Fast times expected in World Rowing Cup finals

 Aiguebelette, 21 June 2014

The groundwork is set for the finals of the World Rowing Cup in Aiguebelette, France. Starting off with nearly 700 athletes from around the world, the field has narrowed down to the final six in each boat class.

The Lake Aiguebelette regatta course has turned on great racing conditions over the last two days with crews posting some very quick times. This has led to expectations for some fast times in the finals.

Highlighted races include the men’s four with Australia and Great Britain meeting for the first time this season in the final. The British and Australians went one – two respectively at the London 2012 Olympic Games and both countries have placed in emphasis on this boat class. Great Britain come to the final with the confidence of a win at the European Rowing Championships from earlier this month.

The men’s and women’s single sculls have created a mirror image of each other with both boat classes featuring New Zealand and the Czech Republic as the favourites. In the men’s single, Olympic Champion Mahe Drysdale of New Zealand looks back on form after having an incomplete 2013 season. Drysdale beat World Champion Ondrej Synek (CZE) in the semifinals today at Aiguebelette, but Synek is likely to step up a notch for the final as there are World Cup points on the line. World Championship silver medallist Angel Fournier Rodriguez of Cuba will also be pushing the pace.

For the women’s single Emma Twigg (NZL) will go up against 2012 Olympic Champion Mirka Knapkova (CZE). Twigg leads the World Cup series but Knapkova posted the fastest qualifying time during the semifinals today.

France is looking forward to success in the lightweight men’s double sculls with Stany Delayre and Jeremie Azou in dominating form at this regatta. The biggest challenge to the French is likely to come from reigning World Champions Kristoffer Brun and Are Strandli of Norway

Winners of the women’s double sculls at the European Rowing Championships, Poland’s Magdalena Fularczyk and Natalia Madaj will face World Rowing Cup leaders, Sally Kehoe and Olympia Aldersey of Australia for the first time this season in the final. Also in the mix of what is bound to be a close finish will be Ekaterina Karsten and Yuliya Bichyk of Belarus. Karsten’s long rowing history includes gold at the 1996 Olympic Games in the women’s single sculls.

Para-rowing finals were raced today with 2008 Paralympic Champion, Tom Aggar of Great Britain back in the gold medal spot. Great Britain also found success in the LTA mixed coxed four. A large crowd supported entries from France with the French posting wins in both the TA mixed double sculls and the LTA mixed double sculls.

This is the second in the series of three World Rowing Cups for 2014. The first World Rowing Cup was staged in Sydney (AUS) in March with Australia topping the medals table at this regatta.

For full race coverage, photos, live video streaming and results go to www.worldrowing.com.