PozBlog 2006 - news from Lake Malta, Poland

Poznan World Cup Regatta, 15th-17th June 2006
Rachel Quarrell

Thursday 15th June, heats and reps

9am - It's a calm, largely windless, slightly overcast but balmy day on Lake Malta so far. Poznan's a really good venue for spectators at least - and I haven't heard the athletes and coaches complaining. Good water conditions, a pretty venue with plenty of trees, the natural shape of the old lake around the course, and yet everything modern you could want in the facilities around. There's a kiddy-sized railway line beetling around the grounds of the park, the Novotel Malta hotel at the 1000m mark (with most of the teams staying there including NZL and GBR) and a big camping facility. There are cycle paths everywhere, good organisation, and the bonus of an artificial ski slope behind one side of the course, on the "Mound of Freedom". With true continental optimism, the architect put loads of restaurants and cafes within the park, with dozens of outside tables for spectators to sit at. Shame there aren't more people watching: I hope lots travel here for the worlds in 2009. Racing's started now and Knapkova slides past warming down from her W 1x heat. Glorious sculling - any youngster with aspirations would be inspired to watch her.

12:45pm - A slight break in racing, presumably to allow someone to double from the men's pairs into the fours. Whatever the reason, those in charge of the sound system are taking the opportunity to blast Celine Dion down our lugholes. Charming behaviour. It's getting quite dull now - no sun for a while. I suspect rain... The organisers clearly anticipate wind since they're tethering the backing screen for the medal presentations down firmly with chunks of concrete. I hear on the grapevine that there's a chance FISA may be getting a new sponsor soon - talk of a deal to be signed next Wednesday if my sources are correct. GB's M4- swans down the course, with little in the way of serious competition. The crew changearound (Hodgey, Reed, Williams, Partridge) seems to be working, and they look more cohesive than before. In the previous heat the new NZL four was on storming form, while Ireland were second, Germany looked pedestrian in the extreme, and the Poles made some amends for the previous night's football fiasco by pushing Deutschland into fourth place. Ha. We were in the main square of old Poznan last night, a superb area with dozens of great bars, and you can imagine the doleful atmosphere after Germany won the match 1-0.

1:30pm A bloke with some bird-scarer type air horns is walking around selling them. I'm tempted to chuck him in the lake now as a service to humanity - and to spare our eardrums. While it's very nice to be sitting right in the main spectator area when races come down, we are still trying to work. Fortunately Duck-Horn Man isn't managing to sell many, for the sake of our sanity. The GB LM2x comes down in a redrawn heat, second to the Italians and qualifying easily. Hunter looks satisfied and spits at his feet as they coast to a stop. The redrawings are all because half the French team ate spaghetti bolognaise on the first night and have fallen ill as a result. You can tell who didn't eat it by which crews are still in the competition! Duck-Horn Man has just tried to sell me a noise-maker. No chance sonny. Out go the GB W8+ up the far side of the course on tehir warm-up, Elsie at stroke. Great to watch a British women's eight rowing so beautifully. Unfortunately in that event pretty doesn't necessarily win, as the Romanian women will no doubt demonstrate.

1:50pm - Things just get better with the GB men's lightweights. A few years ago they were paddling in if things didn't go to plan in races, then last year as Robin Williams took over they started not coming last. From there to sometimes qualifying, then to winning straightforward races. Now the coxless four of James Clarke, Paul Mattick, Danny Harte and Matt Beechey has just won a hard heat, rowing well, and gone straight through to the final. Classy racing. I've missed the W4x and first M8+ going up the course, but the second-string eight is just paddling off now. Hard to tell how it's going - I didn't see them doing a burst in practice this morning. Britain's W4x comes down the course in the second heat of the women's quads. According to the commentator the Chinese bow-girl is yelling her head off at her crew all the way down. It works - just before the line they get the better of GB and send them to the repechage for the first time since April 2005. A 'G-B, G-B' chant set up by a posse of parents isn't enough to stop the defeat. A shock to the system for GB no doubt, but better now than later in the summer. And a warning of what might be coming when we visit China for the Olympics in 2008.... 2:15pm - The GB women's eight come belting down, chasing Romania's half-new, half-very good/old crew but not managing to beat them. Still, a quality result for a crew which is still only a few races experienced at world level and in just its second season. The encouraging part was just how close they were getting to Romania - who had to really work to ensure they came first. Britain should qualify easily in the rep tomorrow, and don't need to win that to be in with a chance for a medal in the final. The men look good too - in the main eight Kieran's moved back to stroke with a consequent re-rig, and though beaten by Belarus it's a much more solid-looking row. The second eight is a mishmash of U23s, eights-group seniors who will turn into a coxed four for Eton, and Tom Parker (3rd at national trials with Kieran), back to prove his fitness after doing exams. For those wondering, Colin Smith tells me he is doing a pair with Tom James (more exam boys), which will go to the Holland Beker regatta next week, then Lucerne. Obviously it is part of the eights group, but if both go well it may stay as a combination.

5pm - My favourite time: practice period. I've been watching these for years and still can't get over how great it is to watch the best in the world paddling. There's a lack of tension, unlike races, and you can really see who's moving the boat effectively. I've been thinking about why the organisers went to a 10am start, unlike the practice schedule. Could be the Poles don't like to get up early, especially when they're watching footie until 11pm the night before. All very civilised, at least. The other funny area is the date - normally only one World Cup (usually the first) is a Thursday start, the rest taking advantage of weekend spectators to run Friday-Sunday. But today is apparently a public holiday in Poland, and the Malta park is jam-packed with local residents, which gives an extra spur to the first day of racing and training. Funky music over the PA system, soft rock - well it could be worse (ie Europop).

People on the RSR newsgroup have been asking about Malta. The lake used to be a wood/ponds area outside Poznan, but the local prince asked the Knights Hospitallers to found their first Polish centre of operations in the area in 1178. Four hundred years later the order moved its main base to the island of Malta and was renamed the Knights of Malta. It's thought the east-of-Poznan area was renamed at the same time. The plan to turn the woods and odd scraps of water into a reservoir and public park first started in the 19teens, when most of the land was bought with public money and plans drawn up. It wasn't developed until 1940-52, when the lake basin was dug out and the river Cybina dammed to create a barrier lake, spreading over the site of several ponds and smaller lakes. (Slightly gallingly to local Poles, the Germans began the digging work and it was finished after the war). The regatta course was created in the 1980-90 decade, involving complete draining and revision of the lake basin and building new facilities for sport and recreation. (Information courtesy of a useful little guidebook given out at the 2004 World Cup). See the official website for pictures. I gather the river is still visible under the lake in the winter, when the reservoir level drops down, but the dam prevents flow interrupting rowing and canoeing races.

11 am - Sorry folks, had work to do back at the hotel, so missed the early reps etc. I arrive just as the practice period's about to start (shame!) and the lake is thick with quality crews having a quick shufti at the conditions. See Alan Campbell about to nip out for a swift pre-race lap, and wish him good luck against Mahe later. He tells me the Henley decision (he's not racing the Diamonds) was because Jurgen (Grobler) and Bill (Barry) agree it's not a great idea this time. He has a lot to focus on just preparing for Lucerne and the Worlds, and Henley isn't brilliant timing. Big shame though - I know he originally hoped to do it, especially with his friend Mahe coming over to provide proper competition. I privately think if he's been a bit less good in Munich - more like bottom end of the B final - then they would have let him do Henley. But he's clearly good enough to be worrying the likely singles medallists, even if there is a long way to go in the season yet, and in any case with a home Worlds at least supporters can come and watch him race in August. More Henley Royal gossip: the Dutch and German eights in the Grand are the real deal (could get really interesting. If they carry on improving the way they have done so far and the Germans don't get their confidence back, my money's actually on the Brits, with a bit of luck for station.) As people have probably twigged by now, the Dutch in the Stewards are the same crew as in Gifu and Munich, though absent from here because they'll race the Holland Beker in Amsterdam next week instead. Betting on the draw for the Stewards: that the Brits will mysteriously end up with the bye, and the Dutch and French will race the only semi. No form on the French yet, since they were hit by the food-poisoning which coshed half their squad yesterday.

3pm - Well into racing now. Women's singles is pretty good fun, Karsten put on her mettle by the young French sculler Sophie Balmary, who has the audacity to push Karsten to work to the finish of the semi. Knapkova's a little less troubled in the second one. FISA web-writer Melissa Bray remarks that Karsten looks in very good shape - she seems to have lost a bit of fat this year, and is more visibly muscular as a result. By the way, Balmary's doing the Princess Royal at HRR, and should be favourite given the competition. The first men's singles semi is every bit as good as we could have wanted. Campbell blasts off, Drysdale comes through steadily, Alan sprints to the line with Mahe holding him at what looks like arm's length a a much lower rate. Ding! Round one to the Kiwi. For now. Then the women's doubles: Annie and Anna (Vernon and Bebington) do a really good job, lifting the rate just enough to hold the charging Chinese, but lifting the power more. A very substantial row, but before you get excited, the Evers-Swindell twins were leisurely winning the other semi, and look untouchable. Men's doubles, and there's something in the water for the British sculling crews today. Matt and Steve (Wells and Rowbotham, but they like the sound of it without the surnames!) have an incredible tussle with the Ukraine, who get ahead with 700m to go, then run out of juice as the Brits turn up the heat and sprint for the line. I thought Ukraine were letting them win - and GB didn't look at all shot to bits at the end, there is clearly something in reserve - but in fact it's the Ukrainians flat on their backs looking done in. The winners will need an extra jolt of energy tomorrow - in the other semi legendary Olympic champion Adrian Hardy and his new partner Jean-Baptiste Macquet put one over on the flummoxed Slovenian world champions and record-holders Luka Spik and Iztok Cop. Scramble scramble go SLO, but nothing works and they have to play second fiddles for the first time (I think) since the Athens Olympic final. As Wells and Rowbotham warm down past the grandstand, Steve's family (here in force) clap so loudly he nearly catches a boat-stopper taking his hand off his right scull to acknowledge them while still paddling. But re-catches the handle just in time - it doesn't look very slick, but at least he doesn't tip himself and Matt over right beside all the spectators... Now with a bit of practice that could be quite a cute manoeuvre.

4pm - You know I said the music could be worse? Well.... Nothing but candyfloss all day so far, Eurovision fodder non-stop. Grr. Now we have a bundle of Polish teenagers dancing to it, which is the in-thing to have at your World Cup nowadays (Munich did it too). At least it's not too lugubrious a tune as it was in Germany. Clearly practising for something to delight us with tomorrow. Victor Meldrew would love it. Not. I've just had a chat with Mahe Drysdale - he said the race against Alan Campbell was 'pretty much as expected' and is looking forward to tomorrow's final. Mahe on Hacker - "you never quite know what he's going to come up with". On Synek - "I hear he's bottling it" (which accounts for the C final place here), though Mahe did point out that the NZ team's going to the Czech Republic to train after Henley and Lucerne before the worlds, so maybe that will spur Synek on. He also said that he wasn't allowed to do the Diamonds last year - his first up at the top of the world singles rankings - so it makes sense that Alan can't this year. Maybe the two of them will be able to fight it out for the Diamonds in another year. I asked him what it was going to be like at the Worlds in Karapiro in 2010, and whether he would be competing. Got a slow grin back - "well, it's a good reason to carry on for a bit". He'll only be 32 then, plenty young enough: ask Jueri Jaanson, who was still making A finals and winning World Cup medals in the single at the age of 33.

4:40pm - A comment from behind me as the LW2x semis go past - "so this is what the coxed pairs were taken out of the programme for, universiality". Sounds disgruntled. Can't tell who it is, but he's up at the BBC desk. Not the kind of comment I'd expect any of their regular rowing team to make - uncharacteristically catty.... Both British lightweight doubles qualify for their A finals: a good step up from Lucerne in each case. And not without some sprinting, the men duking it out with Australia and the women with Poland. All good practice, though it doesn't half build up the lactate in your legs.

5pm - Great relief from the spectators in front of me as the women's quad refuse to allow anyone anywhere near them in the W4x repechage (Fran Houghton's mum and dad have been quivering with worry since yesterday's defeat). Lots of yells for GBR. The Belarussian men's quad comes past and looks like all women for a moment. Get your hair cut boys! Ekaterina Karsten looks more masculine than that (well, 'nuff said). The British women's eight do a good workmanlike job and ignore the applause as they row past for their warm-down, with a suitably professional air. Ron would be proud of them. The music's improving - slowly, and with the odd bit of recidivist 80's bubblegum. A heat haze over the lake as the men's eights get under way. GB1 get into a solid lead, but there's something up - Acer has his left hand behind him for a good 600-700 metres, I'm pretty sure he's steering the top of the rudderbar with it, they call the umpire over after winning, as do the Chinese. No white flag. Something in the water broke the rudder perhaps? Press officer Caroline Searle buzzes off to check. Now the eight are coming back near the tower trying to catch official attention - clearly something was up which they don't want to happen tomorrow, or something which affects the result behind them.

7:30pm - lord what an evening. Where to start? Well, obviously we noticed Acer's steering - it turns out the GB1 eight's steering wires broke at about 750m out from the start. Acer reached behind him, undid the top stern hatch (it's one of those new Empachers with the rudderbar recessed in the stern canvas for extra aerodynamicity etc), and had to steer from the top of the bar with his left hand about 1.5 feet+ behind him for the bulk of the race. Not a comfortable position. Anyway, they come through from this disaster, lead, and win, but while he was sorting it out their blades slid briefly over the buoys separating them from the Chinese eight. No actual interference according to our boys, and in any case they couldn't help it, but China claim a foul. When I stopped writing the previous paragraph I went over to where the eight were sitting, trying to get their story in before the Chinese do, and they told the whole tale. They paddle off to wind down properly, and meanwhile I go to catch the women's quad briefly before they disappear. GBR staff are already arguing with FISA, but as we finish talking to the girls (much better race today by the way, quite glad they had to refocus for the rep), it emerges the eight have been disqualified. (Meanwhile the second eight are third in their rep so go to tomorrow's B final).

The saga continues - David Tanner comes round and starts doing what he does best - arguing his team's defence. He's off to the host broadcaster's studio to see if they have footage of the race proving no actual interference. (I'm no FISA umpire, but I believe it has to materially affect the outcome for a lane-change, however brief, to be grounds for DSQ). While this is going on the first A-finals, for non-Olympic events, are starting, and now it's Tim Male on the course for the LM1x. Tim has a slowish start, but works his way back and overtakes Stefano Basalini (ITA) just after halfway, while the quickest starter, the second French sculler, is overtaken by Mr Wily Coyote himself, Michal Vabrousek (CZE). Basalini and Vabrousek are real quality, former medallists, and despite the absence of world champion Vassilis Polymeros (GRE) this is a hard-core race. So no surprises when Basalini refuses to lie down, and attacks in the last 200m. But Tim's expecting this and with a sharp rate lift worthy of Peter Haining (I clock him at 43) he slugs back, until Stefano can take no more. Leaving Vabrousek for dead the two leaders cross with Male in charge, and the crowd yelling "Well done Tim!" (shades of Wimbledon, only more successful?) even when he has several strokes to go.

Not that this is the end of the day. By the time I'm talking to Tim the LM2- are on the course, Germany leading. This isn't satisfactory for our GB pairs, and Richard Chambers and Chris Bartley start a massive charge. They grab gold in the last half-minute, with Nick English and Dave Currie (who honourably admit they've been slower than the other pair in training recently) taking bronze. More wow. And then Chambers collapses after the medal presentation (he's fine, just flaked out a bit). Time to file (just 200 words, dammit!), dash for the bus and scribble this....

As I leave, I see David Tanner talking to someone on the top (FISA) level of the finish tower. No doubt we won't hear until tomorrow how the appeal (if there can be one) goes. Unfortunately the rules are strict on interference...

Late update - midnight. I've just come back from dinner with DT and the BBC bunch (and the British ambassador to Poland, but let's not show off about it - he's a very charming and unassuming guy). DT confirmed when he arrived that the British eight remains disqualified - the move into the Chinese lane definitely happened, and CHN were third by a short enough margin that it's a reasonable decision to say it could have affected their qualification for the final. Unfortanately crews have to abide by their accidents, even if not their fault. BTW the steering seems to have stuck, not broken, and may well have been stuck right from the start of the race - the only way Acer could get it unjammed was to force the rudderbar with his hands. Poor eight. Odds on GBR being fired up to win the Grand at Henley? I wouldn't want to be the Dutch, Germans or Russians standing in their way right now - they'll be out for blood. It won't be at all easy - for one the Germans may have sorted their crews out and returned to the winning Munich combination - but I reckon the Brits just had the perfect motivation to go balls out for it and hang the consequences at Lucerne, even if it doesn't seem that way right now.

Addendum: - those at HWR this weekend may wish to look out for Debbie Flood's dog Charlie, a rather mischievous golden lab who is apparently having regular social get-togethers with his mates the Hall-Craggs' dogs during the regatta. This is the dog who ate all Debbie's Mandarin revision notes (she's learning it ahead of going to Beijing for the Olympics) and trashed her car on the day of the GB team announcement, then sat there looking like butter wouldn't melt. He's in the custody of one of Debbie's friends while she's in Poland but dog-lovers will be glad to hear that he's texting her regularly to let her know how much he's missing her. Aaahhhh....

Saturday 17th June, rest of the finals 9am - The GB supporters are up bright and early - but the weather has closed in. Dank clouds up above, drizzly fine rain, and a flickering cross-tail wind making the lake quite lively. Alex Gregory has just sculled well to 9th in the men's singles B final - even if there are no medals or points, it was a good feisty overtaking of the Romanian sculler in the home stretch.

10am - The British ambassador arrives (you see, I wasn't making him up) and is whisked off to meet important people and wear his shaking hand out. Meanwhile I confirm that Katherine Grainger has been given an MBE for her services to sport/rowing - about time too. Quite right, after all her achievements. The A finals are about to start, and it's getting quite windy on the lake, though still more tail than head. The musical ambience has gone even further downhill, with a tuneless, unfunny so-called 'entertainer' (a refugee from the Polish equivalent of Butlins, I reckon) yelling at us to a drumbeat between races. Karsten beats Knapkova - just - in the women's single.

OK, here goes with the men's single. Campbell and Hacker off first, Campbell at 39 at one minute in. Don't expect that to last long - Mahe's starting to burn through into his usual mid-race power. First marker, Campbell then Drysdale then Karonen. The angle is very hard to see margins from. Mahe doesn't manage to close the gap down much - either Alan is springing a fast one here by being quicker than expected in the mid-race thousand, or he's about to be taught a lesson in power by the Kiwi. Yup, here we go, Mahe's foot goes down to the floor. Half a length up, nearly a length. These two way up on the rest, but remember Karonen and Hacker can both finish hard when they want. 300m to go, Alan tickling the rate up, Mahe not yet. Up go the shouts, and here comes Hacker, though he is only close enough to get bronze. Mahe trying to get clear, just manages it before the line. Alan gives Mahe a clap as they drift to a halt. Oh this summer is going to be fun.

Just went to see the M1x boys - they point out that Tideway Scullers is possibly the most successful club in Britain at the moment, and suggest doing a double...! (Mahe's a member, for those who don't know). Watching the M2- now, and Ginn and Free effortlessly slip past the early German leaders with glorious style. Tomkins watch out - Free's a pretty good substitute... You have to look to see it, but the main reason is that the Aussies are rowing a lot longer than most of the other people in the race, and even when they list the rate a notch to hold off the Serbians, that length doesn't disappear. A masterclass, brilliant.

10:45 - W2x about to go off, and they get started. It doesn't take the NZL twins long to get their bows in front, but China hold them to a very small lead for the first split. Very close field behind them. Can't see Annie and Anna - they're back in 5th and probably being bounced about quite a bit by the wash of the boats ahead. (You don't want to be two lengths to the twins and in the next lane - their puddles are like small furious whirlpools, can cause nearby boats no end of trouble). The Aussie doubles are having a scrap on the far side, with it looks like Australia 1 winning. Fortunately for those staying in the class, the AUS doubles are the two halves of their quad, so they don't intend to race at the worlds in the 2x. The Evers Swindells surge away, their awesome power telling, while China fade quite dramatically, which might let GBR back within a sniff of 4th/3rd. No, China are hanging on and still holding them off. I don't think they're really strong enough for this very tough field quite yet. China find a huge renewed effort for the finish, and very nearly catch the Aussies. Annie bangs her knees in frustration as the Brits stop - clearly something didn't go quite right. Australia second and third - at least that might wear them out a bit for the W4x race. Naturally enough they don't

And now the men. Shots of nervous M2x on the start. Spik and Cop go off like furious bats, oars flapping to great effect. Clearly cross about yesterday! The French a few feet behind, the Brits a similar margin in third. Spik looks across to make sure Hungary aren't trying anything (it's always a good idea to keep an eye on Haller and Peto, especially when they're in an outside lane), and off the Slovenians go, battling the French who are in the middle of a big push. Wells makes a call, darts a look over his left shoulder as the Brits fight for position in centre-pack. Now Germany are ahead of the Brits, they can't afford to lose any more distance. Spik and Cop have another go, get ahead of Macquet and Hardy. GBR edge back on Germany a little. France in front, Slovenia catch a crab, Britain third and now sniff a tiny chance of second. Cop recovers from his hiccup, and gets it back together just in time to stay ahead for silver. Gold France, silver Slovenia, bronze Britain.

M4-s at the start - damn, not going to be easy when I have to go and talk to the double. Such lack of consideration, winning medals at the busiest time of day! The double slide in to the raft, looking exhausted. From Steve's parents, a pronunciation lesson - you do sound the "th" in Rowbotham, but otherwise it rhymes with 'bottom' not with Botham as in Ian.

The fours are off - GBR edge ahead in the first few strokes. SLO are the nearest to them as they steam out. I could swear they're rowing longer in this new lineup. Apparently Alex adores being at bow and able to see how badly everyone else is rowing (no surprises there to anyone who knows him!) The big screen briefly whites-out, making Hodgey's blond hair look like he's wearing a halo. As if. No sign of the Kiwi speed yet. SLO trying to charge, but they're the only ones close enough to mount an attack on the Brits. Not a problem - gold again. Much punching of the air from the crew as they cross the line. Talk to Matt and Steve - pleased with bronze but they had a muddly start. Macquet and Hardy set a new world best time as they won, so it's a damn good result.

6th for the LW2x, but bronze for the LM2x, rating 40+ for the whole of the last 250m and claiming they were bounced around by the wash from Mads Rasmussen and Rasmus Quist, the brilliant Danish double way out in front. Italy - Luini the legend and Marcello Miani - are too good for the Brits and hold on to silver. The LM4-s start - GBR second in the early stages behind Egypt trying a quick-off strategy, but then Ireland muscle through to the front. Now the question is do Egypt have anything left, or will they drop back? World Cup leaders Germany are waiting in the wings in fourth looking threatening, but then they're burnt off by Australia, equally dangerous. Oooh this is going to be very tight - Egypt have stopped the rot, and GBR are under threat from both sides. AUS past them, GBR now in fourth. They claw back at EGY under pressure from the Germans, but have too much still to do. Gold Ireland, silver Australia, bronze Egypt.

Women's quads, and Britain leading out. China pretty close to their heels - wonder what they're going to try and spring this time. Gap goes up to half a length, keep moving girls. There looks to be an energy they don't always have - perhaps sacrificing smoothness but clearly out for revenge for Thursday. Gap up to not far off a length at the midway marker. Keep it going... I think Sarah's saying something, this is the danger time - if the Chinese are going to charge it won't be long before they start. CHN have a good position, being pushed by AUS on the outside. Yes, the gap's closing a little. Katherine Grainger MBE hitches the rate up a bit. CHN close some more, but GBR don't look too ruffled. Go! go! go! shouts Fran's dad urgently. Last 70-odd metres and finally the Brits go, shorten and sprint, and moving away to nail home the win. Much better work - they just did exactly what they needed to, no more, no less.

12:30 - I'm about to have to stop blogging since I'm fitting it in round results/writing for the paper and deadlines are looming. Just had a bonecrushing hug from Ms Grainger MBE - lordy that girl is strong. Pythons have nothing on her. Very smiley quad, though we didn't get a chance to talk to them as they were rushed into the ceremony. They gave their yellow World Cup jerseys away to the local schoolkids after the medals were handed out - a nice touch. Polish supporters very happy as their M4x wins. Screams all round. The women's eights start - our last medal final (sniff). Romania so far in front you don't see them at first. Britain third at halfway behind the Chinese. Australia look to be closing on them - we can't hear anything of the commentary so it's a bit unsure. GBR very close to CHN but it's going to be both plus AUS for the minor medals. ROM completely untouchable - the usual story, then. AUS are slightly over-rating GBR and have gone into third as CHN pull away into a solid second place. Now they go, and jack the rate up just ebough to pull ahead into bronze. Blimey! That was close. Another bronze! Ridiculous. GBR total tally four gold, one silver and four bronze. Only three of those are not Olympic class. We think that may be a record - no time to check at the moment. And not many German crews on the podium so we could get close to them on points as well, for once.

Ok, blogstop for now.