible fifth at the Beijing Olympics and they finished second at the 2007 European Championships. With this record Croatia will have their work cut out for them. But in amongst the Croatian eight are Olympic medallists Niksa Skelin and Igor Boraska. Both of these rowers bring a tonne of experience to the boat. Watch out too for France and Germany who are both looking to rebuild their strength in this event.