Poznan Rowing World Cup moves closer to finals

But with the tailwind came some choppy water. It did not, however, seem to impact on those expected to carry on to the next round of racing.

Women’s Four (W4-) – Race for Lanes

Two boats entered, one boat dominated. Germany had an easy time of it, shaking off Italy early in the piece, giving them the opportunity to cruise through the home straight. These two crews will race again this afternoon in the final.

Magdalena SCHMUDE (GER)
“It is not clear yet whether we have been selected for the World Championships, but we are very hopeful.”

Lightweight Women’s Quadruple Sculls (LW4x) – Race for Lanes

Great Britain took off at a fast 46 stroke rate pace to take the early lead, stroked by the experienced Jane Hall. Hall has been racing internationally since 1991 and has been in and out of the lightweight double over those years. Poland stuck closely to Great Britain and going into the second half of the race the Polish pushed into the lead using a 36 stroke rate.

Poland has Magdalena Kemnitz sitting in stroke seat. Kemnitz was in the lightweight double for the 2004 Olympics and helped qualify the double for the Beijing Olympics. Kemnitz, however, lost her seat in that boat earlier this season. Today Kemnitz led her crew through to first to gain the best lane for this afternoon’s final.

Jane HALL (GBR)
“Selection for the World Championships is still to go.”

Sophie HOSKING (GBR)
“We are looking forward to the final, we are just excited to race.”

Lightweight Men’s Quadruple Sculls (LM4x) – Race for Lanes

Italy has owned this event almost exclusively over the recent years, but today they sat way behind a flying French crew. Perhaps the Italians were weakened by not having regular quad member Daniele Gilardoni in the boat. Perhaps they were saving themselves for this afternoon’s final. France kept their stroke rate high and moved further and further away from the rest of the field. France crosses the line a huge yawning 17 seconds ahead of Italy who had dropped their rating down to 27 strokes per minute.

Gardino PELLOLIO (ITA)
“We have not yet been selected for the World Championships, and there is no chance for Olympic selection. This morning was a practice, we are a new combination. The true race will be this afternoon, where France will be our main opposition.”

Women’s Eight (W8+) – Race for Lanes

Four boats lined up. All four will be racing at the Beijing Olympics and they are using this regatta as part of their build-up to the August Olympics. Romania has won the Olympics for the last three times and they are back this year with a number of the crew that won gold in 2004. Today the Romanians took off in the lead and held that position while the three remaining boats tussled to get into second. Canada had it first and then lost it to Germany. Then Great Britain did a push an moved into second. But in the final sprint it was Canada that raised their rate to 39 and got into the second place spot behind Romania. These crews will race again in the final on Sunday.

Heather MANDOLI (CAN)
“The World Cup is another chance to race before the Olympics, the last international regatta.”

Sarah BONIKOWSKY (CAN)
“This is an opportunity for us to try out our race strategy and get our final preparations down for Beijing.”

Men’s Eight (M8+) – Race for Lanes

Postponed due to a technical problem in the Polish boat, the men’s eight left the starting blocks an hour later than scheduled with Great Britain establishing themselves in the lead. This race was a chance for Germany to show what their new line-up could do. Two weeks ago the crew went for a complete reshuffle. Six of the rowers and the coach changed. Today the Germans hung on grimly to Great Britain. Both boats were still rating in the low 40s going into the second 500 of the race. Poland, in third, was well off the pace.

Despite rating higher than Great Britain coming into the final sprint, Germany was unable to overtake the Brits. These three boats will race again in the final on Sunday.

Matthias FLACH (GER)
“This was our first race together in the new combination, so it is impossible that we would be able to come together completely in spirit and in technique. We still need more time, but it is going the right way. The previous [German] eight was six seconds behind Great Britain, and this time we were two seconds behind, so it is going in the right direction.”

Lightweight Women’s Single Sculls (LW1x) – Semifinals

A top three finish was needed for advancement to the final in these two semifinals. Coming through the heats Ireland’s Sinead Jennings was looking to be the boat to beat. She went through the first 500m mark in the lead and worked at moving away from the field. Jennings was the World Champion in this event back in 2001 and since then she has unsuccessfully put her hand to racing in the lightweight double. Back in the single, Jennings showed that this is the event that she has real boat speed in. Following in second Austria’s Michaela Taupe-Traer stayed well ahead of Laura Tibitanzl of Germany in third. There was no change in the order, Jennings, Taupe-Traer and Germany move on to the final.

Canada’s Lindsay Jennerich led the second semifinal from start to finish. Sine Christiansen of Denmark held on to Jennerich for the first half of the race but she could not maintain the pace as Ireland’s Orlagh Duddy then Karin Hoegberg of Sweden began to close. Jennerich looked comfortable coming into the final straight rating a comfortable 27 stroke rate and keeping a wary eye on Hoegberg and Duddy.

A crab for Duddy at the 1500m mark rattled the Irish sculler, but she was able to pick back up the rhythm. At the line Jennerich, Hoegberg and Duddy will be the athletes that get to advance to the final on Sunday.

Sinead JENNINGS (IRL)
“I have already been selected for the World Championships. This year I have been rowing as well as studying final year medicine, so I have had to give up my social life. As for the final this afternoon: I’d like to win it!”

Karin HOEGBERG (SWE1)
“I was a little behind at the start, but I picked it up. I felt really good in the last 700m. I haven’t yet been picked for the World Championships.”

Lightweight Men’s Single Sculls (LM1x) – Semifinals

A top three finish was necessary for advancement to the final and having Dutch man Jaap Schouten in your semi meant that one of those positions was bound to be already reserved. Schouten comes into this race undefeated so far this season and he has made it clear that his goal is a World Champion title. Schouten got into the lead and by the half-way point had a boat-length over Morten Joergensen of Denmark in second. Going through the third 500 both Belgium and Japan’s Takahiro Suda moved. Joergensen stuttered. Coming into the line four boats had three qualifying spots in their sights. In a flurry of oars and buoys Schouten held on to first, Joergensen sprinted through to second and Suda qualifies for the final from third.

Semifinal two opened with New Zealand’s Duncan Grant in the lead followed closely by Ilias Pappas of Greece. Recently Pappas has been competing in his country’s lightweight four including trying to qualify the four for the Olympic Games at last year’s World Rowing Championships. Now in the single Pappas was holding on to World Champion Grant’s leading position. Grant remained just enough in the lead to be able to react to any moves. Pappas remained close. Coming into the final sprint Germany’s Joerg Lehnigk took his rating to 35 and moved on the leaders. Both Grant and Pappas reacted back. At the line Grant, Pappas and Lehnigk will move on to the final.

Ilias PAPPAS (GRE)
“It was tough because there were waves coming from the side, so it was difficult to row. This afternoon I think there will be four single sculls that will be very close, but I hope to be in the medals. This Rowing World Cup is a good regatta for preparation for the World Rowing Championships.”