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ROWING SERVICE SPECIAL COVERAGE OF THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS 2006 AT DORNEY, ETON
Live Online Commentary, Sunday's medal finals
Trevor and RQ reporting from Dorney Lake, Sunday 27th August
Well, it's all over. Oasis coming over the PA system, crowds lingering to drink the rest of the beer, crews swapping kit madly over by the boathouse, the German men's eight still doing a lap of honour over the far side. 6-man stood up then fell out - not entirely on purpose, says Trevor. Much Teutonic flag-waving. That slightly depressing it's-over feeling, and we all start getting down to work. I'm going to static the page then crack on for the Telegraph. Thanks for all the fish.
So, the curtain dropper. The wind has been quite blustery in the last few races, blowing paper and coffee cups all over the place here in the media stand. RQ is back from talking to our women's quad, who have gone off on a crowd thanking lap of honour, getting clapped all the way up to the 500m to go mark.
(RQ here). The quad were absolutely gutted, most of them having cried, and we learned while down there that the BBC couldn't transmit due to a technical problem so heaven knows what's going out.
Ok, the men are off. First bows out are the USA, but then ITA take over. GBR rating 38. OK, about 150m in it's ITA from USA dead level with GER, and AUS just behind. No sign of the GBR and POL bows. Crackers thinks Italy have just put all their cards down, Trevor is getting technical about how not seeing the GBR bows means they're at least 0.5L down. GER get a small gnat's wotsit lead by the 500m, with GBR about a length back and I think last. GER get a close-up camera shot, that's not much good to us. GER rating 39.5, Bernd Heidicker looking around in stroke. ITA still hanging on, but GER are doing a US-special on the field, nearly a length up. Wow. Good rowing from the Germans. USA starting to move up on Italy, AUS bow also visible. If GER can hold onto this until 350 to go, they could get gold. USA taking up the challenge, but still slightly down on ITA. OK, they're level now, and walking through. Nothing in it for these two, while GER surge up. ITA have responded to the US push, and come to 1500m a canvas up. AUS POL GBR for the last three places. GER coming under pressure now, USA and ITA accelerating, Crackers sings the Germans' praises. GER at 40, USA at 37, that's the highest they've been so far, ITA belting it just ahead. GER from ITA from USA, USA making a last charge, but GER are definitely going to make it. GBR in their own fight with POL and AUS, will get fifth.
Gold Germany, silver Italy, bronze USA, 4th Australia, 5th Great Britain, 6th Poland.
Germany over the moon, 5&6 take their blades out of their gates and salute the crowd with them. Italy's 6-man copies soon after. Can't see the Brits but Australia are in bits. Brits landing, look OK. USA a bit fazed, don't know what to do with themselves. Trevor updates the medal table, it's Germany top of the table (again!) with 3G, 7S, 1B. After that Australia and China, which I think isn't far off their results last year. Then Italy, and GBR 5th. That is not including adaptive events. With those, it's different (T's just working them out). 5:21.85 for the German time - very quick (2 secs off the world best time).
Women's Eights, W8+
Penultimate events, again without home interest. ROM at 44 are already half a length DOWN on the others. it's USA showing at 250m, with nearly half a lengths lead. USA at 39, from GER and then CHN, building for Beijing nicely from the day they are having here! 750m gone and GER are trying to stop them, getting away. AUS are a canvas back and thus a length behing USA. At halfway USA still dominant at the front, from GER, AUS, CHN. USA at 35. Can't see ROM anywhere what will/can they do? USA maintain their 3/4 length lead with 500 to go, GER and AUS, these positions haven't really changed for the last 1000m. AUS have half their crew doubling up from the 4s they won yesterday, how tired are they now, and have fallen off the pace and GER going for it now. GER are running out of water though, half a length off USA. AUS still look good and holding it together and will be good for third, with China snapping at them but not close enough to get them. CAN had a pretty anonymous race really, and Romania will be disappointed with last.
Gold USA, silver Germany, bronze Australia, 4th China, 5th Canada, 6th Romania.
Men's quads, M4x
Picking up the men's quads, POL at 35.5 lead RUS, half a length up at halfway. The others are very level behind though, and it's like a list of Eastern European countries here with UKR and EST - non Antipodeans. EST just inching ahead of UKR a length back on POL. POL stroke is puffing and frowning and looks very angry, but aggressive rather than desperate. Serving the others right or something. UKR and EST are inseperable behind, into the last 200m. UKR raise their rate to contain EST's last gasp push, and they're all at 41 now, and it's done.
Gold Poland, silver Ukraine, bronze Estonia, 4th Italy, 5th Russia, 6th Czech Republic.
Women's quads, W4x
Just heard that the 3 girl in the Chinese lwt women's quad has become the youngest ever world champion, at 15!
Here we go then, can our women carry the expectation as well as the men yesterday did? They are on the start. (RQ taking over here selfishly as the women are about to begin). Camera's focused on GB girls as they go off, then we see - RUS no surprise show first. RUS then AUS then GBR, all very tight, GBR making a very nice settle to rhythm, which helps them come through AUS. RUS trying to pull out, but GBR holding a couple of feet behind, and AUS a few inches behind them. RUS at 33.5, AUS trying to surge up a bit, level the Brits. Very tight here all through. So far so similar to the rep. Just gone through the 500m mark and GBR at 38, makes them shift ahead of AUS by a canvas or so, and close on RUS. Lead is down to 2 foot max. RUS still at 33, still leading, and we aren't shown anyone else. RUS have taken back their canvas, but that's all. Right in the mix, thankfully the Chinese are nowhere. RUS 2-girl looks round every stroke, nice but useless shots of their bow. Now it's RUS by a canvas over GBR by a canvas from AUS, all well up on the rest. Right, here is the push, it started while we weren't watching. GBR at 37, started 4 mins gone, start to approach the crowd. Awesome stuff, but how much charge have the rest got. GBR from RUS from AUS, but GBR not getting away. 450m to go, come on GBR as the RUS bow starts to come back. GBR at 36, RUS still only a canvas back. GBR need to lift, up they go to 38, AUS moving, AUS pushing RUS pushing GBR> GBR at 38, it's going to be hellish tight. RUS at 37, GBR being hunted down, RUS coming again, the line's closing in. RUS going ballistic, RUS level, RUS have a lead, GBR putting everything into it, RUS a few feet, GBR close again, but the line is coming and they can't do any more. Damn damn damn, a canvas in it.
Gold Russia, silver Great Britain, bronze Australia, 4th Germany, 5th China, 6th USA. Poor GBR - they have their heads in their hands, but they're going to have to come and tell us all what happened. This is the hard bit, any of you who want to be champions. Sometimes it doesn't work out, and then it's agony.
Lightweight Men's coxless fours, LM4-
Will I get a sec to eat my lunch? Not yet, men's lwt coxless 4s now. Rachel has been busy for the last half hour or so grabbing interviews with medal winning Brits so I'm trying to type whilst watching the screens until the last 300m and then by eye. Never could touch-type! They're off. GBR drop a couple of feet in the first 200m but everyone else level. FRA have a foot on the rest, and now CAN are starting to slip off the pace, giving a canvas to the rest. CHN and IRE now fractionally in front, GBR are in 4th, but there's jockeying around every stroke. AUS are bringin up the rear but still overlapping. CHN are trying to break clear of IRE, FRA 3rd. Neck and neck for 4thg between CAN and GBR. CHN strokeman looking around a lot rather than focussed on his own race. Their heads are allover the place here, but they'll like what they see. IRE are pushing at 40 and also looking a lot, lead is coming in slowly ias only half a length now. FRA 3rd, CAN, GBR about 4s off the pace, AUS 6th. IRE having another go, thjere's a big support for them in the are we're going into noew. CHN still looking a lot but not letting up and are leadfng the way. Crown road goes up, IRE need to watch it as here comes FRA. AUS are coming ua but FRA are pushing and might catch IRE I think they got them! Rachel says "James, that was Athens plus 1 stroke", to which Cracknell replies "yeah, I wouldn't want to go through that again"...
Gold China, silver France , bronze Ireland, 4th Canada, 5th Great Britain, 6th Australia
Lightweight Men's double sculls, LM2x
No Brits in this one. DEN have a slight lead on FRA, the others level with AUS just a few feet behind. This is very competitve, can't split the boats in second to fifth here. Into the second half, DEN out in front looking good, purposeful and without strian but a little tight meaybe. With 500m left rating 38 they are about 3 lengths clear, are they going for the world best time? ITA are half a length tyo the good in 2nd, FRA pushing hard to attack AUS. FRA at 45, DEN at 37.5, this is very close, ITA scrabbling a bit to holsdf on which they will, FRA and AUS right on the line for bronze, I think AUS got it yup, that's confirmed and another race can be ticked off. Only 5 races to go, 3 British crews, with the main expectation on the 8 shoulders of the women's quad.
Gold Denmark, silver Italy, bronze France, 4th Australia, 5th Poland, 6th Germany.
Lightweight Women's double sculls, LW2x
They will be psyched up for this as it's the only Olympic class for lwt women, so the one they all want to be in. GRE in lane 1 had a god start as did GBR over the other side in 6, but CHN and CAN showing in front. CHN have a canvas on CAN, then AUS very close, then GRE, GBR, FIN. First 4 still all overlapping. CHN have that agricultural long stroke holding it in like th eir quad, getting the same result too so far. Casey and Hall did really well to make this final, can they do anything? CHN have 3/4 lengths lead on AUS and CAN, with AUS just ahead but no wait CAN are pushing and are level. They're exactly out of phase. CHN at 33.5 lead in the middle of the course, now it's CAN a couple of feet ahead of AUS, both a length up on GBR. CHN now have clear water, GBR trying to raise their rate and go with them all with 300m left. The gold looks secure and the race is on for the other medals. Hard to tell as the crews approach, AUS have retaken CAN to applause from the stands, GRE are pushing into 3rd this is close! AUS get silver from a late-charging GRE pushing CAN to 4th and GBR to 5th.
Gold China, silver, Australia, bronze Greece, 4th Canada, 5th Great Britain, 6th Finland.
Lightweight Men's quad sculls, LM4x
GBR in lane 1 have a very slight lead. Partridge has sat beside me to talk to Cracknelll which is a bit distracting! At 500 GBR lead by just over half a length from ITA, defending chanpions but GBR really taking it to them and laying it down. ITA are moving back on them now into the second quarter. FRA are third, GER 4th. ITA move has taken them to a canvas lead but they're still moving, and the USA are nowhere. ITA stroke has a look over to see where GBR are, it's less than a length lead but they came from a slight deficit so their push has given them a length. GBR starting to tire now and will need to get a second wind as the race for 3rd is very tight. FRA have now sculled through GBR and snapping at GER. GBR are being dropped out of the back of the medals but at 38 are trying hard. FRA and GER tight for second, but ITA are defending their title with 3/4 length lead. GER have the same advantage over FRA, just under half a length up on the brave GBR boat which cadn't find anything more at right at the end.
Gold Italy, silver Germany, bronze France, 4th Great Britain, 5th USA.
Lightweight Women's quad sculls, LW 4x
Mr Haggerty has been on the bird seed for breakfast and is whistling along with the German national anthem for the men's coxed fours medal ceremony. I wonder if the anthem will be played in Turkey at the F1 grand prix later. Off go the lwt women's quads. CHN who set a world best time earlier in this regatta but now have to deal with the reigning champions CAN have their bows out in front and trying to dominate from the off. 400m gone and DEN, with the least changed crew, are in second. CHN have a length lead, with DEN second and GER third and GBR 4th. DEN are looking smooth and have clear water on GER but are clear water behind CHN. The chinese stroke is agricultural and has a definite heave to it, DEN smoother but shorter. CHN look secure in gold, the race behind is hotting up. GBR at 36 are coming back at the GER crew, and push through to have clear water and overlapping DEN. Come on girls RQ whispers conspiratorially at me as though that will help them. Fingernail overlap on DEN who are controlling them. CHN are out of the picture in front, GBR will really need to go for it to make anything of this now. CHN at 38, GBR charging and have 1/3 overlap on DEN but are running out of lake, these three well ahead.
Gold China, silver Denmark, bronze Great Britain, 4th Germany, 5th USA, 6th Canada.
P>
Lightweight Men's coxless pairs, LM2-
GBR's M4+ is already off the water and walking their boat up to the racks before the mixed adaptive four has finished the medal ceremony. They must be really pissed off. Oho, lightweight pairs have started. OK, GER and AUS probably in the lead, since the cameras are focusing on them, very strong these two. We're at about 400 gone, GER at 35, AUS pushing at 38. GER down to a single seat's lead, AUS still coming. Italy and Spain fighting it out for third at the moment, Russia in lane 6 trying to sneak up the outside behind GBR. GER still under-rating AUS, looking every couple of strokes. Now pulling out again to nearly 1L lead. No sign of the rest of the field on the screen. Shots very artistic but not much good for us, humphs Trev. GBR have put in a push, got themselves back up to Russia who came through, now RUS push again. Halfway, GER from AUS from ITA and ESP again. GBR straggling. GER have settled lower now, about 33, being very cool with only half a length lead. Not much room to play with here. Who has anythign left for the final sprint to the line? GER sitting on AUS and have taken a few more feet. ESP are trying to charge on and secure a medal but ITA not letting them have it easy. Crowd roar and here they come. GBR at 37 are a bit out of it. Wait, AUS have blown completely and go backwards through the field, here come ITA and ESP for the other medals. GER are taking this by a length but very close for 2nd, nothing in it from here, can't tell...cracking race.
Rachel's sharp eyes have spotted the GBR 4+ didin't bother with a warm-down and rowed straight onto the rafts and were carrying their boat away in double-quick time, so I guess that means that they weren't very happy with their row.
Gold Germany, silver Spain, bronze Italy, 4th Australia, 5th Russia, 6th Great Britain.
Men's coxed fours, M4+
Coxed fours on the start waiting for the medal ceremony to be over so they can start - the cameras have to catch both. USA's anthem plays, and the fours come forward on the start. They set them off on teh screen for us, while the audience can't see. USA and Canada belt out first, GBR look a bit slow. Nobody's settled yet much. Canada going away with the USA it looks starting to come through now. Actually it's NZL over on the far side in front as we get a side-on shot, the Under-23 champions giving the big boys a go with a quick start. NZL at 39 as they go through the 500m just ahead of CAN. GER and USA in third, not sure about the rest. Not sure if GBR is fourth or fifth. Lots of shots of NZL going away, wish they wouldn't do this so much during races. Aha, bowball of Germany pushing, it's now NZL from CAN but USA and GER almost on them. GBR 5th. Difficult to see where the rest are going. GER had an extra push on halfway and have gone into the lead. 500m to go, GER have 2 ft on NZL, race for third between USA and GBR now, NZL hanging on a bit desparately, CAN coming back into it having gone through USA. 300m to go. GER from NZL from CAN I think. GER at 42, all looking round. GBR getting a yell, go for it. GER being closed on. USA aren't out of it, this is a huge race. GER half a length over nZL, but CAN are coming through. 5-boat finish, but it's Germany who are finally getting to play their national anthem.
Gold Germany, silver Canada, bronze New Zealand, 4th USA, 5th Great Britain, 6th Italy.
Adaptive mixed coxed fours, LTAMx4+
This should be the fastest adaptive boat class, with defending world champions
GBR in lane 4. The wind is making these free-starts a bit tricky to line up.
Meanwhile I get a text message - we are using all known technology here don't
you know - from Rachel saying she is standing a few feet from Mrs Blair, so
now we wonder if the PM has come down from Chequers to see international
battles fought out on the water as a distraction from the pressures of real
politics. Anyway back to the race. This may be a fast event, but they
have had a false start, which will upset FISA's precision Swiss timing
people. Loads of faffing about in the wind, this is going to put them right behind for the other medal finals. Hope our M4+ is ok waiting up there - I bet they're being told there's a delay, right now. (This is RQ back again by the way) - No sign of Tony, just Cherie, who is actually being very down-to-earth and getting on well with Denis Oswald, Anita de Frantz and other worthies. Crackers turns up munching his lunch - the desk have just rung me and want him to get to work. Race has started, and it looks like the Dutch in the lead if I've got the angle right, with I think GBR second but coming through. Very nice push from the GB crew takes them dead level at halfway. USA in third I think. This race things are changing fast. GBR in front now, starting to hear the cheers, NED don't seem to have much to counter it with. GBR at 38, trying to move into a length lead to make sure of it. Canada and Australia and USA fighting for third. GBR are going clear, NED are being caught by Canada and the USA, could be a ruck for bronze. NED are holding on, USA's technique fall to bits, Canada hang on ahead of Australia. That's the first real race I've seen for this category. GB strokeman stands up in the boat to celebrate.
Gold Great Britain, silver Netherlands, bronze Canada, 4th Australia, 5th USA, 6th Italy.
Adaptive mixed doubles, TA2x
Lots of faffing on the start of the trunks and arms mixed doubles, while Helene gets her gold, hears 'God Save the Queen' and is then kissed by David Tanner. Lovely. She wheels off to talk to the BBC and the doubles continue to fail to align. France get a hell of a start in the spectator-side lane, then USA begin to move through. This race in particular looks really serious and world-class. Of all the adaptive categories I think it's coming on fastest. USA are lugging it
along and squeezing everything out of their stroke, showing why they have 3
golds already to their name. THey are rating the lowest at 33, but as a very
established crew their lead of nearly 2 lengths looks good for gold. In silver
it's Poland comng back to 1.5 lengths, Poland up to 38 giving it their all.
The fight for bronze is a close one between Canada and France, late pressure
from France nearly cracking the Canadians in the dying strokes but just not
quite getting there.
Gold USA, silver Poland, bronze Canada, 4th France, 5th Greece, 6th Great
Britain.
Adaptive men's singles, AM1x
Britain's Sewell gets a bronze, but there was no-one other than reigning
world champion Dominic Moneypenny in this, rating 49 across the line.
Gold Australia, silver USA, bronze Great Britain, 4th Canada, 5th France, 6th Italy.
Adaptive women's singles, AW1x
We won't do stroke by stroke for these (anyway they take too many strokes), but a quick summary. No commentary for ages on the AW1x but now they're at the 500m and GBR's Helene Raynsford is well in the lead, ahead of the USA, POL and CAN scullers. Ali Mowbray commentating tells a story that Raynsford had to go upstairs to her flat on her arms for 11 years - no wonder she's so strong at arms-only sculling. No bubble-line, Trevor notices, wonder what's up with it. (Hammer smith would say it had been stolen...) We don't think it's to do with it being an adaptive race. Helene's the first women's adaptive singles champion ever, as it's a new event.
Gold Great Britain, silver USA, bronze Poland, 4th Canada, 5th Italy, 6th France.
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