4th July 1999

Danish lightweights edge closer to the Famous Five

Britain's superfour of James Cracknell, Steve Redgrave, Ed Coode and Matthew Pinsent added the Stewards' Challenge Cup to the two rounds of the World Cup which they have won this season yesterday - Redgrave's eighteenth Henley medal. Officially the verdict was one length over the Danes Thomas Ebert, Thomas Poulsen, Eskild Ebbesen and Victor Feddersen, unbeaten in competition for lightweights since they formed after the 1996 Olympics. Last year at Henley the verdict between these two crews - with Tim Foster on board the British boat instead of Ed Coode - was three-quarters of a length, so that on the principle of leaving well alone, Coode will retain his seat for this year's world championships.

However, the Danes' No 2 man Poulsen claims that their final push along the enclosures, answered by rapid fire from the British crew, left him alongside the Leander stroke Pinsent. This, corroborated by several witnesses, suggests that the official verdict was generous and that little can be gleaned about the relative strengths of Foster and Coode. "Next year we have a chance," said Poulsen. Jurgen Grobler, the British coach, said: "You know the boys. They only do what they have to do. But you can't win against the Danes on one leg."

Foster, meanwhile, rowed at 7 in the eight who lost to the new German national eight by half a length in a storming race that proved to both crews that they are knocking on the international medal door. Stefan Forster, the German No 7, said the race was "absolut todlich".

Marcel Hacker of Magdeburg fulfilled the command "Ich will" scrawled in large letters on the deck of his boat when he won the Diamond Sculls against last year's winner, Jamie Koven. Hacker was junior world champion in 1995 and every one of his races at Henley was in his full control. Koven, world champion in 1997, was never a danger as the 15st 8lb German took the lead at the island and extended his lead to 4 and three quarter lengths.

It was a good day for Cambridge rowing. Two old Blues, Forster and stroke Marc Weber, were in the German Grand eight. The Blue Boat with two Queen's Tower men on board won the Ladies' Plate, the Goldie crew under the Cambridge label won the Temple, and the old boys Crabtree were finalists in the Thames Cup, won by Molesey. Molesey were stroked by Richard Stanhope, aged 42, who won his eighth Henley medal in 18 appearances. Stanhope led a sustained burst at the mile when were leading by a canvas.

"That's something I never thought would happen," said Simon Dennis to his partner Steve Williams after that won the Goblets against the Australian pair David Weightman and Rob Scott, Olympic silver medalists behind Redgrave and Pinsent in Atlanta. The British pair, leaders in the World Cup, led all the way and won by three and a quarter lengths.

St Edward's are the giants now in school eights, finishing off five days of storming along the course by beating St Peter's of Adelaide in the Princess Elizabeth.

The Invitation Women's Eights was won by Marlow and Thames, a combination of the British squad's small boats, by four and a half lengths over the GB eight, a result which will do the eight no good at all as they prepare for next weekend's World Cup final.

he Double Sculls was an all-American national team affair. The heavyweights Ian McGowan and Nick Peterson duly beat the lightweights Conal Groom and Steve Tucker by three lengths.

Oxford Brookes University won the Visitors' with panache against Imperial College, the verdict being four and a half lenghts.

Notts County took the Prince Philip, premier event for coxed fours, by half a length in a close race with Leander who challenged for much of the way but could not break through.

Augusta Sculling Center, the US national sculling base, were beaten in the final of the Queen Mother for quadruples by the German under-23 crew Allemania Hamburg.

Molesey scored their second win of the regatta in the Britannia, by one length over Isis. Leander and Tiffin beat Burway and Walton in the Fawley for junior quads. The Princess Royal for women's sculls ended in tragedy when the holder, maria Brandin of Sweden, withdrew from the final with injury, and Katrin Rutschow of Germany rowed over.

© Copyright Chris Dodd, 1999.