Getting ready for the rescheduled mens and womens eights races this morning, followed by singles quarter finals and repecharges for M2-, W2x, M2x, M4-
The Draw and Results
Womens 8. Progression: First to Final, rest to Repecharge. Heat 1. USA leads off in a blistering pace for first 500m chased by Germany and Great Britain neck and neck. Half way US has a length on GB who are second and who push hard to close to 2 secs behind US on the line. 6.06. Heat 2. Romania lead from start to finish leaving a fight for second place between the Netherlands and Australia which the Aussies win to come second by under half a second. 6.05.
Mens 8. Progression: First to Final, rest to Repecharge. Heat 1. Canada lead from start to finish. They had 3 seconds on Poland by half way and 7 seconds at the finish. Poland and the Netherlands are almost the same speed to the last 500 when Poland outsprint them by a boat length. Australia look like they knocked it on the head after half way and paddled home. 5.27. Heat 2. After 500m three boats abreast, Great Britain, USA and China. By half way the Brits have a lead of 2 seconds and hold onto this to finish first by 4 seconds. USA in second beating China and Germany. 5.25. [later update. Australia report steering equipment failure]
Womens 1x Quarter Final. Progression: First three to Semi Final A B, rest to Semi Final C D. Quarter Final 1. Michelle Guerette of USA wins by over a length from Poland and Italy. 7.28. Quarter Final 2. Knapova of Czech Republic leading the race from start to finish chased by Sophie Balmary of France and Iva Obradovic of Serbia and they finish in that order 7.30. Quarter Final 3. Australia's Pippa Savage leads off the start but is quickly overtaken by Zhang of China and Neykova from Bulgaria who push it all the way together Neykova winning by half a length. Australia third. 7.22. Quarter Final 4. Karsten starts conservatively but by 500m has taken the lead. Chased by New Zealand and Sweden who starts a sprint to the line to close to 1.5 lengths on the line. 7.25.
Mens 1x Quarter Final. Progression: First three to Semi Final AB, rest to Semi Finals C D. Quarter Final 1. Campbell of Great Britain, Hacker of Germany and Vonarburg of Switzerland quickly pull away from the rest. Campbell under rating the other two but drops back to third place by 1000m, Campbell creeps back over Vonarburg who looks like he put too much into the second 500. Campbell sprints hard and finishes 1.5 lengths behind. 6.48. Quarter Final 2. Olaf Tufte of Norway inches out to lead by 750m over a comfortably slower field. But gets chased to the line by Griskonis Lithuania and Christou of Greece third. 6.53. Christou must be pleased as he only got an Olympic qualification because China's sculler was doubling up. [and then he didn't race]. Quarter Final 3. Synek of Czech Republic and Maeyens of Belgium lead easily by 1500 with Hardcastle of Australia in third. They finish in that order. 6.50. Quarter Final 4. Drysdale of New Zealand, Hamburger of the Netherlands and Karonen of Sweden look stronger than the rest. Mahe pushes though in the third 500m. Karonen pushes hard to stay with Drysdale who finishes 3 feet in front while USA's Jurkowski has rowed down Hamburger to gain third. 6.50
Mens 2- Repecharge. Progression: First three to Semi Final A/B, rest to C Final. Two pairs of brothers – Winkelvoss for USA and Skelin for Croatia. Skelins lead out and the USA stay with them to 1000m. Danes creep up on the far side. Last 500m the USA takes the lead from Croatia with Denmark and Croatia also qualifying. 6.36.
USA pair uses Magik Gates. … didn't spot that in their heat.
Womens 2x Repecharges. Progression: First and Second to Final, rest to B Final. Repecharge 1. Half way Germany and Great Britain lead chased hard by Romania and Italy. Last 500 and Brits push on hard to come back on the Germans. Still pushing hard. Nearly level with the Germans. On the line the Brits win, Germany second, Romania third. 6.54. Repecharge 2. USA leading at half way by clar water with Australia and Czech chasing. USA win by 3/4 length from Czech and Australia third. 6.58.
Mens 2x Repecharge. Progression: First three to Semi Final A/B, rest to C Final. Russians lead out from the start and by half way the Belgian double and USA chasing ahead of Iraq and Bulgaria. The Ianikev brothers in Bulgarian crew start to sprint with 500m to go. Gelgians holding on to second place. USA son't seem to have noticed them and so lose out on qualifying. Russian win by a canvas from Belgium who have a canvas on Bulgaria with USA half a length behind. 6.23.
Mens 4- Repecharge. Progression: First three to Semi Final A/B. Czech (wearing natty white knee socks) and French crews leading. China falling back. Half way the Czechs have 3/4 length over France and Belarus a canvas behind. Czech win, France second and Belarus third. 5.58.
USA pair uses Magik Gates …. didn't spot that in their heat.
Mens 1x E F Semi Final. Semi Final 1. Enjoying watching Rod Ideus from Tideway Scullers compete for Columbia here Not bad for a lightweight.. He comes in second behind the Iranian sculler, Shadi Naghden. 7.20. Semi Final 2. Hernandez from Venezuela leads from start to finish while Cameroon and Algeria swap places and Cameroon comes in 5 seconds ahead on the line. 7.18.
that's it for today.
