Heat turned up for day two of championships
The New Zealand Elite Rowing team faced sweltering hot and humid conditions on day two of the World Rowing Championships in Sarasota, USA.
The tropical conditions didn’t seem to bother the Kiwi crews, with some excellent results.
Grace Prendergast and Kerri Gowler took a comfortable win in the women’s pair heat to snare a berth in the A final.
The pair were the race favourites after setting a new world best time at World Rowing Cup II earlier this season and made easy work of their competition, finishing with a clear water advantage over Holly Hill and Melissa Wilson of Great Britain.
John Storey and Chris Harris also powered to victory in the men’s double sculls heat.
The duo, who have had a stellar season winning two world cup gold medals, were untouchable as they pushed ahead of the field to take the win with a five second advantage.
Storey and Harris will now contest the semi final.
Brooke Donoghue and Olivia Loe nailed the win in the women’s double sculls heat, to secure a berth in the semi final.
Donoghue and Loe left their competitors in their wake as they charged down the course, winning with a clear water advantage over Italy’s Kiri Tontodonati and Stefania Gobbi. They now progress to the semi final.
Hannah Osborne took third place in a flying women’s single scull heat and will contest a repechage.
Osborne, who is competing in her first senior world championships, faced tough competition from Olympian Jeannine Gmelin of Switzerland who won at World Rowing Cup III in July and Olympian Sanita Puspure of Ireland.
Gmelin flew out of the start and held on to take the win in the fastest time of the day, and with it the only semi final berth. Puspure slotted into second and Osborne third.
The women’s four couldn’t quite match the blistering pace in in their heat, finishing in sixth place to progress to a repechage.
The four, featuring Charlotte Spence, Beth Ross, Kirstyn Goodger and Jackie Gowler, is a new addition to the New Zealand team following the addition of the boat class to the Olympic schedule.
The competition continues tomorrow with the men’s and women’s eights taking to the water.
Full schedule, entries, and results online at worldrowing.com.