China has lightweight power, Germany wins eights

by Melissa Bray, FISA on 30 May 2006 Under slightly warmer conditions and tricky crosswinds, the finals of the Rowing World Cup in Munich, Germany wrapped up the regatta. Germany’s Elke Hipler and Christina Gerking added two medals to their collection after finishing second in the women’s pair and then returning later in the day to take gold in the eight. Dongxiang Xu of China also impressed by taking bronze in the women’s lightweight single and then coming back to win gold in the lightweight double.

Germany made it a double header by winning both the men’s and women’s eights and Germany and Australia collaborated to have Robert Sens win gold in the men’s double while his Australian wife, Catriona Sens, won silver in the women’s quad. This is how the finals panned out:

Lightweight Women Single Scull

A normally close race became a spread out procession with the arrival of Canada’s Tracy Cameron. Cameron was part of the gold medal quad last year, but in her first international season as a single sculler she has added a new element to the competition. Cameron commented after the semi-finals that she still had more to give never having tested her sprint. Today her early lead gave Cameron a chance to be in a position to watch the rest of the field.

Dongxiang Xu of China tried to stick with Cameron with Teresa Mas De Xaxars of Spain working her way up from the back of the field. Cameron, again, didn’t really need to test her sprint as Spain and China battled it out for second. Xu must have been feeling her heavy race schedule, which includes racing in the double later today, and she could not hold off Mas De Xaxars. Meanwhile semi-final winner Fabiane Albrecht of Switzerland had run out of steam.

Cameron adds a World Cup gold to her collection. Spain follows with silver and China wins bronze. Xu now goes away to rest up for the double. After the race Cameron said she hoped to move into the Olympic class double for the World Championships and also for the Beijing Olympics.

Lightweight Men’s Single Scull

Following his strong showing in the heats and semis, reigning World Champion and Greece’s most successful rower, Vasileios Polymeros surprisingly was not the first out of the starting blocks. Instead, this honour went to Gerard van der Linden of the Netherlands. Then Frederic Dufour found the lead. Dufour raced Polymeros at the Athens Olympics where they both picked up medals in the lightweight double.

Finally, as the 1,000 metre mark was passed, Polymeros found the lead and increased it stroke by stroke. Meanwhile Dufour was having a real battle with Great Britain’s Mark Hunter. Taking his rating to 39, Dufour managed to get ahead of Hunter, but Polymeros was well out of reach. Polymeros wins gold, Dufour silver and Hunter bronze.

After the race Dufour said, 'It was a difficult race and my physical condition is not the best yet.' Dufour will row in the double at the next World Cup with Fabrice Moreau.

Lightweight Men’s Pair

Usually German colours play a more prominent place at the Munich World Cup as crews make the most of the home advantage. Today the German fans had to wait until this race to show their colours and the German pair did it in fine style by taking off at the head of the field. Felix Otto and Ole Rueckbrodt of Germany come to this event after two years of winning the under-23 lightweight four. With Germany in front Denmark had an early strong showing, but soon slipped back with Great Britain’s Nick English and Dave Currie slipping into second.

Through the body of the race Germany held a solid 32 while Great Britain maintained their pace at a 33. Coming into the final sprint Australia suddenly came alive. Tim Smith and Tim O’Callaghan popped up their stroke rate and went for gold. Germany’s lead, however, was too commanding. Otto and Rueckbrodt take gold, Smith and O’Callaghan win silver and English and Currie hold on for bronze.

After the race Otto commented, 'We have been in the pair only two weeks. The decision is not yet made who will be in the pair or four and we are still hoping for a spot in the Olympic four.'

Women’s Single Scull (W1x)

Ekaterina Karsten of Belarus can now claim an unbroken winning streak ever since finishing second behind Kathrin Rutschow-Stomporowski at the Athens Olympics. With Rutschow-Stomporowski in retirement, and now looking after newly born twin boys, Karsten’s main competition has come from Mirka Knapkova of the Czech Republic. Despite a recent lack of competition Karsten hasn’t lost any of her technique, power or will to win.

Today Karsten continued her winning ways by taking off at the head of the field. But the real race was going on behind her. Knapkova and France’s Sophie Balmary had gone neck and neck in the semi-final yesterday and today it looked like the same scenario would play out. Balmary started out with the advantage and with 1,500 metres gone the world record holder on the indoor rowing machine, Balmary had a two second advantage. Coming into the final sprint Knapkova decided to put the heat on and in the sprint to the line Knapkova managed to slip into second. Balmary finished just a bow ball back in third.

Karsten adds another gold to her already hefty collection. Balmary goes back to replan her race strategy.


Men’s Single Scull (M1x)

Sitting in the starting blocks was the Olympic Champion, Olaf Tufte of Norway, the 2002 World Champion and home favourite Marcel Hacker of Germany and last year’s bronze medallist Ondrej Synek of the Czech Republic. But as the race began only Synek was in the pack with single sculling newcomer Alan Campbell of Great Britain in the lead.

Was this going to be a race of the newcomers?

With Campbell in the lead Hacker decided to demonstrate what his winter training had done. Winter training that takes him to the mountains of Switzerland and the coastline of California. Pushing his way through to second Hacker went after Campbell. Meanwhile another newcomer to the single finals, but in the hunt since 2004, Lassi Karonen of Sweden was pushing forward.

As Campbell held on to first, Hacker upped the pressure. In a massive sprint to the line Campbell managed to hold on by the skin of his teeth with Hacker earning silver and a very happy Karonen holding off Tufte to finish with bronze.

Great Britain’s press release yesterday showed insight; 'I think he's the best prospect in British rowing since Steve Redgrave hit the scene', said former Olympic gold medallist Martin Cross in Munich.

'I haven't seen pace like that from any British sculler ever', he added. 'You can't expect a young man like that to dominate all the races and hold the same form for the rest of the season but if he carries on improving he's definitely a medal prospect for Beijing'.

Campbell himself said: 'I feel slightly surprised the races here have gone to plan. Bill (Barry - Campbell's coach) and I have looked at the form of everyone else and we've stuck to our plan. So far it's worked really well.'

Women’s Pair (W2-)

Canada’s Darcy Marquardt and Jane Rumball had come though strongly from the heats and semis to be favourites in this event. Looking strong and in control the Canadians led the field. Behind them Australia’s Amber Bradley and Kate Hornsey led the way for their country. Through the middle of the race the pace set by the Canadians had given them a clear water lead over Bradley and Hornsey. This is when Germany decided to move. Christina Gerking and Elke Hipler of Germany also make up part of their country’s eight so they have seen a lot of racing over the last couple of days. Obviously Gerking and Hipler still had energy.

Coming into the final sprint Australia and Germany went head to head with Germany taking advantage of crowd support. At the line Canada had earned gold and the World Cup leaders’ jersey, Germany had silver and Australia finished just a fraction back with bronze.

Men’s Pair (M2-)