Lightweight Men’s Single Sculls (LM1x) – Semifinals

by Rowing-World & FISA on 24 Aug 2006 Duncan Grant (NZL) finished third in his semi-final and has qualified for the A-Final in the Mens Lightweight Single Sculls.

Zac Purchase of Great Britain is definitely the top medal contender coming into these World Rowing Championships and with the home crowd behind him, last year’s under 23 champion is loving it. But at the start of the first semifinal it was Greece’s Elias Pappas in the lead. Pappas comes to senior competition after being a B Final finisher at the 2004 under 23 regatta and his challenge to Purchase is a major step up. By the half-way point Purchase had pushed into the lead and moved away from Pappas.

Meanwhile a slow-starting Duncan Grant of New Zealand pulled out a piece just before the 1000 metre mark to move into third and ahead of Germany. The order stayed the same with Purchase prepared to come down to a comfortable 28 in the close of the race and let Pappas close the gap in second with Grant making further headway to qualify for the final from third.

Juan Zunzunegui Guimerans of Spain established himself as a force to be reckoned with when he took bronze at the Rowing World Cup in July. Today he continued to show his power by leading the second semifinal ahead of Oleksandr Serdiuk of Ukraine with Slovenia’s Bine Pislar sitting in third and holding a close battle with Gerard van der Linden of the Netherlands. As the final sprint came into view, the Spaniard was doing just enough to hold his position while Pislar sprinted to stay ahead of a charging van der Linden who in turn was being challenged by former World Champion (2000) Michal Vabrousek of the Czech Republic. Spain, Slovenia and the Netherlands advance to the final.

This is going to be a close and exciting final with all finalist boats qualifying in a time of seven minutes or less with a spread of only four seconds.

Result  World Cup World Rowing Championships 2006, Eton - Race 123: LM1x  Semifinal A/B 1
boat progression: 1-3->FA, 4..->FB
Rank	Boat	500 m	1000 m	1500 m	Finish	Lane
1	GBR	1:38.91  (2)	3:23.85  (1)	5:08.86  (1)	6:56.72	4
Zac PURCHASE
2	GRE	1:38.18  (1)	3:24.19  (2)	5:11.19  (2)	6:58.56	2
Elias PAPPAS
3	NZL	1:40.75  (5)	3:26.86  (3)	5:13.18  (3)	7:00.21	3
Duncan GRANT
4	GER	1:40.28  (4)	3:27.18  (4)	5:15.39  (4)	7:03.21	6
Jonathan KOCH
5	CAN	1:39.80  (3)	3:27.40  (5)	5:16.79  (5)	7:03.82	5
Jeff BUJAS
6	GUA	1:41.18  (6)	3:28.47  (6)	5:18.94  (6)	7:11.19	1
Edgar NANNE
Key to terms: DNA=Data Not Available DNF=Did Not Finish DNS=Did Not Start DSQ=Disqualified EXC=Excluded BUW=Boat Under Weight

Result  World Cup World Rowing Championships 2006, Eton - Race 124: LM1x  Semifinal A/B 2
boat progression: 1-3->FA, 4..->FB
Rank	Boat	500 m	1000 m	1500 m	Finish	Lane
1	ESP	1:38.47  (1)	3:23.96  (1)	5:11.54  (1)	6:59.23	4
Juan ZUNZUNEGUI GUIMERANS
2	SLO	1:41.53  (4)	3:27.54  (3)	5:16.30  (4)	7:00.35	3
Bine PISLAR
3	NED	1:41.13  (3)	3:28.52  (4)	5:15.44  (3)	7:00.51	6
Gerard VAN DER LINDEN
4	CZE	1:42.09  (5)	3:29.04  (5)	5:20.52  (5)	7:01.37	5
Michal VABROUSEK
5	UKR	1:38.98  (2)	3:25.61  (2)	5:14.61  (2)	7:09.95	2
Oleksandr SERDIUK
6	LTU	1:42.38  (6)	3:30.76  (6)		7:11.68	1
Rolandas KAZLAUSKAS
Key to terms: DNA=Data Not Available DNF=Did Not Finish DNS=Did Not Start DSQ=Disqualified EXC=Excluded BUW=Boat Under Weight