LIGHTWEIGHT WOMEN'S DOUBLE SCULLS

Heat 1

Poland's Magdalena Kemnitz and Ilona Mokronowska took off at a cracking pace in these tail wind conditions getting out to the lead over Olympic Champions Constanta Burcica and Angela Alupei of Romania. The aim was to finish first for a direct path to the semi-final and the Poles wanted it. Rating a high 37 strokes per minute Kemnitz and Mokronowska kept a small lead over Alupei and Burcica.

Poland remained in control while Spain worked their way up from a slow start to pass Greece and then try to close the gap on Romania and Poland. But Spain was not close enough and the final sprint became a two boat race between Romania and Poland as Romania tried to take the lead. It was not until the final 1750 metres that the Olympic Champions showed their true style. A large push and a raise in rating put Alupei and Burcica just inches in front and enough of a margin at the line to move on to the semi-final.

Heat 2

"Never stop thinking" in emblazed down the side of the German's boat. And thinking is exactly what Daniela Reimer and Claudia Blasberg of Germany did. They kept their cool as China raced out to an early lead, but Reimer and Blasberg remained in close enough contact that, even though China still had the lead with half the race gone, they could still comfortably attack.

China has brought Qian Li back into the double after she spent last year in the quad that became World Champions. Li joins Dongxiang Xu who spent last year in the thirteenth-placed double. Together they are looking like strong finalist contenders at this year's Olympic Games.

The thinking Germans then decided enough was enough and overtook a slowing China to finish first and qualify for the semi-final.

Reimer said after the race, "I was very nervous before the race but the tension has gone down now that we have won." Blasberg added modestly, "the result was ok. We rowed very well."

Milne stroking the double for Canada
© FISA

 

Heat 3

The record has stood for nine straight years. Today, at the 2004 Olympics, it fell. Sally Newmarch and Amber Halliday of Australia came into this regatta as the unknown quantity. Halliday has spent most of this season recovering from being hit by a car while cycling and, while still recovering, she raced only once internationally – in the single at the final World Cup. Here in their first international race for 2004 as a duo, they shaved nearly a second off the World Best time set in 1995 by Denmark.

This is how they did it:

Newmarch and Halliday knew Canada's Fiona Milne and Mara Jones were the ones to beat after Milne and Jones finished first at the Lucerne World Cup. Sitting in one lane over from the Canadians the Australians took off at the fastest opening pace and managed to get their nose ahead of Canada with 500 metres gone. Newmarch and Halliday then extended this lead to nearly a boat length over Canada. Canada tried desperately to hold on but started to slip further back. Australia crossed the line as open water leaders.

Jones said after the race, "We tried to do what we could in the tail wind." Milne added, "It was bouncy so we worked on keeping the strokes clean. We didn't expect the Australian's to be so fast."

LIGHTWEIGHT MEN'S DOUBLE SCULLS

Heat 1

The choppy conditions were obvious but Vasileios Polymeros and Nikolaos Skiathitis of Greece were not going to let it affect them. To the home crowd cheers they left the starting block with one result in mind. Taking an early lead over Slovakia's duo and Elia Luini and Leonardo Pettinari of Italy, the Greeks had moved out to a clear water lead and only 700 metres of the race had been rowed. Rating a steady 36 strokes per minute, Polymeros and Skiathitis continued to widen the gap offering no respect to the reigning three-time World Champions, Italy.

The Italians tried to make a comeback as they rowed into the last 500 metres, but they had left it too late. The gap made by the Greeks was too large. The Greeks now go directly to the semi-final by finishing first. This is a huge leap for Polymeros and Skiathitis who finished eleventh at last year's World Championships.

After the finish Skiathitis said, "We didn't try our maximum today because we wanted to save some strength for the next race. We just wanted to avoid the repechage." Polymeros described the chemistry that has existed between the two of them ever since they rowed together as club rowers. "There is a friendship and when Nikos reached the desired level, we matched as a crew."

Pettinari said at the finish, "We are going to take one race at a time to get to the final and once we get to the final we'll try and do the best we can. There is a lot of tension because we are the favourites."

Luini, "There's a lot of wind but we are prepared to confront all conditions."

Heat 2

The leading battle for the top spot started out between Hungary's Zsolt Hirling and Tamas Varga and Pascal Touron and Frederic Dufour of France. Hirling and Varga took the early advantage but going through the 700 Touron and Dufour began to pick up the pace. Hungary tried to hold them off, but the higher rating French had found the lead just past the half way point.

Touron and Dufour then decided to extend it. Hungary chose not to attack back and France goes on to the semi-final.

Danish lightweight men's double
© Getty Images/Ian Waldie

Heat 3

Denmark's Mads Rasmussen and Rasmus Quist have had a wavering performance this year going in and out of the medals like yo yos at the three World Cup regattas this year. But the only one that counts is the Olympics and today they kept their heads firmly planted on their shoulders and commanded the third heat from start to finish. This left defending Olympic Champions, Poland, to fight it out for second. The higher rating Danes, sitting around 37 strokes per minute, could not be caught by the lower rating longer strokes of the Poles and Denmark moves on to the semi-final.

Rasmussen said after the finish, "we feel very comfortable in the shadow of the "golden four" (their country's lightweight four). We trained with the lightweight four this summer and learned a lot from them and got inspired."

Quist, "We were disappointed after the first 500 as we were still equal with the other and we thought we had a good start. But after the 1000 it was clear."

Heat 4

The drama started yesterday for Ireland's Sam Lynch, but it finished with a soap opera-like happy ending in today's fourth heat. First the Irish duo of Gearoid Towey and Lynch broke an oar and swivel during a training racing start yesterday. Then Lynch accidentally cut three of his fingers while slicing bread later that day. A trip to the hospital added three stitches to his hand so today a nervous Lynch sat in the starting blocks bandaged up.

But as soon as the race started the duo must have left their worries behind as they led from start to finish, keeping a wary eye on the United States combination of a shaven Greg Ruckman and an unshaven Steve Tucker who are well known for their fast finishes. But the Irish had created enough of a gap that they had over a length lead at the finish and now move on to the semi-final.

After the finish Lynch admitted, "Yesterday we were very nervous but we knew we could win." Towey added, "We were very fast in the last 1000. We know the Americans had a very fast finish so we tried to watch out for them. In the last 250 metres we knew we had it in the pocket."

Tucker, "We waited too long to come back on the Irish and with the tail wind especially it was too hard to come back."

LIGHTWEIGHT MEN'S FOUR

Heat 1

Canada left the starting blocks at a high 39 strokes per minute pace which put them clearly at the head of the pack. Not satisfied with a small lead the Canadians, stroked by Jon Beare, opened up a larger gap so that clear water separated them from Austria and the Netherlands who were at it neck-and-neck for second. With the top three crews all qualifying for the semi-final, the qualifiers looked like they had sorted themselves out. Now it was just a matter of the order.

Canada remained handily in front but the tussle between the Netherlands and Austria was drawing them closer and closer to the Canadians. But not close enough. Canada remained in first with the Netherlands passing Austria to take second.

After the finish Beare stated, "We had a great start and got control of the race and exactly followed our race plan, but the semi-final will be a completely different race."

Heat 2

Italy took off at an aggressive 47 strokes per minute to take the opening lead, but World Champions Denmark, rating a lower 44, reeled the young Italian team back in so that by the first 500 metres mark the unseeded Danes had the lead. Since 1996 Denmark has been at the forefront of the lightweight fours game. This has meant added pressure from their country who now expect only one result – gold. Today they put themselves on the road to that position.

Rating 40 strokes per minute for most of the race the Danes kept their nose ahead of the feisty and unrelenting Italians. Coming into the final sprint Denmark could still not shake Italy. Stroked by opening ceremony flag bearer Eskild Ebbesen, the Danes had the better sprint. Italy moves on to the semi-final from second and a fast second 1000 by the Germans give them the final qualifying position.

Heat 3

Stroking for Australia, Simon Burgess has left his apple farm in Tasmania to take on the best in the world. Burgess's leadership qualities are highly regarded as he also captains the Australian team at his third Olympics. Although rating lower than boats in the previous heat, Australia got out to a small lead and gained the psychological advantage early in the race. 

Ireland tried to stick with the Australians but were being outpowered and instead had to focus on staying ahead of a strong second 1000 being performed by the United States. The order did not change and a comfortable looking Australia, Ireland and the United States all move on to the semi-final.

Three seat for Ireland Niall O'Toole said after the race, "We don't like to be beaten but the Aussies went away from us and we couldn't keep up."

Romero strokes the British quad to first
© Dominik Keller

 

WOMEN'S QUADRUPLE SCULLS

Heat 1

Great Britain come to Athens as Olympic silver medalists in this event. They come here after winning the final World Cup in Lucerne and today they put themselves in medal contention by finishing first in their heat. Three seat Frances Houghton called the race. The rest of the crew responded. They needed to finish first for a direct path to the final and that is exactly what they did.

After overtaking the fast starting Russians by the 700 metre mark the Brits made it look easy as they walked away, stroke by stroke from the rest of the field. Russia tried to hold on but they could not match the British speed and coming into the final leg of the 2000 metre journey Great Britain did not need to sprint.

After the race Houghton said, "When Russia was leading we understood that we had to stay cool and relaxed. It wasn't so easy, but finally we did (relax)."

Heat 2

They are the defending Olympic Champions and return to Athens with three of the same crew members. Kerstin El Qalqili, Manuela Lutze and Meike Evers won gold in 2000 and joining them in bow is rowing's senior stateswoman, Kathrin Boron. Competing at her fourth Olympics, Boron has only ever left an Olympic Games with gold. Today they led the second heat by getting out ahead of World Champions Australia with "the power on your side" emblazed down the side of their boat.

The current World Champs in second were struggling. The United States, who finished sixth last year, were coming back from what has become their customary slow first 500 metres and they were challenging the Australians. Despite this charge from behind, Germany remained in the lead as the United States went after them from their newly secured second position. Germany held on to the lead and now go directly to the final with the United States returning for the repechage.

After the race Boron admitted, "It didn't go as well as we imagined. We still have things to work on."

MEN'S QUADRUPLE SCULLS

Heat 1

In 2000 Germany finished with bronze. Three of those crew members took to the water for their first race at the 2004 Olympics. Andre Willms and Stephan Volkert are at their fourth Olympics while Marco Geisler comes to his second. Stroke Robert Sens raced in the pair at Sydney. Together as a quad they have been racing together consistently over the past year.

Today they comfortably led the first heat in a race that required a top three finish to move on to the semi-final. Behind them Australia had come out rating 42 strokes per minute at the start and were in a full-on scuffle with Estonia and the United States. Going through the 1000 Germany had opened up a handy lead while less that one second separating Australia, Estonia and the United States. These crews were still fighting for the final two spots and it was all going to come down to the final sprint.

 

Up close with Czech stroke Jirka
© Dominik Keller

Estonia let loose and grabbed hold of second, Australia caught a crab and dropped to third while the United States slipped out of the qualification spots. Germany, Estonia and Australia move on to the semi-final.

Bad luck for Switzerland. Bow Simon Stuerm caught an around-the-back crab in the final sprint and the remaining three scullers had to paddle the boat home for the repechage.

At the end of the race Sens said, "We were very well prepared for these conditions. The race went better than we expected."

Heat 2

Poland sat solidly in control. They made the rough water look smooth and their demeanor was confident. Rating a solid 32 through the body of the race, the Poles seemed to do just enough to stay at the head of the field. Behind them Russia had firmly lodged themselves in second while the higher rating Italians challenged them from third position.

The order did not change with Poland pushing up to a 35 for the final sprint to hold off the Russian challenge. All three crews will continue to the semi-final while France must return for the repechage.

Heat 3

The fastest qualifying time came in the final heat and the race was all about the Czech Republic leaving the rest of the crews to fight for second. The Czech's took off at a fast 39 stroke rate clip, got their bow in front and then extended that lead.

Behind them Ukraine and Belarus were challenging each other with Ukraine retaining the upper hand. With three boats qualifying, Great Britain, at the back of the field, posed no threat to the leading boats. The charge of Ukraine and Belarus did not impact on the leaders who can now advance with confidence to the semi-final along with Ukraine and Belarus.

Jacob Hanak, three seat for the Czech's said after the race, "I was very nervous because we haven't had a race for a long time, but after the start it went well and after the first 1000 I was feeling good. I don't like the waves."

WOMEN'S EIGHT

Heat 1

The United States come to these Olympics as the crew to beat after winning all of their international races this year. Today, stroking 43 at the start, they got out ahead of Germany in the opening of the race. Using a longer finish than the upright Germans the US had enough of a lead by the 1000 metre mark that they could survey the field. But had they gone out too hard?

As the 1200 came into sight the Romanians, who had walked through the Germans, started to overlap and pick off the United States seat by seat. By the final sprint the US had shortened their stroke, increased their rating to 39 and were charging. Romania, however, would not budge. The United States then went to 42 strokes per minute. It was enough for them to retain the lead over Romania and the US now move on to the final with not only the fastest time but the World Best time, breaking Romania's 1999 record by less than half a second.

German women's eight racing at Schinias
© Dominik Keller

Romania will return to race the repechage along with Germany and Australia.

At the finish the US did not know they had broken the record and were all surprised. Seat four Alison Cox said, "Step one was to get into the final. Romania was pushing very hard and the race was going fast we had to fight to stay in front." Cox Mary Whipple added, "The important thing for us is to trust each other and to work together."

Heat 2

Late qualifiers, the Netherlands, grabbed a small lead over China and proceeded to try and extend it. Rating a steady 34 strokes per minute the Dutch held on to the lead and for the effort earn themselves a five day rest from racing by going directly to the final.

Dutch stroke Helen Tanger said after the race, "It was a very difficult race with the hard conditions. With the tail wind it was going very fast so it was a different kind of race. The cox gave the sprint call earlier than planned to get away from the Chinese. It was more difficult to keep the balance because the blades were hitting the water especially at the finish."

MEN'S EIGHT

Heat 1

A number of errors caused delays in heat one. First Australia was assessed a warning by turning up late to the start. Then an administrative error had the false start horn sounding as Australia's bow had not been held correctly in place. Then official launches had to collect water bottles that were thrown into the water by Australia.

The race finally got under way with Australia unveiling themselves in their first international race ever in their current line-up form. Behind them the biggest challenge was coming from the Netherlands. But Australia, who rated 43 strokes at the start and then settled to a solid 36, were going for a boat length lead. They had found that lead by the 1500 metre mark and felt no need to sprint. Australia goes directly to the final.

Seat six for Australia, Bo Hansen, who has come out of retirement and into the crew to compete at his fourth Olympic Games, commented after the race, "This is our first race in Europe. We are very happy, we had the game plan and stuck exactly to what we wanted to do."

World record breakers in the men's eight USA and Canada
© Getty Images/Ian Waldie

Heat 2

The records continued to fall in one of the most anticipated races of the day. Canada is the current World Champions and the United States number two in the world. Canada and the United States sit next to each other geographically. The big boat rivalry between the two countries is legendary. The two Mike's, coach Mike Spracklen for Canada and Mike Teti for the United States are known for putting their top eight athletes into this event. The Canadians were top seeds coming into the Olympics not having lost a race since 2001. The United States were unseeded because they were boating a new line-up that has never raced internationally. "So what," said Teti.

But it was Italy that got out to take the best start in their "Otto+." This was soon destroyed by the North American charge from both sides of the course with Canada powering into first and the United States overtaking Italy to chase the Canadians. Going through the 1500 metre mark Canada and the United States had moved clear ahead of the rest of the field with the Canadians holding a slim upper hand.

The sprint for first, for honour and for the final was on.

The United States then lifted their rating to 38 with Canada holding on at a 37. Ratings continued to rise and as the US moved into the last 50 metres of the race their bow snuck ahead of Canada. At the line a new World Best time had been set. The Dutch record from 1999 had been broken by nearly three seconds and Canada's winning streak destroyed.

The United States now move directly on to the final. Has the curse of the 2000 Olympics been broken for the Americans? Is the curse of going into the Olympics as World Champions going to plague the Canadians? Barring mishap, the two crews will meet again in the final next Sunday and all will be revealed.

Six seat for Canada, Andrew Hoskins said after the race "We are going faster than expected. We had a very good start and for me it was not to worry about the other boats."

Seven seat for the United States, Beau Hoopman said, "We have been practicing for tail wind conditions. We will keep predictions about the final to ourselves."