World Rowing Cup III begins
It is not surprising that rowers love the Rotsee regatta course. World Rowing Cup III has begun with a day of heats on Lucerne’s magical Rotsee in Switzerland. The water conditions were ideal with flat water complimented by sunny skies and mild temperatures.
Women’s Pair (W2-) – Heats
They are the World Champions and World Best Time holders. They are New Zealand’s Grace Prendergast and Kerri Gowler and they lined up in the first of two heats. The goal was to finish first for a direct path to Sunday’s final, and Gowler and Prendergast made the best of it. They led for the entire race over O’Brien and Mueller of the United States Two. The order didn’t change through to the line with New Zealand increasing their lead as the race progressed. Canada led the way in Heat Two, moving straight to the final where they will meet New Zealand for the first time.
Men’s Pair (M2-) – Heats & Quarter Finals
Lining up in the first of six heats was the new New Zealand line up of Thomas Murray and Michael Brake. They came out in the lead leaving Germany Two of Malte Grossmann and Eric Johannesen to take up chase. Then Poland began to move and pushed into second. They tried to go after Murray and Brake, but the New Zealand duo looked to have too much of a lead. Cruising home at 31 strokes per minute Murray and Brake finished first to be one of four crews to go to the afternoon’s quarter-finals.
In Heat Five New Zealand’s Charlie Rogerson and Martyn O'Leary took fourth place progressing to the Quarter Final 2, again taking fourth place.
In their second race of the day, Murray and Brake took second place in Quarter Final 3, progressing to the semi-final.
Women’s Double Sculls (W2x) – Heats
Three heats lined up with the top three boats in each heat getting to go directly to Saturday’s semi-finals. Heat Three opened with a new Canadian crew of Gabrielle Smith and Andrea Proske in front. But then the World Champions, Brooke Donoghue and Olivia Loe of New Zealand took their black boat into the lead. Donoghue and Loe looked classy as they pushed away from France, who had overtaken Canada. Donoghue and Loe crossed the finish line with the fastest qualifying time overall – they recorded a 6:57.
Men’s Double Sculls (M2x) – Heats
The formula here was to finish in the top three in each of these three heats. Heat Two saw France jump out into the lead. Then the World Champions, New Zealand’s John Storey and Chris Harris picked up the pace and overtook the French. Storey and Harris did not have a good start to the season. They arrived in Europe in time for World Rowing Cup II and finished fourth at that regatta. But they look back on form and they stayed ahead of France right through to the finish line. The United States came in third to qualify for the semi-finals. Storey and Harris had recorded the fastest qualifying time overall.
Lightweight Men’s Single Sculls (LM1x) – Heats
There were four heats in this boat class with the goal to be in a top two position for a direct path to the semi-finals. A slight tail wind had begun with expectations of fast times growing. In Heat Three the leader was James Lassche of New Zealand. Lassche raced at the Rio Olympics in the lightweight four where he finished fourth. Then Lassche moved to the men’s eight for 2017. Now back as a lightweight, Lassche was tearing this field apart. Lassche finished fifth at World Rowing Cup II and is back for Lucerne. Great Britain’s Sam Mottram came through from the back of the field to challenge Lassche and with 500m left to row there was just one and a half seconds between these two crews. Mottram then overtook Lassche who had to keep an eye on Fiorin Rueedi of Switzerland Two. Lassche just managed to hold off Rueedi with Mottram, in the lead, getting the fastest qualifying time overall.
Women’s Single Sculls (W1x) – Heats and Repechages
The four heats in this boat class had a first place finish needed for a direct path to the semi-finals.
Heat Three saw New Zealand’s Kirstyn Goodger finish in fifth place. In Heat Four, Hannah Osborne took third in a time of 7:44, with both Kiwi crews progressing to repechage races.
Goodger failed to qualify in Repechage Three, moving to the D Final on Saturday. Osborne took first place in Repechage Four, progressing to the event’s semi-final.
Women’s Four (W4-) – Heats
This boat class had two heats with the goal being to be in a top two position for a direct path to the final on Sunday. Denmark took off in the lead at the start leading over the World Champions from Australia in Heat One. Australia wasn’t giving up though and challenged Denmark for the whole 2000m, In the final sprint Australia went to 42 and only in the close of the race did they manage to overtake the Danes. New Zealand’s crew took third, progressing to the event’s repechage.
Men’s Single Sculls (M1) – Heats & Quarter Finals
This boat class was huge with six heats lining up and the goal to be in a top four position to make it to the quarterfinals this afternoon. Leading Olympic Champion Mahe Drysdale in Heat One was Ireland’s Philip Doyle. Drysdale took a year off after the Rio Olympics and is back for this season. He comes to Lucerne having won the single at the Henley Royal Regatta. Then Drysdale overtook Doyle with Sverri Nielson of Denmark moving up on Doyle. This put three boats out in front with Drysdale holding a 35 stroke rate to remain in front and record the fastest qualifying time overall. Drysdale is racing as New Zealand Two and the faster New Zealand sculler is Robbie Manson who raced in a later heat.
Fastest at the start of Heat Three was New Zealand’s Robbie Manson. Manson raced at World Rowing Cup II where he picked up gold. He is looking in fine form as he led the way over Belgium Two of Pierre de Loof. Manson moved further away from the field as the race progressed. He will be going to the quarterfinals this afternoon. This is an important regatta for Manson as it doubles as a qualifying race between him and Mahe Drysdale to be the New Zealand single sculler at this year’s World Rowing Championships. Now Barnabe Delarze of Switzerland One slotted into second, but a long way back from Manson. Manson cruised home at a 24 stroke rate to win the race.
Quarter Final Three saw Czech Republic cross the line first, with Mahe Drysdale taking a comfortable second ahead of Germany’s Tim Ole Naske in a time of 07:03.
In Quarter Final Four Robbie Manson took a close finish of 06:55 ahead of Lithuania's Mindaugas Griskonis.
Lightweight Women’s Double Sculls (LW2x) – Heats
This boat class had two heats lining up with the aim to be first for a direct path to Sunday’s final. Out in front of Heat Two was Zoe McBride and Jackie Kiddle of New Zealand. They are the world silver medallists but they finished fifth at last month’s World Rowing Cup II. Today they looked back on pace as they moved clean away from the entire field. At the half way point they had an open water lead with South Africa following in second and Canada One in third. Jennifer Casson in the Canadian boat has just set the World Record on the indoor rowing machine for lightweight women with a 6:53. Rating 36, McBride and Kiddle crossed the line in first. Their time of 6:55 was just eight seconds outside of the World Best Time.
Lightweight Men’s Double Sculls (LM2x) – Heats & Repechages
New Zealand’s Matthew Dunham and Ben van Dalen failed to quality in Heat Three, progressing to Repechage Two and making a promising comeback taking second place behind Czech Republic. The duo progress to the event’s semi-final.
Men’s Quadruple Sculls (M4x) – Heats
Two heats lined up and the rule here was a top two finish for a direct path to Sunday’s final. Germany took the lead at the start of Heat Two. Coming into the middle of the race, Germany (Krueger, Gruhne, Syring and Steinhardt) remained in front with New Zealand and the Netherlands neck-and-neck for second. The Dutch vs Kiwi battle saw the Netherlands close on Germany and challenge the leaders. New Zealand was trying to hold on with Great Britain now threatening for three. It now became a four-way finish. Germany went to 40 and got to the line first. A photo finish saw the Dutch take the second spot.
Women’s Eight (W8+) – Heats
Two heats lined up with the goal a first place finish for a direct path to the final on Sunday. The higher stroking New Zealanders took the lead in Heat Two with the Netherlands slotting into second. At the half way point the Kiwis had a clean water lead over the field of three. There was nothing the rest of the field could do. New Zealand easily won.
Men’s Eight (M8+) – Heats
The day of heats concluded with two heats in the men’s eight. The goal here was to be first or second for a direct path to the final on Sunday. In Heat One the Netherlands One had a blistering pace and the ratings stayed high as most boats kept 40 strokes per minute. The United States followed in second. This is an under-23 crew and this was very impressive for them to be in second. The Netherlands Two followed in third. This race was tight. At the half way point about one and a half seconds separated the top four boats. In the final sprint the Dutch went to 41 with the Kiwis at 43. The United States hung in there at 43 and held off New Zealand. New Zealand will have to race the repechage.
Race times, full results, live commentary & live race trackers are available here .