More than 550 rowers from 37 nations competed at the second stage of the 2009 Rowing World Cup series on the 1972 Olympic regatta course near Munich, Germany, this weekend. Today, athletes raced in the Finals of the 14 Olympic boat classes.
Germany earned the highest number of points for their country (69), winning 11 medals, five of them gold. This places Germany in second position in the overall standings of the Rowing World Cup with a total of 83 points.
Although New Zealand arrived in Europe for the racing season just one week ago, they impressed with a strong team and won a total of seven medals, four of them gold. They finish this regatta with 50 points, in fourth position overall.
Great Britain made it to the top of the points table at the first stage of the 2009 Rowing World Cup in Banyoles, Spain. This weekend in Munich, British crews qualified for the Final in each of the 14 Olympic boat classes, and although they won fewer medals and fewer points than in Banyoles, Great Britain won 67 points and still continue to lead the Rowing World Cup with an overall total of 161.
Poland are in third position overall, having won 28 points in Banyoles and 32 in Munich.
New Zealand's Eric Murray and Hamish Bond won gold in the men's pair ahead of Andrew Triggs Hodge and Peter Reed, one of Great Britain's most promising crews. In the men's double sculls, two German crews and one Kiwi crew finished in the top three medal positions, with Great Britain's gold medallists in Banyoles, Matthew Wells and Stephen Rowbotham, back in fourth. A new crew from New Zealand and a new crew from Germany in the women's pair proved their talent by taking gold and bronze respectively - Banyoles gold medallists in this boat class, Olivia Whitlam and Louisa Reeve from Great Britain, finished fifth. Germany took both a gold and a silver in the men's four ahead of Great Britain's new-look crew in bronze. Placing a new women's quad on the water, Germany proved its strength by winning gold ahead of Great Britain's crew in silver and New Zealand in bronze. Germany also won both the men's and women's eights, in front of a delighted home crowd.
The Rowing World Cup series was launched in 1997 and includes all 14 Olympic boat classes. The overall Rowing World Cup winners are determined after a series of three regattas. Germany has dominated the series since its beginning twelve years ago, but Great Britain has led the medals table for the past two years. This year, the three stages of the series are held in Banyoles, Spain (29-31 May), Munich, Germany (19-21 June); and the final in Lucerne, Switzerland (10-12 July).
Visit the official website of the International Rowing Federation (FISA) and the Rowing World Cup www.worldrowing.com for race reports, results, points & rankings and the photo gallery.