Katherine Copeland (b), Charlotte Taylor _
<p>Katherine Copeland (s), Charlotte Taylor (b), Great Britain, Sophie Mackenzie (b), Julia Edward (s), New Zealand, Lightweight Women's Double Sculls A-final, 2015 World Rowing Cup II Varese, Italy</p>

World Rowing Cup II in Varese, Italy finished with Great Britain winning the most World Cup points. The British total of 61 points included gold in the women’s pair as World and Olympic Champions Helen Glover and Heather Stanning continued their unbeaten run. Olympic Champion Katherine Copeland, now partnered in 2015 with Charlotte Taylor, won the lightweight women’s double sculls and also set a new World Best Time during the Varese regatta. The men’s quadruple sculls also won gold and the men’s eight took the British gold medal count to four.

The United States earned 51 points to finish second on the World Cup points table. Both the women’s eight and the men’s four won gold with silver in the women’s pair, women’s double sculls and women’s single sculls. The silver medals helped put the United States ahead of New Zealand who were third on the points table with 45 points. New Zealand won three golds including the lightweight men’s four, women’s double sculls and Mahe Drysdale in men’s single sculls.

For both the United States and New Zealand it was their first international regatta for the 2015 season.

Also debuting their international season for 2015 was fourth-equal Australia. Kim Crow won Australia’s only gold medal when she dominated the women’s single sculls with an open-water, nine second lead. Australia’s points equalled 34 which tied them with Germany for the fourth-place spot. The German team continued to be the most powerful boat in the women’s quadruple sculls where they picked up a gold medal.

The overall standing for the 2015 World Rowing Cup, which includes the results of World Rowing Cup I held in Bled, Slovenia in May, puts Germany at the top of the points table. The German total is 79 ahead of a tie for second between China and Great Britain who both have 61 points. Poland is in fourth with 56 points and the United States in fifth with 51 points.

The final World Rowing Cup for 2015 in the series of three will take place in Lucerne, Switzerland from 10-12 July, 2015.

The World Rowing Cup points are determined by each Olympic boat class earning points based on the finishing order. The highest placing boat from a country is awarded the following points:
1st 8 points
2nd 6 points
3rd 5 points
4th 4 points
5th 3 points
6th 2 points
7th 1 point

If a country has more than one crew in a boat class, points will be awarded only to the first crew. The crew with the most points in each boat class is declared the World Rowing Cup leader and receives the yellow ‘World Rowing Cup Leader Bib.’ After the third World Rowing Cup regatta, the crew with the most points in each boat class is declared the World Cup winner and receives the World Rowing Cup for that boat class.

At the end of each World Cup, the country with the most points will be declared winner of that World Rowing Cup regatta and will receive the leading nation cup. The nation with the most points overall from all boat classes is declared overall winner of the 2015 World Rowing Cup.

The overall standing for World Cup points and medal table is available here: http://www.worldrowing.com/events/2015-world-rowing-cup-ii/medals