United States set World Best Time at under 23 champs

In the first year of spreading the World Rowing Under 23 Championships finals over two days, six events lined up on Saturday to race for Under 23 World Champion status. At the Brest, Belarus regatta course the United States set the ball rolling by winning the first final, the women’s four and then breaking a World Best Time in the women’s pair indicating their sweep rowing superiority.

Ashley Kroll and Felice Mueller of the United States finished ahead of the 2009 Under 23 World Champions, Romania and in the process set a new World Best Time. Kroll and Mueller’s new time was 87/100th of a second faster than the former World Best Time which was set by Romania in 2006.

Women’s Four (BW4-) - A Final

There were high hopes by the locals around the Brest regatta course as the Belarus under 23 World Champion crew lined up in the women’s four. There had been just one change from the 2009 crew but this crew had already been beaten earlier in the week. Despite this Belarus jumped out into the lead at the start. They were, however, followed very closely by the entire field and the lead did not last. By the half way point Australia had pulled out in front with the United States and Germany going neck and neck followed by another fight between the Netherlands, Great Britain and Belarus.

Australia continued to lead going into the final sprint as the United States became their closest challengers. In this second half stamina test, the Dutch and Belarussians had run out of puff with Great Britain now struggling. The United States, however, had another gear and Sara Hendershot, Julianne Smith, Hannah Malvin and Michaela Strand gave it their all. The United States are the 2010 under 23 World Champions finishing just one second outside of the World Best Time.

Results: USA, AUS, GER, GBR, NED, BLR

Mary Connelly (AUS) – Silver
“The race was good but tough. It was really fast. It was the 500m that were the hardest and the USA beat us. It was a good race and we went as hard as we could. We have a young team.”
Lea–Kathleen Kuehne (GER) – Bronze
“It was an awesome race. We hoped for a medal but we didn’t expect we could do this. We are too happy.”

Women’s Four (BW4-) - B-Final

Italy and Ukraine raced each other in a very unbalanced race that saw Italy finish a huge distance ahead of Ukraine and hence earn the ranking of seventh in the world.

Results: ITA, UKR

Lightweight Women’s Quadruple Sculls (BLW4x) - A-Final

Right from the start Italy declared that this was going to be their race. Giulia Pollini, Sabrina Noseda, Eleonora Trivella and Deborah Battagin of Italy got off to an aggressive start and maintained it throughout the race. This left reigning under 23 World Champions, Germany to play the chasing game. The Germans tried their best to catch up to the Italians who, in turn, were having none of it. It took until the final sprint for the Germans to get closer to the Italians who rowed through confidently to the finish with their heads up and poise.

A very happy Italian crew crossed the line in first. Germany will have to settle for second in 2010 and France held off Australia to take the bronze medal. This is the second year for this event, making it one each – Italy and Germany.

Results: ITA, GER, FRA, AUS, USA, JPN

Giulia Pollini (ITA) – Gold
“The race was really beautiful. We have been practicing for the last eight years so we are rather experienced now. And we are happy to get the gold.”

Leonie Pless (GER) – Silver
“It was the best race of the week. The water was great. I was very impressed that Italy was so fast.”

Kaja Brecht (GER) – Silver
“It’s my second time at the World Rowing Under 23 Championships. We thought we were able to win.  We tried to catch up with the Italians but they were too fast.”

Rachel Jung (FRA) - Bronze
“Fantastic! It was my first World Championship. It was very difficult for us to deal with the heat. And we had strong competition here.”

Women’s Pair (BW2-) - A-Final

The reigning under 23 World Champions fell when a feisty American pair took line honours. Ashley Kroll and Felice Mueller of the United States got out in front at the start and never looked back. Kroll and Mueller are in their first season together with Kroll coming from last year’s eight while Mueller made the national team as a junior in 2007. Both are 6’1” feet tall and all of this spelt them leading Nicoleta Albu and Adelina Cojocariu of Romania.

As Romania tried to catch up and overtake the Americans, the rest of the field slopped back turning this pairs race into a two boat race. Coming into the final sprint Romania was still down on Kroll and Mueller. Cojocariu and Albu then gave it their all in the final sprint. The United States had to react and react fast. Romania ran out of strokes. The United States had got to the finish line just in front and had set a new World Best Time – their time was 7:14.

Results: USA, ROU, GER, RSA, BUL, NED

Ashley Kroll (USA) - Gold
“We used to do rowing together at school. It’s our first time winning the World Championship together. We are very glad.”

Adelina Cojocariu (ROU) - Silver
“We were trying so hard to win the race! We are disappointed that we only got silver. The competition was very strong.”

Nadja Drygalla (GER) - Bronze
“We knew there were six boats that had a chance to win a medal but we were luckier. It’s our first time rowing as a crew so we are really happy with the results. In Germany we have almost the same weather so the heat was not a big problem for us.”

Women’s Pair (BW2-) - B-Final

The three boats racing for spots seven to 10 in the world sorted themselves out very early on in the piece. Russia took the lead with Ukraine holding on. Ukraine did their best to keep the Russians within their sight but they didn’t have the same consistency and finish and had to settle for second.

Results: RUS, UKR, BEL

Women’s Double Sculls (BW2x) - A-Final

Germany’s Julia Lepke and Lisa Schmidla completely outclassed the rest of their competition in the women’s double. Lepke and Schmidla took off at the start being closely shadowed by Tatsiana Kukhta and Katsiaryna Shliupskaya of Belarus. Kukhta is the reigning World Champion in this event and with new partner Shliupskaya there were high hopes. Kukhta and Shliupskaya stuck with the Germans for the first half of the race and into the third 500 but then seemed to run out of steam.

The Germans looked unstoppable and there was nothing the Belarusians could do. Lepke and Schmidla crossed the finish line over four seconds ahead of Kukhta and Schliupskaya to become the new under 23 World Champions. Then way back, Rebecca and Elizabeth Donald of the United States crossed the line in third just ahead of Romania.

Results: GER, BLR, USA, ROU, HUN, ITA

Lisa Schmidla (GER) - Gold
“These were my first World Championships. But Julia was at the Junior Championships in the quad and she was in Poznan last year.”

Katsiaryna Shliupskaya (BLR) - Silver
“We had just one week training together although we know the rowing venue well as we practice here, in Brest.”

Elizabeth Donald (USA) – Bronze
“The venue is beautiful. We had a lot of training and as a result we got lucky today. We did our best but the weather was not an easy thing to deal with. It’s our first international victory. And it was the start that decided everything for us. The race phenomenon.”

Women’s Double Sculls (BW2x) - B-Final

There may have only been two boats but neither gave an inch through the 2000m Brest regatta course. Estonia got out in front and had to keep the pressure on as Latvia chased them for the entire race. A huge sprint by Latvia to the line nearly gave them the edge, but Estonia had just enough left to hold off the Latvians.

Results: EST, LAT

Women’s Quadruple Sculls (BW4x) - A-Final

Reigning under 23 World Champions, Ukraine grabbed the race by the horns and bolted out of the start ahead of Germany. But they could not sustain it and by the half way point Germany had moved into the lead. Mareike Adams, Julia Lier, Juliane Domscheit and Lena Moebus of Germany then asserted their dominance and moved away from the field. Coming into the final sprint Germany had earned nearly a boat length lead over Russia who had come through from behind to take second.

Last year’s bronze medallists, Romania tried to pull through the Russians by throwing out a huge sprint, but the Russians held them off with Germany crossing the line in a relatively comfortable first.

Results: GER, RUS, ROU, USA, AUS, UKR

Lena Moebus (GER) – Gold
“We had a really quick start. We are tired but for sure satisfied. Brest rowing course is just fantastic.”

Julia Lier (GER) - Gold
“It’s our first time performing as a crew. But I’ve already had two medals at the World Rowing Junior Championships in Austria and France. This championship is the major event for us this year. “

Maria Antsiferova (RUS) - Silver
“We are highly impressed by the rowing course in Brest, it’s the best rowing course I’ve ever seen. Together with the team we worked 100% although we’ve been together only for three months.”

Inga Dudchenko (RUS) - Silver
“We like it here in Brest. The nature is very picturesque. After this medal we hope to go to the World Rowing Championships in New Zealand.”

Women’s Quadruple Sculls (BW4x) - B-FINAL

Austria set off as the crew to beat at the start of this race and first managed to shake off New Zealand before they found that the Italians had a lot of pace. Going through the third 500 Italy managed to get the better of Austria with Great Britain following suit. As Austria dropped back the race turned into an Italian – Great Britain battle. Italy got the better of the situation, but only just.

Results: ITA, GBR, AUT, NZL, POL, BLR

Men’s Coxed Four (BM4+) - A-Final

The Italians decided to assert themselves right from the start in this final. They shot out just ahead of reigning under 23 World Champions, New Zealand and started to work their way to a greater lead through the body of the race. Massimiliano Landi, Emanuele Liuzzi, Rosario Agrillo, Simone Ponti and coxswain Pietro Vitucci were the crew that made up the Italian line up. Three of this crew come out of last years under 23 eight and between them they have a good chunk of international experience.

As the final sprint came into view Italy remained in the lead over Great Britain who had now overtaken New Zealand to be in second. Then the Germans came charging. Germany come into this final as one of the favourites and they had been sitting back in fourth for the body of the race. The Germans now unleashed a huge sprint. Italy had to react – and they did.

Results: ITA, GER, GBR, NZL, CAN, CRO

Landi Massimiliano (ITA) – Gold
“The first place was only for Italy! We are all great friends in the team and we knew that we would win.”

Milan Dzambasevic (GER) – Silver
“We did well at the start but at the 500m mark the Italians broke through and we were able to catch up with them. We are very satisfied with the results. We thought we would come in third or fourth. Last year in Racice two of us were coxswains.”

Ertan Hazine & Thomas Clark (GBR) – Bronze
“We were very close. It was really hard to manage the heat and the wind gusts. We tried to get the Italians but it’s only been two weeks since we’ve been rowing together as a crew. It was the major event for us this year. And we had been looking forward to it. The venue facility is really good here in Brest.”

Men’s Coxed Four (BM4+) - B-Final

Ukraine took off at the start and left it to the United States and Belarus to battle each other - which they did for nearly the entire way. As Ukraine kept their speed up and sprinted to the line, Belarus got the better of a fading United States to pull through to second.

Results: UKR, BLR, USA