The World Rowing Under 23 Championships in Racice, Czech Republic has moved to Final B racing.

The Racice regatta course is set out so that crews row past the grandstand on the way to the start line. The athletes also cool down after they race in front of the grandstand. Much to the delight of the supporters who have travelled from around the world, teams were treated to many stages of grandstand encouragement especially from a loud Australian contingent.

The German Senior B Women's Four with Cathrin Craemer (b), Sina Geigenmueller, Navina Passmann and Kathrin Marchand (s) competing at the 2009 World Rowing U23 Championshipd in Racice/Prague, Czech Republic. MyRowingPhoto.comWomen’s Four (BW4-) – Final B

Racing for place seven to ten in the world, the Netherlands showed the best form. The Dutch have been developing their under 23 squad under a new system for the last two years and have a team that includes predominantly university students. After getting ahead of Australia, the Netherlands pushed through to a full boat length lead which they continued to increase through the second half of the race.

Coming into the final closing metres the Dutch had a clear margin and remained steadily at a 33 stroke rate. Germany, in third went for it and sprinted at a 41 stroke rate. This attack got the Germans ahead of Australia, but the Dutch had too much of a margin for Germany to influence their position.

Results: NED, GER, AUS, CZE

Lightweight Men’s Pair (BLM2-) –Final B

Three boats going stroke for stroke gave this race an exciting and head-to-head racing feel. Turkey, Hungary and the United States left the starting blocks together with Hungary holding a slight edge. But the closeness meant that by the half way point margins had become even tighter and Turkey had inched ahead. But all was to change as the United States moved into a piece through the third 500 and earned the lead. Hungary then lifted their rating and sprinted for the line. Although the United States looked smoother in style, Hungary’s more aggressive, high 37 stroke rate pace, got them back in front.

Results: HUN, USA, TUR

Sara Prochasson (b), Virginie Telliez, Charlotte Culty and Eugenie Vince (s) of France in action during day three of the FISA World Rowing U23 Championships on July 24, 2009 in Racice, Czech Republic.  (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images) Lightweight Women’s Quadruple Sculls (BLW4x) – Final B

From the first stroke France decided this race was theirs. Eugenie Vince, Charlotte Culty, Virginie Telliez and Sara Prochasson had taken half a boat length lead by the first 500m mark on the Racice regatta course. As Iran dropped back, France moved further away from the rest of the field. The Italians, in second, did their best to hang on and prevented the French from moving further away. France’s team manager Pascale Bouton said that France has recently relaunched their women’s rowing programme and the group of young lightweight rowers is looking promising. Today they finished seventh in the world.

Results: FRA, ITA, IRI

Women’s Pairs (BW2-) – Final B

From three corners of the world, Portugal, Zimbabwe and Canada lined up in the 121st race of the regatta. In front of them 2000m of water stretched out with about 260 rowing strokes ahead of them. Erika Shaw and Sarah Black took the best and most powerful strokes at the start and got their boat ahead of Portugal and Zimbabwe. This order did not change for the rest of the race with Shaw and Black finishing the race in first. This is Shaw’s third time on the Canadian national team and Black has made the team for the first time this year.

Results: CAN, POR, ZIM

Maria Krasilnikova (b) and Evgeniya Golubeva (s) of Russia in action during day two of the FISA World Rowing U23 Championships on July 24, 2009 in Racice/Prague, Czech Republic.  (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images) Women’s Double Sculls (BW2x) –  Final B

Russia’s Maria Krasilnikova and Evgeniya Golubeva took an absolute flier at the start of this Final B. This flier earned them an open water lead by the first 500m mark leaving Germay’s Rebekka Klemp and Lena Moebus to work out their catch up plan. Had the Russians created too much of a margin for the rest of the competition? By the half way point, Russia still had a handy lead with only Germany within striking distance. And strike they did.

Coming into the second half of the race Krasilnikova and Golubeva were starting to falter. Germany began to close the gap. The sprint to the finish brought Russia’s rating to 38 in a desperate attempt to hold on. Germany, on 35, appeared more in control and swifter. Klemp and Moebus had done it. Russia finished second.

Results: GER, RUS, POL, USA

The Russian Senior B Women's Quadruple Sculls with Maria Antsiferova (b), Elena Fedorova, Aleksandra Fedorova and Yulia Chagina (s) on their way to win the Final B at the 2009 World Rowing U23 Championshipd in Racice/Prague, Czech Republic. MyRowingPhoto.comWomen’s Quadruple Sculls (BW4x) – Final B

Russia featured again in the Women’s Quadruple Sculls and again the crew shot out of the start, into the lead. Australia sat in second and the United States slipped right behind the Australians in third. Russia featured Yulia Chagina in stroke, who finished sixth in this event last year. New to the Russian team are Maria Antsiferova and Elena Fedorova, while three seat Aleksandra Fedorova raced last year in her country’s eight.

Russia continued to hold their race speed pressure which helped them inch away from Australia. In what appears to be Russian style, the crew kept their stroke rate high. The method worked, getting them to the finish line first.

Results: RUS, AUS, USA

Men’s Eight (BM8+) – Final B

What do you do when you have a rower who is 6’10”? You put him in the middle of the boat and make the most of his leverage. The United States featured the tall Matthew Wheeler in five seat and although the United States is used to racing in the  Final A of this event, the crew made the most of the situation. As is Russia’s style, the crew jumped into the lead at the start. But by the half way point the US had moved into the lead with Russia dropping off the pace.

This gave Italy the boost that they were after and with 500m left to row Italy was in second and looking to challenge the Americans. The United States were having none of it and in a true champion sprint, the US took up the stroke rate and opened up a huge six second gap over the rest of the crews.

Results: USA, ITA, RUS

The Brazilian Senior B Men's Coxed Four looking destroyed after racing the repechage at the 2009 World Rowing U23 Championshipd in Racice/Prague, Czech Republic. MyRowingPhoto.comMen’s Coxed Four (M4+) – Repechage

Following boat damage from Thursday’s storm this race was delayed until today to give time for new boats to be found. The race got under way with Ukraine jumping out in front and aiming for one of the two qualifying spots. The top two would go to tomorrow’s final and the extra day of rest seemed to have worked for Ukraine. But Brazil was very much on Ukraine’s pace and by the half way point Brazil had their nose just in front.

Ukraine fought back as Brazil began to suffer from their early speed. This gave France the boost they were looking for. Coming into the final sprint Brazil and France remained the closest threat to Ukraine’s lead and the two boats most likely to earn the final qualifying spot. France still had a sprint left in them, so did the Dutch. Brazil was loosing ground. At the line Ukraine and France were the qualifying boats.

The Canadian Senior B Women's Eight celebrate their victory in the repechage at the 2009 World Rowing U23 Championshipd in Racice/Prague, Czech Republic. MyRowingPhoto.comWomen’s Eight (BW8+) – Repechage

This race was also delayed from yesterday as storm damage to boats meant some boat changes. Canada and Germany got off the line first in the race to be in the top four to guarantee qualification for tomorrow’s final. One crew would be bitterly disappointed. By the half way point the final four was far from being determined. Canada was still in the lead, but the real fight was going on at the back of the field between Belarus and Ukraine.

At the front Canada still had Germany nipping at their heels. Then Poland attacked. Taking their rating to 41 strokes per minute, Poland made Germany look like they were standing still. Canada made sure that Poland could not reach them by retaining their stride. Poland was able to slip ahead of Germany. At the line Canada, Poland, Germany and Belarus had qualified for the Final.