2015 World Rowing Championship
30 Aug.-6 Sep. / Aiguebelette (France)
It is Aiguebelette, in the Rhòne-Alpes region of France, the place where the “rowing world” meets this year for the 2015 World Rowing Championship. This edition scored a record of entries with more than 1,300 athletes from 77 countries for the key event of the season. This World Championship also assigns the places for 2016 Olympic Games in Brasil, which will make the competition even more fierce.
A selection of shots of these days is available here, while a daily update follows.
Sunday 6 Sep 2015
Photos of the races of the day
Photos of the Medals Ceremony
Seven A-Finals in this final day at 2015 World Rowing Championship.
Before the big ones, a few B-Finals were important to assign places for Olympic Games in Rio next year (some shots are available, see slideshow).
In the women’s double sculls no surprise for the gold, that went to New Zealand of Eve MacFarlane and Zoe Stevenson, whereas a great surprise (even for them! see slideshow…) was the silver to the Greek couple of Aikaterini Nikolaidou (s) and Sofia Asoumanaki, with Germany of Julia Lier (s) and Mareike Adams bronze.
In men’s double sculls Martin (s) and Valent Sinkovic raced on their own for the gold; second Rolland’s Mascinkas (s) and Saulius Ritter (LTU) and Robert Manson (s) and Chris Harris (NZL).
In lightweight men’s four it was the Suisse team of Lucas Tramer, Simon Schuerch, Simon Niepmann, Mario Gyr who won, confirming the good results of the season; second place to Germany of Kasper Winther, Jens Vilhelmsen, Jacob Barsoe, Jacob Larsen, with French team of Franck Solforosi, Thomas Baroukh, Thibault Colard, Guillame Raineau.
The women’s eight was for USA of Victoria Opitz, Meghan Musnicki, Amanda Polk, Lauren Schmetterling, Emily Regan, Kerry Simmonds, Tessa Gobbo, Heidi Robbins (s), Katelyn Snyder (c). for the second and third position it has been neck to neck between New Zealand and Canada. At the end the Kiwis of Kayla Pratt, Emma Dyke, Ruby Tew, Kelsey Bev An, Grace Pendergast, Kerri Gowler, Genevieve Behrent, Rebecca Scown (s), Frances Turner (c) won the silver, with bronze to Canada of Lisa Roman, Cristy Nurse, Jennifer Martins, Ashley Brzozowicz, Christine Roper, Susanne Grainger, Natalie Mastracci, Lauren Wilkinson (s), Lesley Thompson-Willie (c).
Great race in the men’s single sculls. The forecast told one of the two between Mahe Drysdale (NZL) and Ondrej Synek (CZE), with the others struggling for the bronze. It was Andrej Synek who won, placing a wonderful rush in the final 500 meters after an attempt of Mahe Drysdale to take the lead. Third and bronze to Mindaugas Griskonis who confirmed the good results of World Cup’s races.
In women’s single sculls Australia’s boat of Kim Crow dominated. Silver went to Mirka Knapova (CZE) and the Chinese boat of Jingli Duan won the bronze.
Great final with men’s eight, with the fight for the the gold between Great Britain and Germany. Just 18/100th between winning GBR vs. GER. So, Matthew Gotrel, Constantine Louloudis, Pete Reed, Paul Bennett, Mohamed Sbihi, Alex Gregory, George Nash, William Satch (s), Phelan Hill (c) grabbed the gold, while Maximillian Munski, Malte Jaschik, Maximilian Reinelt, Eric Johannessen, Anton Braun, Felix Drahotta, Richard Scmidt, Hannes Ocik (s), Martin Sauer (c) won the silver. Good bronze for the The Netherlands of Dirk Uittenbogaard, Boaz Meylink, Kaj Hendriks, Boudewijn Roell, Olivier Siegelaar, Tone Wieten, Mechiel Versus, Robert Luecken (s), Peter Wiersum (c).
Saturday 5 Sep 2015
Photos of the races of the day
Photos of the Medals Ceremony
Another great day here at 2015 World Rowing Championship in Aiguebelette, France. Seven A-Finals plus a series of Finals D, C, B, the latter reserving some good places to go to Rio 2016.
First Final of the day was the women’s pair, dominated by Helen Glover and Heather Stanning from Great Britain, with New Zealand of Grace Pendergast and Kerry Gowler second, followed by USA’s boat of Felice Mueller and Eleanor Logan. Clear positions also in men’s pair where the super-pair Eric Murray and Hamish Bond took the lead from the first stroke, followed by British James Foad and Matt Langridge, with third Milos Asic and Nenad Bedik from Serbia.
The lightweight men’s double sculls was the race that today French supporters were waiting for, with forecast fifty-fifty between home crew of Stany Delayer and Jeremy Azou and the British crew of William Fletcher and Richard Chambers. The two boat raced together for 1500 meters, but then the French pushed hard while the British were not able to respond. Norway of Kristoffer Brun and Are Strandli was third.
The lightweight women’s double sculls was another exciting race. South Africa crew of Kirsten Mccann and Ursula Grobler lead for more than one thousand meters from start, followed by Charlotte Taylor and Katherin Copeland from Great Britain. The leaders of the season, from New Zealand, Sophie Mackenzie and Julia Edward, started a bit slowly, passing fifth at 500 meters, but then they pushed hard, going third at 1000 and taking the lead at 1500 meters. At finish line New Zealand was first, followed by Great Britain and then South Africa that slowed down on final.
In the men’s four it was expected that winners would have come up from one of the three between Italy, Great Britain and Australia. At start, Italy took the lead with a remarkable pace of 45, as if they wanted to control the others from first position. Australia responded and brought them to take the leadership at 1000 meters. Italy’s reaction of Marco Di Costanzo, Matteo Castaldi, Matteo Lodo and Giuseppe Vicino just after mid race was formidable, took back the lead and crossed the finish line first. Second was Australia of William Lockwood, Joshua Dunkley-Smith, Spencer Turrin, Alexander Hill, followed close by Scott Durant, Alan Sinclair, Tom Ransley, Stewart Innes of Great Britain.
In women’s quadruple sculls the USA of Amanda Elmore, Tracy Eisser, Megan Kalmoe, Olivia Coffey won, beating surprisingly German’s crew of Annekatrin Thiele, Carina Baer, Marie-Catherine Arnold, Lisa Schmidla. Third position for The Netherland of Nicole Beukers, Chantal Achterbergm Inge Jansse, Carline Bouw.
Germany won the men’s quadruple sculls, no chance for the others. Karl Schulze, Philipp Wende, Lauritz Schoof, Hans Gruhne won clearly, followed by a good Australian team of David Crawshay, Karsten Forsterling, Cameron Girdlestone, David Watts, with Estonia third with Andrei Jamsa, Allar Raja, Tonu Endrekson, Kaspar Taimsoo.
Tomorrow B-Finals and seven A-Finals will bring to conclusion the 2015 World Rowing Championships.
Friday 4 Sep 2015
Photos of races of the day
Semifinals plus eight Finals in the Elite rowing today. It’s been Germany and GBR to score very good with two golds and five medals total each followed by New Zealand with two golds and USA and France with one each.
No chance for the other boats in M2+ and LM2-, where Great Britain got the gold. Germany’s golds came from LW4x and LM8+. Remarkable results of New Zealand that dominated the LM1x and LW1x. Great race in LM4x with Germany and France racing neck to neck, with the french boat leading of a few tenths of seconds at the finish line. France had a very good day with other two silver medals from LM2- and LW8+.
Wednesday 2 and Thursday 3 Sep 2015
Photos of wed. 2
Photos of thu. 3
Photo of thu. 3 (para-rowing)
