15 Jul 2018
Men’s Single Sculls (M1x) – Final
A–Final
Both New Zealand and Germany have an interesting challenge. For the World Championships they can have one men’s single sculler entered but they both have two top scullers. This meant that these two nations took up four lanes in this final. For these rowers it was not just about medals but about a place on the World Championship team. Coming into this final Olympic Champion Mahe Drysdale of New Zealand Two had clocked the fastest time through yesterday’s semifinal. He did it with a strong finish.
At the start it was the World Champion and elder-statesman of this boat class, Ondrej Synek of the Czech Republic who moved the fastest. Synek has been in the single since 2005 and has scored Olympic medals in that time. Following in second was Oliver Zeidler of Germany Two. Zeidler is in his second year of rowing having come from top level swimming to the sport. Rowing runs in his family and he has already medalled this season at the earlier World Cups. Switerland’s Barnabe Delarze followed in third.
Then Robbie Manson of New Zealand One began to build and he pushed ahead of Delarze to try and close on Synek. Manson holds the World Best Time in this boat class and is in his second year of international single sculling. Manson was not picking up the pace and at the 1500m mark Manson grabbed the lead. Drysdale was still back a bit and off the pace. Manson now moved to 43 strokes per minute. Synek was at 31, Zeidler at 37. Synek looked like he didn’t want to pick it up. Manson had won. Zeidler had taken second with Synek in third.
Results: NZL1, GER2, CZE, NZL2, SUI1, GER1
Robert Manson, New Zealand, gold
“That was really hard out there, Ondrej took off and I just stepped it up progressively throughout the race but was able to ease off towards the end. This is one of my favourite places to row so it’s great to have won here.”
Oliver Zeidler, Germany, silver
“This was a much better start than in Linz and Belgrade. I just stayed with the others and kept an eye for Mahe as I know yesterday he had a really good second half. I expected him to take over so I focused on having a really good final sprint. It’s been absolutely wonderful to place in the top 3 at each of the 2018 World Rowing Cups.”
Ondrej Synek, Czech Republic, bronze
“I’m not really happy with the result, I thought I could’ve won during the first 1000 meters. I almost lost my oar and then I had a hard time getting the rhythm back. Somehow I just kept pushing to the end.”
B-final
Sverri Nielsen of Denmark was the one to watch in this race. He had only just missed out on making the A-final in yesterday’s semifinal and showed he was able to hold the pace right to the end. France’s Thibaut Verhoeven led at the start before Nielsen pushed past. Mindaugas Griskonis of Lithuania went out very hard in the semifinal but then absolutely ran out of steam and paddled to the finish. Griskonis was now moving on the leaders. Nielsen went to 39, Griskonis was at 36 then up to 39. Nielsen held off Griskonis.
Results: DEN, LTU, POL, FRA, FIN, BEL2