Fast heats at the Under 23 Rowing Championships

Temperatures, however, were cooled a little by early morning showers, but the heat soon pushed into the low 30s Celsius. Athletes handled it well and in the slight tail wind conditions some of the finishing times got close to World Best Times.

Women’s Four (BW4-)

With defending champions the United States out of the picture and silver medallists, France not racing, this field has opened up to welcome a new contender. Of the two heats almost identical winning times were recorded with Germany taking out heat one and Australia taking heat two. Only the winning boat would advance to the final and in both heats the remainder of the field looked relatively humdrum, perhaps saving themselves for tomorrow’s repechage.

Germany, in heat one is stroked by Anna-Carina Korge with Carolin Helmholz, in two seat, who come to the four from last year’s under-23 gold medal eight. Renee Kirby stroking heat two’s winning boat for Australia, last raced internationally in 2004. Today Kirby’s boat recorded the fastest qualifying time to go directly to the final.

Men’s Coxed Four (BM4+)

The field has grown from last year to a two heat level with Germany being the defending champions, but in heat one Germany’s showing was relatively weak. Instead it was 2005 bronze medallists Romania showing the way. Romania, featuring Andrei Timpau and Ionut Moisa, who won the men’s pair last year at the junior level led the way from the start and retained a handy margin to be the sole qualifying boat. In second, the United States will return to race the repechage.

But the fastest qualifying time went to New Zealand in heat two. The black clad crew took the lead over perennial rivals Australia and never looked back. Coxed by Daniel Quigley the New Zealand crew clocked a respectable time of 6:16 to give them direct qualification for the final and the status of favourites. A last quarter sprint by Great Britain gave them second place over Australia, but both boats, along with the rest of the field, will return for another chance in the repechage.

Lightweight Women's Single Sculls (BLW1X)

The medallists from last year have all stepped up to the senior level leaving the field open to a new lightweight single champ. In each of the three heats a top two finish was required to avoid the repechage and earn a direct path to the semifinal. Greece’s Alexandra Tsiavou opened the proceedings by leading heat one over home favourite, Evi Geentjens of Belgium. Tsiavou has already made her international mark this season by racing the Rowing World Cup series in the double and she managed to control Geentjens debuting in her first international race.

Both Tsiavou and Geentjens advance to the semifinal.

Last year Hester Goodsell of Great Britain won this event. In heat two Goodsell’s replacement, Sophie Hosking set the stage for a repeat British performance by leading from the start and crossing the line with the fastest qualifying time. Behind Hosking, Clemence Willaume of France had to fight back from a slow second 500 to overtake Italy and Germany and find the second qualifying spot.

The top two positions in heat three sorted themselves out early on in the piece and carried on their own private battle at the head of the field. Veronika Jakoubkova of the Czech Republic got a slight lead over Florin Hirnschall of Austria and held Hirnschall off rating a steady 30 strokes per minute. Both boats qualify for the semifinal with Hirnschall already taking a big step up after finishing 13th in this event last year. At the back of the field Imen Baaoua of Morocco set history by being the first Moroccan to compete at an Under 23 regatta.

Lightweight Men’s Single Sculls (BLM1X)

Twenty entries, four heats, a top two position necessary for a direct track to the semifinal. That was the formula for the lightweight competitors in the single. Hong Kong’s Kwong Wing Chow set the pace in heat one, but his small margin soon got eaten up by Mikhail Izotov of Russia. This is Izotov’s third year competing at the under 23 regatta and he looks to have stepped up a level from his 13th place finish in 2005. Getting an edge over Chow, Izotov retained the front spot despite a very strong second half charge by Andrew Polasek of South Africa. The Polasek dash gave him second and a semifinal spot.

Denmark must have had Tour de France inspiration. Sophus Johannesen got off to a fast start in heat two but this was soon absorbed by Maxime Goisset of France and Olaf Beckmann of Germany. Goisset and Beckmann paced each other through the middle of the race but were comfortably enough ahead of Denmark to not require a final sprint. Goisset and Beckmann move on to the semifinal.

Establishing himself firmly in the position of favourite, New Zealand’s Storm Uru took the lead over Slovakia in heat three. Uru must be one of the favourites coming into this event after finishing third last year and he definitely set those wheels in motion today by extending himself out to a healthy lead with only Mikas Razmislavicius of Lithuania attempting to challenge. Uru goes to the semifinal with the fastest qualifying time with Razmislavicius also qualifying.

Mete Yeltepe of Turkey certainly has the experience to do some damage in this event and today he proved it by leading heat four. Yeltepe has competed at the last three years of under 23 regattas and also has senior Rowing World Cup and Championship experience. But following hot on Yeltepe’s tail was Adam Freeman-Pask of Great Britain. With Yeltepe and Freeman-Pask comfortably in the top two qualifying positions a sprint was not needed. The rest of the field will return for tomorrow’s repechage.

Lightweight Men’s Pair (BLM2-)

A solid field of three heats required rowers to finish in the top three for the direct track to the semifinal and in heat one Great Britain’s Richard Chambers and Chris Bartley made no mistakes by leading from the start over Spain. Great Britain has a very strong tradition at all levels in this event and last year the country finished in silver position. With Great Britain still in first the rest of the field established themselves in the remaining spots with no change to the order. Denmark, in third, also qualifies.

In contrast to heat one, heat two was intense, fast, high rating and full of position changes. It opened with Philippe de Wilde and Guillaume Raineau of France taking the early lead. This was soon absorbed by South Africa’s Brad Smith and Andrew Craig. France and South Africa continued to battle it out with a second fight going on behind them between Germany and Milos Stanojevic and Milos Nikolic of Serbia & Montenegro.

Coming into the final sprint some of the highest ratings of the morning let loose. Smith and Craig sat on 38, Nikolic and Stanojevic got up to 40 and Germany got up to 42. Germany missed out. A beautiful display of smooth technique by Smith and Craig gave them first, and the fastest overall qualifying time. De Wilde and Raineau slip into second and Stanojevic and Nikolic taking third.

Italy’s Salvatore Di Somma, racing in heat three, must have got heads turning. Di Somma already has World Championship medals to his name and an enviable international pedigree that includes racing with some of the greats of Italian lightweight rowing. With partner Andrea Caianiello, the duo led from start to finish controlling Australia in second. Turkey followed taking the third and final qualifying spot.

Lightweight Men’s Quadruple Sculls (BLM4X)

It was all about being in the top spot for each of the two heats and in heat one a very tight three-way battle went on between Germany, France and Russia. Germany held a slight lead over Russia and did their best to maintain it with France also very much on the pace. It was all on for the last 500 metres and it was Russia that rose to the occasion. Popping their rating up to 39, Germany, at 35, didn’t react. Russia take the qualifying spot.

Heat two was also pressure cooker racing for the top spot, but this time between two boats – the United States and Italy. Going neck and neck, at the half-way point there was nothing in it between these two countries. Italy had the experience advantage – Antonio Pizzurro, Michele Petracci and Paolo Grugni were part of last year’s winning crew. All credit to the United States. This is a debut international race for the entire crew and in the final sprint they managed to push ahead of the talented Italians using a stroke rate a couple of notches lower than Italy.

Women’s Single Sculls (BW1X)

Two qualifying spots were available and in heat one Regina Naunheim of Switzerland established herself firmly in the lead. Naunheim has been spending this season racing the Rowing World Cup series and in her third year of under-23 competition she looks to have stepped up in speed. Behind Naunheim, Lina Saltyte of Lithuania managed to work her way through the field and into the second qualifying position. Naunheim and Saltyte go directly to the semifinal.

Heat two featured last year’s winner, Iva Obradovic of Serbia & Montenegro. After a slight glitch at the start, Obradovic took the lead and extended it out to clear water, rowing in a class of her own and recording the fastest qualifying time. Gabriela Best of Argentina pushed past Hungary and Finland to take the second place and a qualifying spot.

A first-half tight battle between Volha Ustsinenka of Belarus and Poland’s Julia Michalska turned into a one boat race with Michalska pushing ahead of the Belarusian in heat three. Former junior champion, Michalska has been racing at the senior level this season and at the last Rowing World Cup made it into the A Final. Michalska and Ustsinenka advance to the semifinal.

Men’s Single Sculls (BM1X)

New Zealand’s Nathan Cohen set the standard in the first of four heats. With the top two boats advancing to the semifinal Cohen comes to under 23 racing following two silver medals at the junior level and taking an early lead, the New Zealander never looked back. Behind Cohen Daniel Frateanu of Romania worked his way back from a slow start to go after Frateanu. Cohen and Frateanu last met two years ago when Frateanu won as a junior, but today he could not catch Cohen. Both boats advance to the semifinal.

Heat two featured a close three-way battle between Belgium, Poland and Great Britain. The pace turned out to be too much for Belgium giving Arnold Sobczak of Poland and Alex Gregory of Great Britain the leading two positions. Coming into the close of the race, Gregory, who suffered breathing problems while racing last year but this year has been footing it successfully at the senior Rowing World Cup level, took the lead. Both boats move on to the semifinal.

In heat three Karsten Brodowski of Germany took the lead off Norway’s Nils Hoff and never looked back. Brodowski has been racing at the senior level since last year competing in the final of the quad at the 2005 World Rowing Championships. Today as a single sculler he recorded the fastest qualifying time, just, over Cohen. Hoff goes to the semifinal as well.

The final heat began with Argentina’s Cristian Rosso off to a flying start. This left 2004 winner, Kristaps Bokums of Latvia to play catch up. Coming into the final sprint 205cm tall Bokums had found the lead. Rosso seemed satisfied to be in second and both boats now advance to the semifinal.

Women’s Pairs (BW2-)

In the first of two heats, the very accomplished Camelia Lupascu and Ana Maria Apachitei of Romania led the way. Lupascu and Apachitei currently race with their country’s senior eight and as well as their Rowing World Cup gold medals from this season, they have a World Championship silver medal from last year. Today they rowed to a huge open water lead and with that qualify directly for the final.

Leaders of heat two, Australia, did not have such an easy time of it as the Romanians. Leading from the start Phoebe Stanley and Katelyn Gray worked their way to an open water lead through the middle of the race. Sprinting from behind the United States turned on a second half charge. Taking their rating to 39 the United States got close to Australia, but had started their sprint too late and will return to race in the repechage.

… more coming soon!