30 Oct 2015
Ongoing British-German rivalry: the men’s eight
The men’s eight is the first in the series as World Rowing reviews the 2015 season. As the year comes to and end we look back at the season that will help set the stage for rowing at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
Following Canada’s win at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, Germany took over as the front-runners of the men’s eight. They won three world titles leading up to London 2012 where they were crowned Olympic Champions. In the current quadrennial, Great Britain has consistently been on top at World Championship level, with Germany still showing form in steady silver but unable to overtake the Brits to reclaim the world title.
Germany did, though, begin the 2015 season out in front, winning gold ahead of Great Britain at the European Rowing Championships and thereby setting a new European Championship Best Time. But Great Britain then went on to take gold at the three following regattas – at World Rowing Cups II and III and, most importantly, at the World Rowing Championships in Aiguebelette, France. Winning did not come easily however, with Germany chasing hard and a photo finish having to determine which of the top two boats crossed the line first both at World Rowing Cup III in Lucerne, Switzerland (margin eight hundredths of a second) and in Aiguebelette (eighteen hundredths of a second).
These margins seem close enough that tables could turn in 2016, but with Great Britain’s consistency in the past three years it could see them win Olympic gold in the eight. Olympic results, however, sometimes buck the trend. Relatively recent examples include the 2004 and 2000 Olympic podiums for the eight which featured totally different nations than at the previous year’s World Rowing Championships.
The 2015 World Rowing Championships also served as the Olympic Qualification Regatta for the 2016 Olympic Games. A top-5 finish in Aiguebelette was necessary to secure a spot. A total of seven boats will compete at the Rio 2016 Olympics, so there are two remaining places to be earned and they will be decided at the Final Olympic Qualification Regatta in Lucerne, held from 22 to 25 May 2016.
In those top five boats that qualified in Aiguebelette were obviously Great Britain and Germany, but also the Netherlands, New Zealand and Russia.
New Zealand was one of the surprise additions. The under-23 World Champions from 2014 impressed the senior field by racing to bronze at World Rowing Cup III. Their line-up was nearly identical to that of the under-23 champion boat and apart from three athletes the others were still under the age of 23. Chased hard to the line by the Netherlands, the Kiwis crossed the line in a photo finish just 19 hundredths of a second ahead.
In Aiguebelette, the same scenario unfolded, with New Zealand and the Netherlands fighting it out for bronze. Again, a photo finish determined the bronze medal winner. This time it was the Netherlands leading New Zealand by thirteen hundredths of a second.
New Zealand last won a World Championship medal in the men’s eight in 1983 and it was the World Championship title. The record books show that they also have two Olympic medals in this event, one from 1972 (gold) and the other from 1976 (bronze). This year they proved that the potential to update the medal charts is there.
In 2015 the Netherlands demonstrated ongoing strength in the eight. Olympic Champions in 1996, the Dutch took another Olympic medal, silver, in 2004, and were Olympic finalists in 2008 and 2012. Their previous World Championship medal, also a bronze, dates back to 2009. This year’s World Championship medal will certainly boost their confidence for the upcoming Olympic season.
Russia took the fifth qualification spot in Aiguebelette, guaranteeing their participation in Rio. This will be their first Olympic participation in this boat class since 2000 where they finished ninth. They boated a strong eight in the 1990s when they took Olympic bronze in 1996 and went on to win another bronze at the World Rowing Championships in 1999. Former Canadian coach Mike Spracklen is now their guide. The Russians scored promising results in 2014 – earning silver at World Rowing Cup III in Lucerne as well as at the European Rowing Championships. This year they earned bronze at the European Champs.
Who will make up the remaining qualification spots? Some boats surprisingly did not qualify in Aiguebelette. Poland earned bronze at the 2014 World Rowing Championships, while the United States finished fourth. Both nations medalled this season, Poland at the European Rowing Championships and the United States at World Rowing Cup I in Varese (ITA). In Aiguebelette, however, both nations raced in the B-Final. Italy and Australia are also likely to be fighting for the remaining qualifying spots.
Once again, rowing’s big boat served up the anticipation and excitement that has helped define its blue riband status.
2015 World Rowing Cup Lucerne
2015 World Rowing Championships Aiguebelette, France