Friday 24th August 2001, Lucerne, Switzerland.
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Racing begins at 2pm CET (GMT+2) today and involves C/D semifinals for LM2x, and A/B semifinals for LM4x, LW2x, LM2x, LM4- and M4x. All other 'B-group' events already have the finals qualification organised, following Wednesday's repechages.
Press conference, Matt Smith and Denis Oswald (FISA)
LM2x C/D semifinals: three to C final, remainder to D final
A five-boat semi, and on another steaming hot day, with a mild tailwind ruffling the course, Austria lead the group, the USA and Brazil a couple of seats behind to the first timing marker. Getting towards halfway, the USA stick in a massive push, and catch then pass Austria, while POR get on with the tricky job of rowing Brazil down. At 1500 metres the USA have nearly a length's lead, AUT solid in second, and POR still ahead of BRA for that third place in the C final. Nearing the finish these four bunch up, but the USA win, then AUT less than half a length back, POR overlapping them. Next we have the second semi, where with Moldova dropping back, CZE leads UKR and MEX steadily along without any pressure to take up the power. All three leading crews look pretty relaxed, poling along at 33, the Ukraine staying close to the Czechs, perhaps scoring a few psychological points (or doing a good sweat-down?).
Interlude
I've got to tell you this one - rowing correspondent Robert Treharne-Jones has been trying to use it for the last few days, but his paper have cut it out. He was walking about the lakeside during the repechages, and bumped into Irish sculler Sam Lynch. Being the current Irish Independent hack, RTJ naturally natters to the Irish team-members from time to time, including Lynch. Departing, Robert said, as you would, "I'll catch you later in the week", to which Lynch replied " - as long as you're the only bloke who does.." Good luck Sam!
LM4x A/B semifinals: three to A final, three to B final
Denmark rattled off at a boneshaking rate, and have kept up the pressure, now leading with 750 gone by nearly a length. Second behind them are Spain and Ireland fighting for position, with Germany only a seat further back. As Denmark pull clear, Spain slip through Ireland by a couple of seats, and then a huge German push gets them back into contention. By the third marker Germany have hauled themselves into second place, passing Denmark, who have lost the lead to a great Spanish attack. Ireland meanwhile fade out of contention, and although there's a bit of push and shove amongst the leaders, ESP-GER-DEN doesn't necessarily reflect their real speed under pressure. Next up is semi 2, in which defending world champions Japan (with two from last year's crew) make an appearance. Italy lead to the first timing point, Japan lying third behind Greece, although the Dutch quad are also in with a shout. Competitive stuff, in these fast boats, but the middle of the course sorts them out a little, and the gaps spread steadily. Italy surge out to clear water passing the boat tents, and Greece also shake off the Japanese claim. Third position is the interesting one, NED still hounding GRE hard, and with the USA and CHI well back, it's between two boats for the last place in the A-final. In the final 200 metres it becomes clear that Japan have it solidly in the bag, only their stern canvas overlapping NED, who have run out of lake to launch a fight-back. Italy's winning time was only 2.5 seconds off their 1993 Roudnice record.
LW2x A/B semifinals: three to A final, three to B final.
Rowing in the first of these two races are old rivals Romania and Germany, who finished in that order at the Olympics last September. Only one of the German scullers returns, Claudia Blasberg, but the double have managed to slip past ROM once already this year, and could score valuable points here. They do it the right way, whisking off as fast as possible, chased hard by Romania's new double combination, with a massive gap back to the rest of the field, where AUT, CUB and NED fight for the third spot. Cruising to the finish, GER are still long at 34, ROM sticking it in at 38, but you get the feeling the German women have kept themselves in check, and are saving the big effort for the final. NED get third place, almost achieving clear water. Confirming the results, it's a fast time again, only six seconds off the standing 1995 world record held by Denmark. Poland lead the second semifinal away, rowing in lovely style, with a long flowing technique. Behind them USA, GBR and CAN push along one second apart each. The CAN and GBR start hitting the buoy-lines together, and it looks as if the Canadian are in mid-push, 100 metres before the second markerpoint. GBR hold them in check, and inch up a seat by midway. CAN, trying to catch them, ease away from the USA, and the gap moves to clear water as they reach the final few hundred metres, while the Brits start to chase Poland to the line. POL sprint, and power back to a decisive lead, while GBR whip up to 40, making no impression as CAN close them down over the finish.
LM2x A/B semifinals: three to A final, three to B final
France lead the first attack, but Kucharski and Sycz (POL) soon show their class and burst through, leaving FRA and DEN scrapping behind them. GBR, SUI, AUS in a pack behind them, but it's not going to be possible to get the leaders back. The Poles hoick the rate for the last 150, and that sends them shifting inches per stroke away from the French. It's POL, FRA, DEN through, AUS a length behind and GBR pipping the Swiss for fifth place. For the second race, Olympic silver medallists ITA push out first, GER and JPN in joint second and ESP only a smidge back. ITA and GER spread away from the pack, now featuring ESP, JPN and RUS - as with several of these semi's, the most exciting race is going to be for that coveted third place. Third marker, and GER pushing hard at ITA, just starting to head them, Ingo Euler wreaking revenge for his bronze medal last year. ESP have dropped back, and JPN, dashing like fury, just hold off Russia to grab a place in the A-final.
LM4- A/B semifinals: three to A final, three to B final
It always looks so fast and angry, or perhaps that's just the Spanish, highlight crew of the first TV footage despite lying last off the start. AUT and DEN are in control, and the rates are up in the late thirties, although we're already at 800 gone. DEN shift into the lead, guess who have a point to prove, and AUT cross the midmarker a sniff behind, with NED next. The Danes are at 36 now at 1250, with AUT still overlapping, NED doing a good job in the outside lane with ESP dogging their footsteps. 1600 gone, DEN pushing to 39, AUT match them, NED are at 41, AUT closing DEN down, and I think it's because the Danes are really rushing forwards, so their stern's dipping badly as they hesitate for the catch. Never mind, they get the win, and have another rest day to think about it before the final. NED stay cleanly ahead of ESP and get third behind AUT. Semi 2 gets under way with Canada setting the early pace, but this is a very tight field, all six crews within a part-length, and only Switzerland looking on the slow side. Pacy stuff, water flying everywhere as first Italy and then France challenge Canada. Italy get the upper hand, just edging CAN and FRA for fastest second split, and lead at halfway, by the tiniest of margins. AUS and POL are starting to drop back a bit now, with SUI just behind POL in last place. The French four are Olympic champions, who wanted to row the light eight this year, and they really mean business, sticking in hard and starting to move past ITA as the crews pass the boating area. France on a roll, still moving away, ITA second, CAN now almost clearing AUS and not bothering to blast for the line. FRA, quicker than DEN by three seconds (that'll show them), ITA and CAN next.
M4x A/B semifinals: three to A final, three to B final.
Estonia go wallopping off like bats out of hell, but their surge doesn't last long and before 750 they are dropping back as Olympic champions Italy start to make their presence felt. There's an unholy scrap going on between GER and POL though, which takes them through EST, and before long this battle starts to heat up. Coming into the final section it wears down Italy's resistance, and first Germany, then Poland break through by a few feet. Brilliant racing, even if not everybody was showing their true form. Final semi of the regatta is the other half of this event, USA's popular crew starting the party and reaching the first marker in front. Times are a whisker quicker than the other heat to this point, the USA driven on by CZE, UKR and NED who stay just seats behind. Second 500 sees the Dutch pushing hard, lovely sculling as they slide into first position, while CZE are now nearly out of contact, and the Ukraine stay feet into third place. The trouble with semi's is that once the finals spots are lost, it may not seems worth bothering, so it's not a surprise that with RUS, CZE and SWE more than two lengths back, the top three aren't doing more than cruise. By the finish they're all well under control, which bodes well after posting a faster time than the other race with less effort.
TV coverage:
Tim Foster has joined the usual commentary team of David Goldstrom and Hugh Matheson at Eurosport this year, and they are covering plenty of the championships, though yesterday had a minor interruption for the UEFA Cup draw (of all things!). The aim is to cover main races live as the schedule permits, and to include discursive chatty bits from Foster. Commentary is also going out in Italian and German on the appropriate Central European channels. The plan for the finals days is to cover live in the afternoon (15:15-16:30 CET Saturday and 15:02-16:30 CET Sunday) while inserting recorded sections covering the earlier A-finals and classic historical races during the programme.
The BBC has been recording several interviews down on the medals raft, including the M4-, LW2x, M8+, LM2- and others, and will be showing these as preview to various races during Saturday and Sunday's Grandstand. See the BBC website for more information. As a supplement, Radio 5Live has reporter Richard Phelps in place, and he will be continuing to record commentary and summary pieces, which are likely to be used during regular sports bulletins on the station. Saturday he's doing definite stuff at 12:45 and 2:45 (BST) and possibly a minute in the middle of the football commentary at half-time. Sunday at 9:25 and 9:55 am (BST) the two halves of Phelp's interview with Matthew Pinsent (five mins each) will go out.
The details I have from FISA also tell me that the following TV stations are taking coverage, I think live: Canada (CBC), Eurosport, France (FT2 and FT3), Germany (ZDF), Hungary (MTV), Netherlands (NOS), New Zealand (TVNZ), Romania (TVR), Slovenia (RTVS), SNTV, Spain (TVE), Switzerland (DRS, TSR, TSI), Trans-World Sport, and USA (Oxygen). Further to this, four channels are taking a highlights package which will probably be shown post-Champs at some point: Asia (ESPN Star), Australia (Fox Sports), New Zealand (Saturn) and Singapore (MediaCorpTV). No details of broadcast times I'm afraid.
The summary list of crews racing in A-finals this weekend goes as follows:
14 Italy 13 USA 12 Germany, Great Britain 8 France, Romania 7 Australia, Netherlands 5 Belarus 4 Canada, Denmark 3 Croatia, Greece, Ireland, New Zealand, Slovenia, Switzerland, Ukraine 2 Argentina, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Japan, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Yugoslavia 1 Austria, Chile, China, Cuba, Lithuania, Norway, Zimbabwe.
So that's it for the dressage stuff - from here on in (especially with the new Team Cup at stake) every single stroke counts. See you tomorrow at the finals....