Saturday 25th August 2001, Lucerne, Switzerland.
For morning race details see Wibble at the Worlds Day Seven.
Midday: the coxed twenty-four-scull has just rowed the course at rate 37, trying to break the world and Rotsee record time (currently held by the Dutch eight). They didn't manage it, rowing down in a time of 5:44.44, but gave it a good try. See six pictures donated by Rudern1.de, illustrating the attempt. 24x+-a.jpg, 24x+-b.jpg, 24x+-c.jpg, 24x+-d.jpg, 24x+-e.jpg, 24x+-f.jpg. Thanks Till!
Notes: Medal ceremonies involving doubling-up athletes were delayed until after their second races. Races in reverse order.
M4- A final
The power went down, and my connection with it, so nothing on M2x and W2x I'm afraid. Here we go, last final of the day. GBR sneaking out a slight lead on GER I think, and three of this British four won gold in the M4+ last year. GER pushing with 2.5 minutes gone, GER slightly in the lead at 1000 metres gone. GBR immediately push back, and these two are close with SLO for the lead. GBR slightly up at 1250, GBR pushing again, Ed Coode and Steve Williams looking over, now it's coming to 1500 and GBR up by 0.33 seconds. We're into the final phase, GBR at 37, GER matching them, SLO pushing again, 300 to go, it could go to the wire, GBR starting to sprint and moving out now to a stronger lead. GBR at 40, they could get clear water, GER holding off Slo, GBR still just overlapped but the line is here. GBR gold, GER silver, SLO bronze, then USA, FRA, ITA. That, I'm afraid, puts GBR top of the medals table with three golds today. OK, offline now until this evening. I apologise for the lack of doubles coverage but power loss combined with Pinsent press-conferencing got in the way.
M2- A final
I'm not promising fairness in this one... I've just been talking to Neil Chugani, who I hope will come and do rates for me in this race, and meanwhile Cop and Chalupa have just thrown Tufte in off the medals pontoon, and he's posing for the cameras as a he-man. Oh god, they've gone, 300 metres in, YUG take the first lead, GBR in third at 35.5, ARG in second. This is the first time Pinsent and Cracknell have failed to lead at the first marker, and they're 0.8 seconds down. ARG still going hard, YUG still in the lead, GBR at 35 and edging up towards second place. ROM have come from somewhere and seem to be in third, we can't see this clearly, it's YUG, ARG, ROM, GBR, P&C two seconds off the pace. YUG are still going, despite hitting 37 for the whole first 500, GBR pushing hard, ARG fading, here they go, 1400 gone and 37.5 sees GBR moving into third and near second. Have they left too much to do? YUG still, ROM next by 0.63, GBR 1.7 down. The World Cup champions have to go now, Here come GBR again, 250 to go, this is seat-edge stuff, GBR level with YUG with 200 to go, GBR leading with 150 to go, rate 41, GBR at 41, YUG coming and now level, GBR 43, GBR half a length up, YUG not finished, where are ROM, GBR looking, Cracknell's blade seems to catch and despite a photofinish, they're shaking their heads, and look like they think it's lost. BUT... They have just announced, to huge shrieks from the crowds, that Great Britain did get that men's final after all. Wow! I don't know how they did that, and I'm going to sort out the rest in a minute, because it was all so much confusion. GBR gold, YUG silver, RSA bronze, fourth ROM, fifth ARG and sixth ITA.
W2- A final
The pairs start, no chance of seeing who leads for a while. OK, here they go. It's BLR emphatically in front, with W4- champion Bichyk, and GBR second. The rest are in a pack as they pass the first marker. GBR pushing on BLR, and they're now level at the front, but the rest aren't far behind, it could get close. CAN pushing hard now, GBR from ROM from BLR as they approach midway. ROM shoving again, pushing level with Britain at 900, through them by the time point. It's ROM, GBR, BLR, CAN, AUS, GER. Passing the boat tents, ROM starting to try and open a bigger lead, they're also doubling up in the stern pair of the ROM 8+. I think BLR push through GBR into second, ROM looking unbeatable, CAN also coming through. ROM, clear water to BLR, GBR and CAN almost level, this is where the stakes rise. ROM being pushed by BLR, CAN a seat back, then GBR. Last 250, ROM at 37, BLR at 34, CAN sprinting, GBR fading as AUS push through, ROM still clear, CAN trying for silver, but it's not in doubt. ROM gold, BLR silver, CAN bronze, AUS, GBR, GER.
M1x A final
The showdown the local supporters have been waiting for, between a clutch of top scullers. Head of the list is probably Xeno Mueller, Olympic silver medallist, and in the absence of Rob Waddell, the closest thing we have to a defending champion. But Iztok Cop won gold in Sydney in the 2x, and Chalupa silver at the worlds in 1995, plus Olaf Tufte has shown flashes of brilliance all year, and Yanakiev and Free can never be discounted. Here they go. Xeno's in lane four, and bulleting out, with Cop in lane 6 risking Karsten's problem unless he keeps up. Xeno slightly from Cop, Cop at 37, Xeno matching, very little between them, 0.23 at the marker. I reckon Cop's pushing, he's really powering on, and still Xeno holds the lead, matching the effort two lanes away. Chalupa I should say is also much in the picture, as is Yanakiev, who has frequently tailed and then pushed near the race end. Cop looks strained, but he gets to midway nearly a second up after that huge effort, and Chalupa's in second, Tufte now in third, Mueller fourth. Yanakiev further back than I thought, Free ahead of him. OK, Tufte pushing again, about 1250, and gets back on Chalupa into second place. Cop has only a tiny lead now, Tufte hunting him down, and he just holds it to the marker. Cop, Tufte, Chalupa at 1500, and Xeno too far down it seems. Cop and Tufte matching rates, Chalupa almost level with these twoo, it's between all three. Tremendous racing, Cop raises his rate, Chalupa likewise, Tufte may have a slight lead, it's Cop and Tufte, Tufte ahead, Cop goes again, 0.23 seconds in it. NOR gold, SLO second, CZE third, AUS fourth, SUI fifth, BUL sixth. I gather Tufte was in the Norwegian M2x which took silver in Sydney behind Cop and Spik, so he's finally got his revenge! Brilliant racing from both.
W1x A final
Five minutes. Here we go. Ekaterina Karsten's chance of double gold within an hour starts here. Katrin Rutchow's determined to stop her, and the rest are now slowcoaches. Karsten and Rutchow lead, but Joulia Levina (RUS) is close by. Sophie Balmary heads the other three. Karsten looks superb, sweeping along with her huge reach, rating only 26 (I've checked twice) while Rutchow holds behidn her at 32. Rutchow edging through now, may give Karsten a bit of a shock. Rutchow is so strong, Karsten can't give her a sniff of it. Yup, Rutchow in the lead, Karsten now being chased by Levina. Karsten up at 28, Rutchow moving further out of reach though, this could have been a mistake by the Olympic champion. With Karsten in lane 6, as she drops behind Rutchow she starts to feel the disadvantage of the TV launch right next to her, trying to move past. Rutchow still leading into the final third, but now it's Levina on her heels, Karsten clear water behind. Here goes Rutchow, shovelling along to open up on Levina, and it's working, she's moving ahead again. 250 to go, Rutchow still in the lead, Levina has to go now or never, but she's too far back, and Karsten now beginning to wind it to pass Levina. She can't, quite, so gets bronze. GER gold, RUS silver, BLR bronze, FRA, POL, ITA.
LM8+ A final
Lightweight eights sitting on the start, five minutes to go. This is one of the most competitive LM8+ finals for years: we have the French doubling up in their LM4-, the Aussies doubling all over the place, a feisty new USA combination, FRA also very fast, and DEN and GBR completing the set. Pretty well anyone could get these medals, and I'm going to try and be very careful about what I write. Here we go! GBR at 46 nearest the camera, can't see who's leading, ITA, GBR, USA, and GBR hit the marker first. GBR at 40 through 600, DEN just edging through, ITA I think next as the Danes take the lead. Yes, DEN, ITA, USA, GBR now, at 800 gone. There's nothing but inches between the crews, nothing to choose. Every push is counting, Again it shows GBR passing the marker first, and it's apparently FRA with ITA, GBR and DEN, but the USA are charging. GBR drop back, looks like ITA and FRA with USA, FRA hit 1500 first, AUS next and then ITA. This is still anybody's race, 300 to go, FRA pushing out, DEN still going well, and there are still seats between the crew. FRA look good, DEN still in the top pack, USA sprinting, could get second, ITA coming, DEN ahead of USA, GBR fading, AUS last, well done the French. FRA gold, DEN silver, USA bronze, ITA, GBR, AUS. I thought the record had gone, but it's ten seconds outside.
W4- A final
Off in six minutes. I've just corrected the wrong refresh URL, so thanks very much David Biddulph, and we're back in business. Sorry guys - in a rush to get this up and working. Anyway, we're waiting for the fours to start, USA/CHN/BLR/NZL/AUS/NED in lane order. Off they go. 46.5 for the Aussie four on the rate, BLR reigning world champions but not visible. BLR and AUS look to be leading, not sure which way round from the footage. Ah, it's BLR in the lead, AUS a snip behind, then NZL. That puts them 600 metres down the course, and AUS pushing through, I think they've broken into the lead now. Yup, that's right, they're almost accelerating away from the Belarussians, nearly a length clear. NZL hunting down BLR also, and the champions are going to be hard put to get a medal out of this if they keep fading. AUS clearly in the lead, past halfway, NZL in second, the other four boats pretty close. NED at 37, AUS now with a great safety margin, NED challenging NZL now, and they've burnt off the Americans and grabbed third. Will the battle for the minor medals close down Australia? They're still at 35, coming to 200 to go, AUS still steady, NZL and NED neck and neck, the rest nowhere, NZL are just going to hold on to it, powering away from NED with their last few strokes as USA just miss bronze. AUS, NZL, NED, USA, CHN, BLR (the two last very close). Again just odd seconds off the record time.
LM1x A final
Starting in a few minutes. We might miss the start of this as the LW1x medallists are coming onto the presentation raft. Anyone know the Irish national anthem then? Ah, on to the waiting press first for snaps and chats. LM1x on the start then. Defending champion is Michal Vabrousek, twice runner-up in 1998 and 1999, and not looking at his best so far this regatta. Another Irish favourite lurks in the nextdoor lane to the Czech, Sam Lynch apparently lengths faster than Vabrousek and probably quicker than heat-winner Basalini (ITA). Off they go. Dufour off quickest, Vabrousek and Lynch following his example. Several hundred metres in, and Dufour is still at 39, clearly unwilling to let any chance slip away. FRA leading then, IRL second, CZE just a half-length back in third. ITA fourth, looking relaxed, and IRL pushes at 750 gone, getting into the lead. That was a good push, takes him through the second marker, and Lynch has a lead of nearly a length now. It's a tight field, nobody especially slow, could be a scrap. IRL clear now, FRA second I think but CZE also close. ITA pushing, USA back but having a go, third marker coming. IRL at 32-33, ITA through into second, USA has just slipped past Vabrousek into third. Lynch looks dominant now, can't see him being caught, and Basalini's doing a great job, not going to let up the pressure and slowly trying to close that gap. IRL and ITA now clear, IRL still ahead, but fading, perhaps Basalini can do it, up goes the Irish rate, he's fine, IRL from ITA and CZE/USA probably a photofinish, though I think CZE got it. Fifth HUN, sixth FRA. Lynch two seconds outside world record time, and the Irish head the medals table!
Lightweight women's 1x A final
Due off now. They're on the start, waiting. A minute or so late. This is only Sinead Jennings's tenth major regatta, and she starts favourite. They're off. Mirna Rajle (CRO) gets the camera, but Vogel (SUI), Ter Beek (NED) and Dimitrova (BUL) are in the lead. NED, IRL (Jennings) and BUL seem to be settling at the front, first marker coming up. Ah, camera angle was wrong, IRL's in fourth behind BUL and SUI, DEN are the lead two. Ter Beek's at 33, NED over SUI by a bit, IRL heaving away, IRL moving through SUI into second. Here the Irish girl comes, NED under pressure and unable to clear the following sculls, SUI still in with a shout. They're clear of BUL, and they're passing 1500 now. NED, IRL by 0.28, SUI by a second, USA in fourth. NED at 36, IRL at 35.5 and has she left it too late, only a half-length back from Ter Beek, who's strong. NED still, IRL matching SUI, IRL going again, level with NED, through NED, SUI trying to catch both, superb finishing. IRL, NED, SUI, USA, BUL, CRO over the line. She's only five seconds outside world record time, too.
Men's 2+ A final
Starting in a few minutes. Refresh on this page is currently set at 30 seconds. I should warn those reading that the TV coverage is very good at missing important stages of the race, especially the leaders, so I may not get the details precisely right, especially if the commentators here also have hiccups. They're off, GBR rating 44, and already showing ahead, as the Italians hit 37 on the settle. GBR now only overlapped by a canvas, the British supporters getting very excited in the stands. Their dress rehearsal on Thursday suggested P&C would get a lead and then do the minimum possible to win the race, but we will see. ROM doing a good job here, have closed a smidgeon to half a length, and they're passing the first marker. I clock GBR at 35, ROM still looking solid, ITA also in the running. Close-up on Crackers, as the British stern moves out again, he's got an easy job here with no steering or calling to do. Three minutes in, just under a lenght's lead for GBR. The Brits have been working on rocking over in teh 2+, and they look to be doing it, just going clear. Past halfways, ITA second, ROM third. We can't see how close the other crews are, but I think ROM are safe. Those big British washes are shovelling down the course now, it must be murder for the USA rowing between them and the TV launch! Nearing 500 to go, GBR at 34, how much is this taking out of their legs? The Italian pair having as big a go as they can, apart from anything making it easier for their 2- to try and rumble Britain in the later race. GBR still 34, USA coming through into fourth, 250 to go, GBR at 34, ITA 38, USA challenging ROM, GBR 33.5, ITA coming, quarter of a length down, Pinsent takes a look, starting to watch ITA every stroke, leaves it, leaves it, and GBR raise their rate for now more than five strokes, just the bare minimum possible. GBR straight round, photofinish, but we all know the answer. Photographers lined up on the raft to see the Brits row past, they're grabbing water and waiting to be sure of the result. Here they come, and they announce GBR by a whisker, ITA second, ROM third, GRE fourth, USA fifth, UKR sixth. 6:49.33 (seven seconds outside the record time) for the Brits, and Italy 0.42 seconds behind them.
I am going to update this page with the most recent races at the top... A finals are scheduled fifteen minutes apart this afternoon.
