Preview to the first finals of the World Rowing Championships
Four GB boats are racing for medals in the opening day of A Finals at the World Rowing Championships in Florida
The women’s lightweight quadruple scull (Naomi Baker)
After five hard days of racing, the first medals of the 2017 World Rowing Championships will be handed out on Friday and British crews will be eyeing up the podium places at the Nathan Benderson Park.
Four GB boats will race for medals and, at the end of a successful week so far for the team, we preview the opening day of A Finals in Florida.
Men’s Coxed Pair
Tim Clarke, Tom Ford and cox Harry Brightmore had the honour of being the first British crew to race at this year’s World Championships, and the coxed pair did so in style winning their heat on Monday.
The Newcastle University graduates, who are competing in their first ever senior World Championships, qualified fastest for the final and will no doubt be keen to impose themselves on the field again when they race at 4.45pm BST.
Men’s Lightweight Pair
Joel Cassells and Sam Scrimgeour have been racing together in the lightweight pair all season and came into the World Championships having won two medals during the World Cup season in Belgrade and Poznan.
In Florida, Cassells and Scrimgeour began with second place in their heat, finishing only behind Ireland’s Mark O’Donovan and Shane O’Driscoll, before a third place in the repechage secured their final spot.
As well as the Irish lightweight pair, Brazil, Russia and Italy will look to challenge the British crew for the medals when their race begins at 5pm.
Men’s Lightweight Quadruple Scull
Gavin Horsburgh, Peter Chambers, Ed Fisher and Zak Lee-Green have been building their form throughout the Championship this week and look to be peaking at the right time after an impressive display in their semi-final.
The lightweight quad won the race by two seconds and were second fastest overall into the final, behind France who won their semi-final. Though the French will be the ones to watch, the GB crew will be gunning to turn the tables in today’s final at 5.45pm.
Women’s Lightweight Quadruple Scull
The fourth A final featuring British interest will see Maddie Arlett, Robyn Hart-Winks, Eleanor Piggott and Gemma Hall line up in the women’s lightweight quad.
The same quad lined up for the final of the third World Cup of the season in Lucerne, winning silver, and only needed one attempt to reach the final in Sarasota-Bradenton after finishing second in their heat on Monday.
The British crew finished narrowly behind Canada in that race, with Italy and Australia also expected to challenge. The final is due to start at 6pm so be sure to follow the action live on British Rowing’s Twitter channel throughout the session.
>>> All you need to know about the 2017 World Rowing Championships in Sarasota-Bradenton
The 2017 World Rowing Championships run from 24 September – 1 October in Sarasota-Bradenton, Florida. You can follow all of the action on British Rowing’s Twitter, Facebook and Instagram channels, as well as watching live finals on the BBC on Saturday, 30 September and Sunday, 1 October.
