Results from Thursday Repechages & Quarterfinals

TEXT FROM WORLDROWING.COM

JUNIOR MEN’S COXED FOUR (JM4+) – REPECHAGES

The two repechages required boats to finish in the top two positions if they wanted the chance to race in the Final on Saturday. In Repechage One all crews came out of the start together with only Croatia slipping back early on. By the half way point Italy and Australia had established themselves as the leading boats. These two countries then proceeded to go neck-and-neck, swapping leads as they charged down the 2000m regatta course.

Coming into the line a big push by Australia gave them the edge over Italy, but barely a canvas separated them. The Italian mothers watching from the shore showed their emotions through tears. Australia and Italy had qualified for the Final.

Repechage Two had all boats getting off the line together with Great Britain a nose in front. France, however, was not going to let Great Britain get away and by the half way point the two leading boats remained locked together. Just behind, the United States was pressing hard to get up into a qualifying spot. These three countries conducted the main charge to the line. France, rating 35, had the best sprint. France and Great Britain are on their way to Saturday’s Final.

1 AUS 1:34.71 (2) 3:13.43 (2) 4:54.47 (1) 6:32.47 3
2 ITA 1:34.53 (1) 3:13.19 (1) 4:54.72 (2) 6:33.03 5
3 RSA 1:35.41 (3) 3:18.65 (5) 5:00.14 (4) 6:39.19 4
4 NZL 1:36.47 (4) 3:16.95 (3) 4:59.67 (3) 6:39.95 2
5 CRO 1:37.44 (5) 3:18.40 (4) 5:01.21 (5) 6:43.67 1

JUNIOR WOMEN’S SINGLE SCULLS (JW1x) – QUARTERFINALS

After yesterday’s racing, this field has been narrowed down to 24 boats and today they were divided into the four races with a top three finish needed if they wanted to be in tomorrow’s semifinal. In the first Quarterfinal Germany’s Lisa Schmidla recorded the fastest qualifying time overall. Schmidla was the only boat to go under eight minutes and she did it by leading from start to finish, keeping the pressure on right to the line.

Despite having an open water lead by the half way point, Schmidla pressed on and she kept her rating high through the second half of the race. Second time junior, Schmidla then sprinted the finish at a 36 stroke rate pace. After overtaking Virginia Diaz Rivas of Spain in the final 500m, Slovenia’s Anja Sesum crossed the line in second. Diaz Rivas qualified from third.

The second Quarterfinal had Ting Cao of China out in front at the start. But Nataliya Dovgodko of Ukraine was not going to let Cao get away. Dovgodko, who is in her third year of racing in this event, kept the pressure on and in the third 500 had closed the gap in Cao. Meanwhile Tomomi Akao of Japan had pushed past the United States and worked her way into the third. Akao raced last year in the quad finishing 15th overall. It looks like the single suits her well as she fought to keep her qualifying spot through to the line. China and Ukraine sprinted to the line, Cao rating 36 and Ukraine on an effective 31. China, Ukraine and Japan were the qualifying boats.

The level of crowd involvement picked up for Quarterfinal Three as Helen Lefebvre of France was featuring. At the start Hungary’s Kristina Gyimes was in the lead. Gyimes, 17, is at her first international event and her lead remained through the body of the race. Then coming into the final 500m Gyimes was running out of steam. To the crowd’s delight Lefebvre was going for all she was worth. So was Aimee Hernandez of Cuba. France and Cuba rated 36, Gyimes was on 38 and trying to hold on. France, Cuba and Hungary had made it to the semifinal.

Quarterfinal Four saw Palina Drahun of Belarus get off the line at a cracking pace. Austria’s Lisa Farthofer and Rachel Gamble-Flint of Great Britain were the only boats that looked to be able to keep Drahun’s pace. Drahun is at her first international regatta and is part of the big rowing push that is currently happening in Belarus. Coming into the final sprint Farthofer had slipped back but was still in a qualifying spot while Gamble-Flint was challenging Drahun with every stroke. Drahun’s rating slipped to 29, Gamble-Flint was managing 33. Great Britain reached the line first. Great Britain, Belarus and Austria went to the semifinal.

1 FRA 1:58.60 (3) 4:03.90 (3) 6:08.55 (2) 8:06.78 4
2 CUB 1:57.84 (2) 4:03.32 (2) 6:09.87 (3) 8:07.06 3
3 HUN 1:56.65 (1) 4:01.34 (1) 6:06.86 (1) 8:09.06 5
4 LAT 1:59.24 (4) 4:04.47 (4) 6:10.33 (4) 8:11.59 1
5 RSA 2:01.18 (6) 4:06.45 (5) 6:15.05 (5) 8:25.43 2
6 CHI 2:00.25 (5) 4:10.23 (6) 6:22.60 (6) 8:37.70 6