International finals at Lucerne World Cup close on World Best Times

In ideal water conditions the lightweight men’s quadruple sculls recorded a winning time that was less than three seconds outside of the World Best Time. The lightweight women’s single sculls also came close finishing less than six seconds outside of a Best Time that was set back in 1994.

Women’s Four (W4-) – Final
Racing earlier today in the women’s eight did not stop Canada from leading this event from start to finish. Cristy Nurse, Natalie Mastracci, Chirstine Roper and Sarah Black are part of Canada’s rebuild following post-Olympic retirements and they look to be heading in the right direction by picking up a World Cup gold medal. Canada was pushed hard through the first half of the race by the Netherlands but then managed to shake them off.

Then Australia’s under-23 boat went after the Canadians pushing the pace in the final sprint. With Canada crossing the line in first, Australia held on to second leaving New Zealand and the Netherlands to take the race to a photo finish for the final medal. The Dutch prevailed and grabbed hold of the bronze. New Zealand, like Canada, will return tomorrow to race in their country’s women’s eight.
Results: CAN, AUS, NED, NZL

Natalie Matracci (CAN)- Gold
“It was a proud moment for us, representing Canada. Our entire crew will race in the Women’s eight tomorrow as well. We are all hoping to go to Korea, but it has not yet been decided.”

Lightweight Men’s Pair (LM2-) – Final
The commentators as the Rotsee regatta course were drowned out by the sound of cow bells and ‘Hop Suisse’ as the Swiss crew gave it their all in front of the home crowd. But it didn’t quite pan out as planned. Simon Niepmann and Lucas Tramer of Switzerland had had a great race this morning in the semifinal and spent most of this race in second place. The other crews, however, had paced themselves better.

Coming out in the lead was Xavier Vela Maggi and Daniel Sigurjorsson Benet of Spain and this is the position that they maintained through the body of the race. But this was all to change in the final sprint when Great Britain’s Sam Scrimgeour and Mark Aldred took their rating to a 42 and charged. Scrimgeour and Aldred have come together this season and in their first international race together, the Eton Dorney World Cup in June, they won. They won again today.

The United States crew of Michael Wales and Tyler Nase also had an enormous sprint and at the line they had pulled ahead of Switzerland and Spain to take second. Spain held on for the bronze medal.
Results: GBR, USA, ESP, SUI, GER1, ITA1

Sam Scrimgeour (GBR) – Gold
“This was our first regatta together. Unfortunately, the field was very small this year. But still, it is like a dream come true to race here.”

Daniel Sigurjorsson Benet (ESP) – Silver
“We tried to get out in front early and to dominate, but we knew it would be difficult with such a strong field. It worked for the first 1000 metres and then Great Britain, Switzerland and the USA got closer and eventually overtook us. We did a final push and Switzerland died, but the USA held on.”

Tyler Nase (USA) – Bronze
“This was my first international regatta. The conditions today were just perfect and we loved it.”

B-Final
Enjoying the calm Rotsee waters was Georgios Konsolas and Nikolaos Afentoulis of Greece. This was their second race of the day after competing in the semifinal this morning and they must have retained the most energy. After overtaking Germany Three, Greece moved into the lead remaining there for the rest of the race. Chile’s Felipe Cardenas Morales and Rodrigo Munoz Santibanez pushed their way into second to finish eighth overall at this regatta.
Results: GRE, CHI2, GER3, GER2, CHI1, JPN

Lightweight Men’s Single Sculls (LM1x) – Final
Great Britain’s Jamie Kirkwood got through to this final by doing a massive sprint in the semifinal earlier today. This afternoon, for the final Kirkwood decided to come out fast and hold on. After leading at the start Switzerland One, Michael Schmid got his nose in front and remained there through the middle of the race. Schmid, a Lucerne local, was loving the support along the rowing course as he charged towards the finish.

Then Pedro Fraga of Portugal, who had been slowly working his way through the field, let rip a closing sprint similar to the one that he had become well-known for in his lightweight double days. Schmid had no answer. Kirkwood had no answer. The race was now on for second and third.

As Kirkwood started to pay dearly for his early race speed, Simon Schuerch of Switzerland Three picked up the pace. Schuerch was part of his country’s London Olympic lightweight four and he was overtaking Kirkwood with a 40 stroke rate pace. At the line Fraga had added to his Eton Dorney World Cup gold medal, Schmid had won his first ever international medal with a silver and Schuerch had earned the bronze.
Results: POR, SUI1, SUI3, GBR, HUN, CAN

Pedro Fraga (POR) – Gold
“The last 500 metres were tough and it was tough to catch the Swiss guy. But I was confident and kept fighting.”

Michael Schmid (SUI1) – Silver
“It was a perfect start and I was in a super rhythm. At the end I lost my calm a little bit, but I was very happy with my performance. The crowd here was great and motivated me a lot. I feel well-prepared for the World Championships in Korea.”

Simon Schuerch (SUI3) – Bronze
“I am glad to win a medal. I was originally supposed to race the double, but my partner was ill. So I am happy about this result.”

B-Final
Heart and soul went into this B-final as margins remained tight for the full 2000m between New Zealand, Germany One, France, and Greece One. In a very talented field, three-time World Champion, Duncan Grant of New Zealand got out the quickest. Then Germany’s Jonathan Koch got into the lead with Maxime Goisset of France holding on tightly. The finishing sprint saw stroke rates reach the high 30s with Koch remaining in front.
Results: GER1, GRE1, NZL, FRA, GER2, BUL

Lightweight Women’s Single Sculls (LW1x) – Final
The 2011 World Champion, Fabiana Beltrame of Brazil is back on form. After her 2011 win, Beltrame moved into the lightweight double to compete at the London Olympics. The number of Brazilian supporters may have been huge but they made up for it by creating a huge amount of noise. Welcome to a taste of Rio 2016. It must have helped Beltrame as she got out in the lead and never looked back.

Austria’s Michaela Taupe-Traer finished ahead of Beltrame at last month’s Eton Dorney World Cup, but today Taupe-Traer did not seem able to catch the Brazilian. With Beltrame locked into first, Taupe-Traer holding on to second, Ursula Grobler of South Africa took over the third place spot.

Taupe-Traer did a big final push and closed on Beltrame but ran out of water remaining in second. Grobler earned her first medal as a South African rower.
Results: BRA, AUT, RSA, GBR, CAN, NZL

Fabiana Beltrame (BRA) – Gold
“I had a very good start. It was hard, but I kept up the pace. I am very happy because this is my personal best time today. My next step will be the World Rowing Championships in Korea and I am really looking forward to it.”

Michaela Taupe-Traer (AUT) – Silver
“My start was not the best. But I found my rhythm and I did the race my life – like I do every time. There were not key moments in my race – I just fought as much as I could.”

B-Final
Daniela Nachazelova, 31, of the Czech Republic has been rowing through the past decade and last saw medal success in 2005. Today she raced to finish seventh overall after shaking off a genuine attack from Giulia Pollini of Italy.
Results: CZE, ITA, GER, HKG1, BEL, JPN

Lightweight Men’s Quadruple Sculls (LM4x) – Final
With four boats racing, Germany grabbed the bull by the horns and after overtaking the fast starting Danish quad, moved and remained in the lead. Moritz Moos, Julius Peschel, Jonas Schuetzerberg and Jason Osborne of Germany didn’t have an easy time of it, though as both Denmark and Hong Kong China attached the leaders. The Germans prevailed and in the process finished less than three seconds outside of the World Best Time.
Results: GER, DEN, HKG, POR