Mixed day for GB U23s
GB crews have had a mixed day of results on semi-finals day at the World Rowing U23 Championships in Racice, Czech Republic, but with an exceptional performance from young British sculler Katherine Copeland.
"Everyone raced well and everyone raced hard but obviously a few crews are disappointed to have finished just the wrong side of some close racing", said GB Team Manager Steve Gunn.
"It’s an indication of the strength of entries at this year’s regatta", he added.
In an extremely mature performance, GB lightweight women’s single sculler Copeland was in fourth position at the first marker but she held her nerve and rowed back through the field to win her semi-final and qualify for the A-final.
The lightweight men’s quadruple scull have also qualified for tomorrow’s A-final, finishing third behind Hungary and Italy, who set a World Best time to win the race.
These two GB entries join the women’s four, the women’s eight and the men’s eight – all of whom qualified directly from Thursday’s heats – in tomorrow’s A-finals.
Mohamed Sbihi and James Foad finished fourth in their semi-final of the men’s pair. They were in third at the half way stage but big pushes from Belarus and Italy in the third quarter meant that the GB crew were overtaken and finished just outside the top three. They will race in the B-final tomorrow.
Meanwhile the men’s four of Will Satch, William Laughton, Matthew Tarrant and Scott Durant and the lightweight men’s double scullers Ben Rowe and John Preston also faced tough battles in their semi-finals.
Rowe and Preston will race in the B-final tomorrow after finishing fourth in a race which saw the lead change hands several times while, in another close race, the men’s four struggled to recover from a poor start and finished fourth. They will also race in the B-final.
The men’s coxed four had a good row but finished fifth in their repechage today, a race that was delayed because of damaged equipment caused by bad weather on Thursday.
A and B finals will be held tomorrow. Racing is scheduled to start just before 9.30am.
RESULTS
OPEN
MEN
Pair
1. Ivan Ostojic/Aleksander Radovic (Serbia) 6:41.00
2. Mario Paonessa/Domenico De Cristofaro (Italy) 6:42.76
3. Siarhei Varanoi/ Mikhail Kavalenka (Belarus) 6:43.84
4. James Foad/Mohamed Sbihi (GREAT BRITAIN) 6:47.92
4. William Ader/Robin Cochennec (France) 6:54.62
5. Erekle Ukleba/Giorgi Sinatashvili (Georgia) 7:15.34
Four
1. Canada 6:02.14
2. Romania 6:03.07
3. Slovenia 6:04.65
4. Will Satch/Matthew Tarrant/Will Laughton/Scott Durant (GREAT BRITAIN)
6:05.60
5. Czech Republic 6:11.86
6. Croatia 6:15.48
Coxed Four
1. Ukraine 6:13.92
2. France 6:15.24
3. Netherlands 6:15.63
4. Brazil 6:16.00
5. Ryan Bucke/Karl Hudspith/George Nash/Ray Poulter/Max Gander (GREAT
BRITAIN) 6:17.47
6. Croatia 6:21.80
LIGHTWEIGHT
WOMEN
Single Scull
1. Katherine Copeland (GREAT BRITAIN) 7:44.70
2. Hanna Bandarevich (Belarus) 7:46.09
3. Stefanie Borzacchini (Austria) 7:46.38
4. Ricki Baxter (Canada) 7:49.29
5. Angelina Casanova (Switzerland) 7:51.77
6.Rachel Jung (France) 8:05.44
MEN
Quadruple Scull
1. Italy 5:49.69 WB
2. Hungary 5:53.70
3. Will Fletcher/David Jones/Jono Clegg/Peter Chambers (GREAT BRITAIN)
5:54.73
4. Czech Republic 6:02.60
5. Spain 6:04.85
6. Sweden 6.06.79
Double scull
1. Matevz Malesic/Jure Cvet (Slovenia) 6:26.30
2. Joschka Hellmeier/Florian Berg (Austria) 6:27.17
3. Zlatko Karaivanov/Vassil Vitanov (Bulgaria) 6:28.35
4. John Preston/Ben Rowe (GREAT BRITAIN) 6:30.33
5. Yuko Ikeda/Kentaro Yaji (Japan) 6:32.67
6. Andreas Ramboel/Christian Nielsen (Denmark) 6:46.23
