World Rowing Junior Championships begin
The New Zealand Junior Rowing Team made a solid start at the 2017 World Rowing Junior Championships in Trakai, Lithuania today.
Three crews began their campaign on the water of Lake Galve alongside 700 of the world’s best junior rowers.
Conditions were calm following the passing of afternoon storm, allowing for some exciting racing.
Bradley Leydon charged to a second place finish in his men’s single sculls heat, crossing the line less than two seconds behind Russia’s Aleksandr Matveev in a tight sprint finish.
The performance ensures Leydon a berth in the quarter-final of the hotly-contested event.
Veronica Wall and Sydney Johnson also move through to the quarterfinal after taking third place in their women’s double sculls heat.
The duo held their position down the length of the course, finishing behind a powerful Italian crew of Silvia Crosio and Giulia Mignemi, and France’s Emma Cornelis and Violaine Aernoudts of France.
Wall and Johnson will now move through to Friday’s quarter-final.
The men’s double scull duo of Gus Olifiers and Manawa McLaughlin will face the repechage after missing out on a direct quarter-final progression by less than four seconds.
Olifiers and McLaughlin needed a top four finish in order to ensure a berth in the quarter-final but had to settle for fifth in an exciting race won by a dominant Belarussian crew of Artsem Laputsin and Yauheni Zalaty in a time of 6:35.500.
The remaining crews will take to the water tonight with racing continuing through to Sunday.
Full results, schedule and more information can be found at www.worldrowing.com
New Zealand Junior Rowing Team 2017
To attend the World Junior Rowing Championships
Lake Galvė, Trakai, Lithuania 2 - 6 August 2017
Junior Women’s Coxless Four
Kate Littlejohn
Grace Watson
Kate Haines
Grace Loveridge
Nick Barton (coach)
Junior Women’s Double Scull
Veronica Wall
Sydney Johnson
Bruce Jones (coach)
Reserve Junior Women’s Coxless Pair
Rosie Ireland
Grace Holland
Nick Barton (coach)
Junior Men’s Quad Scull
Sam Monkley
Luke Brady
Mark Taylor
Finn Jenkins
Ian Bright (coach)
Junior Men’s Coxless Four
Ben Taylor
Matt Macdonald
Thomas Russel
Daniel Williamson
Tony O’Connor (coach)
Junior Men’s Coxless Pair
James Hall
Samuel Jones
Tony O’Connor (coach)
Men’s Single Scull
Bradley Leydon
Bruce Jones (coach)
Reserve Junior Men’s Double Scull
Gus Olifiers
Manawa Mclaughlin
Ian Bright (coach)
Team Manager
Janey Wackrow