Saturday 25th August 2001, Lucerne, Switzerland.
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Racing begins at 9 am CET (GMT+2) today, starting with D & C finals for a handful of Group A events, B finals beginning at 10:00 (the M2+ B-final has been cancelled, presumably because one or other of the Czech and Russian pairs has scratched). There is a gap at midday for an hour and a half, and the A-finals for this group then begin at 13:30 CET (GMT+2).
Rowing Service plans at present involve putting up quick race summaries every half hour or so through the morning for the B finals, and if it is possible, to start live-online commentary for the A finals.
A reminder of the aarrangements for the new FISA Team Trophy. This will be awarded to the national team at the Worlds which achieves the highest score, based on the World Cup scoring system applied across all twenty-four events. This will give points for positions: 8, 6, 5, 4, 3 and 2 for first down to sixth in the A-final, together with 1 point for coming seventh, ie winning the B-final.
The weather is again steaming hot, pretty humid, and with barely a breath of wind on the water.
M2+ B final
Cancelled, presumably due to withdrawal, though we aren't given details.
LW1x B final
Brit Tracey Langlands has this all her way, leading right from the start and able to scull home rating 32, several lengths clear water between herself and Hungarian Monika Remsei. In a spread-out field, Italian Francesca Manzini comes third, Marie Louise Drager (GER) fourth and Mette Bisgaard Andersen (DEN) fifth. That's the first Team Trophy points on the scoreboard then...
LM1x B final
There's plenty of ego at stake here, reflected in the speed with which Peter Ording (GER), Andrei Chevel (RUS), Ulf Lienhard (ARG) and Pawel Randa (POL) rip off the start. Ording has had difficulty this week keeping up the pace in the latter stages, so it is no surprise that although he goes away second to Chevel, the Russian manages to open a steady gap in the middle sections, and that lets Randa through with a good 1450 push. As Ording fades, Randa takes over the lead from Chevel, and Romulo Bouzas (MEX) shifts into third.
W4- B final
You'd think there were lives at stake, the way this lot set off. ROM leads, GER next, and UKR only a seat back, while RUS seem more off the pace. UKR fade quickly though, leaving them in a duel for third with Russia, while GER get on with the job of trying to hassle Romania.
LM8+ B final
Only three boats in this, but a cracking B-final, less than a third of a length covering all three for the first 1600 metres. Canada make the early running, and have to sit on the Dutch and German eights from the leading position, which probably puts them under the most psychological pressure. Coming past the final marker, NED raise the game and their rate, and begin a ferocious sprint to the line, getting through the Canadians before the start of the red lane buoys marks 250 to go. As the Dutch and Canadian rates increase, Germany try to match them, but can't quite make the strokes count. Half a length to the good with 50m to go, NED clinch the win, CAN outsprinted in second place.
W1x B final
This one has USA's Jennifer Devine and Maira Gonzalez (CUB) matching each other stroke for stroke at the front, with Irja Ven (BEL) and experienced old hand Maria Brandin (SWE) a couple of lengths back after Ven's quicker start. Devine has the upper hand through most of the middle, but as the scullers near the final 250, both Ven and Gonzalez catch her up. Up goes Devine's rate for the last ten strokes, and it's a photofinish, but she looks to have got it, Gonzalez next, and Ven third (confirmed). Brandin looks troubled by the adjacent TV camera catamaran, and finishes last.
M1x B final
The first real-class B final, with plenty of scullers who must have thought they had a chance at the A race - Jaanson, Kowal, Ziska, Fernandez, Hacker and Hallet. If Hacker's recovered, he could be the one to watch, but it's Jaanson and Fernandez matching Hallet and I think Hacker's withdrawn. Jaanson has it early, but Hallet and Fernandez' race for the line pushes through him, and it's an uncallable photofinish for that result, all three belting their last strokes out at top speed. A minute later we get the verdict: Jaanson managed to get it back and snatch the win, with Fernandez second and Hallet third, these two 0.09 seconds apart. Superb sculling from Jaanson.
W2- B final
A four-boat pack, UKR, POL, RUS and CHN vying for the lead throughout the first half of the race. The Ukraine perhaps have a slight upper hand, but there's very little in it. France and the USA are dropping behind - you may remember that the American pair are also racing the lightweight straight final tomorrow, so a finish higher than last will be a good result from them. Coming to the end, the Chinese pair have hauled through RUS and POL, and now we can see that the Ukrainian speed has dropped right off in the second half, and they're lying fourth now. It's China first, RUS and POL separated by inches as they sprint to the line a length back. POL by 0.1 sec for the runner-up spot.
M2- B final
Only three crews in with a shout here, GER, CZE and LTU racing like fury up the course, with AUS, RUS and EGY a stage back. It's a tremendous finish scrap, very difficult to call, as the Lithuanians, lying third with 200 to go, launch a massive attack on the Czechs, but Germany get pulled along nicely in the battle, and surge through on the final stroke, LTU grabbing second to leave CZE third.
W2x B final
Australia and Great Britain lead this one off, GBR pushing through to lead by nearly a length early on. AUS pushing just before halfway close the gap a little, and as the effort ends, GBR move out again. HUN are in third reasonably securely, but well back on the leaders. Coming to the finish, AUS are hauling back on GBR, the rate for both doubles rises, GBR at 35, AUS at 37, HUN also moving up. GBR keep just enough grip on the lead, the Aussie dash just fails to catch them, and HUN settle for third.
M2x B final
A fairly even-spaced race, the crews reaching midway with LTU in the lead, BRA a few feet back, but the rest of the field, spread at similar intervals, already closing them all down. As they come to 200 to go, it's between LTU, GBR, BRA and NED for the win. LTU lead, GBR a foot or two back synchronising rates. If either of these two crews lifts the rate they'll get it on the nod, and GBR rise to the challenge, snatching the lead by two hundredths of a second, the closest margin of the regatta so far. LTU second, ESP third, NED fourth - these two separated by no more than inches, and with BRA just another few feet into fifth.
M4- B final
China have scratched, and Egypt capitalise on the chance, taking a useful lead over Yugoslavia. This must be the first time that Egypt have sent such a large and powerful men's sweep team, and they're in complete control for this race, opening up an increasing gap back to the pack in their wake. As the final 500 approaches, they let the rest close back in again, clearly confident of their ability to maintain the lead, while NZL push through LTU and YUG to second. LTU hoist their rate to 39, but can't claw New Zealand back, and neither can Yugoslavia, fourth a seat behind.
OK, the live-commentary page is being started - see www.total.rowing.org.uk/worlds01-livesat.html.