Women’s Double Sculls (W2x) - Heats

by FISA on 21 Aug 2006 The women’s double was represented by 15 countries and first up in heat one China’s Qin Li and Liang Tian led the way.

Li is in her first international season but has been rowing for her province, Sichuan, for a number of years. Twenty-year-old Tian hit the international scene two years ago. Together they led over British rising stars Annie Vernon and Anna Bebington with this year’s under 23 champions Jitka Antosova and Gabriela Varekova of the Czech Republic following in third. Three qualifying spots were available and at the line the order had not changed. China, Great Britain and the Czech Republic earn a place in the semifinal.

Current World and Olympic Champions, Caroline and Georgina Evers-Swindell of New Zealand never take chances. Coming out in the lead at the start, the duo already had three seconds over the rest of the field with only about 70 strokes rowed. This lead remained as the rest of the field worked at getting the remaining two qualifying positions in heat two. In the running was France, Ukraine and Germany. Coming back from a slow start, Britta Oppelt and Susanne Schmidt of Germany established themselves in second with Natalia Ryzhkova and Yana Dementieva of Ukraine overtaking France to hold on to third. New Zealand, Germany and Ukraine move on to the semifinal.

Yuliya Bichyk and Volha Berazniova of Belarus are building up a solid rowing portfolio. Today they added to their statistics by winning the third heat and recording the fastest qualifying time in the process. They did this under urging by Australian newcomer Brooke Pratley and returnee to the international scene, Liz Kell. This urging continued for the full 2000 metres with only one second separating the two crews at the finish. The United States (Brett Sickler and Susan Francia) followed in third to qualify as well.

Heat 1

Result  World Cup World Rowing Championships 2006, Eton - Race 23: W2x  Heat 1
boat progression: 1-3->SA/B, 4..->R
Rank	Boat	500 m	1000 m	1500 m	Finish	Lane
1	CHN	1:38.74  (1)	3:23.22  (1)	5:10.28  (1)	6:55.97	3
Qin LI, Liang TIAN
2	GBR	1:40.80  (2)	3:27.02  (2)	5:13.56  (2)	6:57.47	4
Annie VERNON, Anna BEBINGTON
3	CZE	1:41.94  (3)	3:28.11  (3)	5:15.80  (3)	7:04.73	5
Jitka ANTOSOVA, Gabriela VAREKOVA
4	LAT	1:44.66  (5)	3:33.31  (4)	5:24.60  (4)	7:15.82	1
Liene BERTASJUS, Kristine GOSA
5	KOR	1:43.96  (4)	3:34.22  (5)	5:27.45  (5)	7:19.83	2
Yeong Eun SHIN, Ok Kyung KIM
Key to terms: DNA=Data Not Available DNF=Did Not Finish DNS=Did Not Start DSQ=Disqualified EXC=Excluded BUW=Boat Under Weight

Heat 2

Result  World Cup World Rowing Championships 2006, Eton - Race 24: W2x  Heat 2
boat progression: 1-3->SA/B, 4..->R
Rank	Boat	500 m	1000 m	1500 m	Finish	Lane
1	NZL	1:37.61  (1)	3:20.38  (1)	5:05.63  (1)	6:53.05	4
Caroline EVERS-SWINDELL, Georgina EVERS-SWINDELL
2	GER	1:41.40  (5)	3:24.38  (2)	5:10.06  (2)	6:56.29	5
Britta OPPELT, Susanne SCHMIDT
3	UKR	1:40.21  (2)	3:25.77  (4)	5:11.24  (3)	6:58.47	3
Natalia RYZHKOVA, Yana DEMENTIEVA
4	FRA	1:40.61  (3)	3:25.57  (3)	5:13.77  (4)	7:00.96	2
Celine CUISANT - GARCIA, Inene PASCAL - PRETRE
5	HUN	1:40.92  (4)	3:28.08  (5)	5:18.21  (5)	7:07.52	1
Aliz KONYA, Lidia VEROCI
Key to terms: DNA=Data Not Available DNF=Did Not Finish DNS=Did Not Start DSQ=Disqualified EXC=Excluded BUW=Boat Under Weight

Heat 3

Result  World Cup World Rowing Championships 2006, Eton - Race 25: W2x  Heat 3
boat progression: 1-3->SA/B, 4..->R
Rank	Boat	500 m	1000 m	1500 m	Finish	Lane
1	BLR	1:36.79  (1)	3:20.25  (1)	5:06.83  (1)	6:52.13	4
Volha BERAZNIOVA, Yuliya BICHYK
2	AUS	1:39.03  (2)	3:21.88  (2)	5:07.78  (2)	6:53.74	3
Liz KELL, Brooke PRATLEY
3	USA	1:39.94  (3)	3:25.58  (3)	5:12.06  (3)	6:57.07	5
Brett SICKLER, Susan FRANCIA
4	ITA	1:42.28  (4)	3:26.81  (4)	5:13.56  (4)	7:01.00	1
Laura SCHIAVONE, Elisabetta SANCASSANI
5	NOR	1:42.89  (5)	3:29.42  (5)	5:15.71  (5)	7:03.87	2
Marianne NORDAHL, Heidi VEESER
Key to terms: DNA=Data Not Available DNF=Did Not Finish DNS=Did Not Start DSQ=Disqualified EXC=Excluded BUW=Boat Under Weight