Olympic talents shine at rain-drenched World Rowing Cup in Lucerne

For immediate release
Lucerne, 29 May 2016

The second World Rowing Cup of the 2016 season wrapped up in Lucerne, Switzerland with rainy conditions and a win for New Zealand overall.

Racing started three days ago and worked through to today’s finals with New Zealand earning three gold, two silver and three bronze medals to put them at the top of the medals tables. These medals came from the 17 boat classes that were contested.

The ‘Kiwi Pair’ of World and Olympic Champions Hamish Bond and Eric Murray debuted their 2016 international season at this regatta and earned gold after being pushed to the line bythe men’s pairs from the Netherlands, Great Britain and South Africa. This finish saw the British and Dutch recording identical finishing times – a rare occurrence in rowing.

Mahe Drysdale won gold for New Zealand in the men’s single sculls. The Olympic Champion Drysdale came from behind to beat defending World Champion Ondrej Synek of the Czech Republic. Cuba’s Angel Fournier Rodriguez came through to take bronze. The lightweight men’s four was also won by New Zealand. They beat the World Champions Switzerland as well as the world silver medallists Denmark to the line.

Great Britain was second on the medals table with five medals, two of them gold. The British finished at the head of the field in the men’s four when they went head-to-head until the line with Australia. In a dramatic finish, Australia caught a crab just metres before the finish which gave Great Britain the gold. The Netherlands took bronze.

Australia had gold medal success in the women’s single sculls and men’s quadruple sculls. This helped put them into third on the medals table. World Champion Kim Brennan was first in the women’s single sculls when she held off a closing sprint by Genevra Stone of the United States and Jingli Duan of China. The Australian men’s quadruple sculls finished first ahead of Great Britain and home favourites, Switzerland.

The World and Olympic Champion women’s eight United States had a tough race that saw them hold off Great Britain and New Zealand to finish first and in a time just seven seconds outside of the World Best Time. Four of the US women  won gold and bronze in the women’s pair earlier today.

The regatta closed with the men’s eight and the gold went to the Netherlands. The Olympic Champions Germany finished second and the United States eight won bronze.

After the two World Cups, the Netherlands has the overall highest number of World Rowing Cup points with 81. Great Britain is second with 57 points and New Zealand finished third with 51 points.

The World Rowing Cup series was launched in 1997 and consists of a series of three events. The overall World Rowing Cup winners are determined after the third event. This year, the three stages of the series include Varese, Italy (15-17 April), Lucerne, Switzerland (27-29 May), Poznan, Poland (16-19 June). The Poznan World Cup will include para-rowing races.

Results, race reports, photos and videos are available on www.worldrowing.com.
For free photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/worldrowingofficial