The Finals of the 2009 Rowing World Cup series concluded today Sunday 12 July on the Rotsee in Lucerne, Switzerland, in front of an enthusiastic crowd of 13,000 spectators.
Highlight wins in Lucerne today included New Zealander Mahe Drysdale's dominating victory in the men's single sculls, Denmark's win (their third World Cup gold of the season) in the lightweight men's four, and the Czech Republic's Mirka Knapkova scoring her first ever World Cup win in the women's single sculls after nine years of international competition.
The three-day regatta attracted 37 nations and more than 600 rowers. This was the last chance for athletes to test themselves internationally before the 2009 World Rowing Championships. With 62 points, Germany was the leading nation at this regatta, followed by Great Britain (52 points) and New Zealand (50).
Great Britain was the overall 2009 Rowing World Cup series winner with a total of 213 points, followed by Germany (145) and New Zealand (100). British crews also established themselves as the leaders in five of the 14 World Cup boat classes: the men's pair (M2-), the men's four (M4-), the lightweight women's double sculls (LW2x), the women's quadruple sculls (W4x) and the men's quadruple sculls (M4x).
The British men's four won a second World Cup gold here in Lucerne, as did the British lightweight women's double sculls - they will be looking to maintain their form in view of the World Rowing Championships starting in six weeks. Serious competition is on the horizon for Great Britain's leading crews. The British flagship boat, the Men's Pair of Andy Triggs Hodge and Peter Reed, has yet been unable to keep up with New Zealand's powerful new combination of Eric Murray and Hamish Bond. New Zealand's young Women's Pair duo Emma-Jane Feathery and Rebecca Scown won gold in Munich and here in Lucerne, while Germany's Kerstin Hartmann and Marlene Sinnig have also made their mark ahead of Great Britain's Olivia Whitlam and Louisa Reeve at the last two World Cup regattas. Germany's new line-up in the Women's Quadruple Sculls have dominated their event, finishing twice ahead of Great Britain.
These crews will meet again at the 2009 World Rowing Championships in Poznan, Poland, from 23 to 30 August.
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 points table for the past two years. This year, the three stages of the series were held in Banyoles, Spain (29-31 May), Munich, Germany (19-21 June); and the final in Lucerne, Switzerland (10-12 July).
Visit www.worldrowing.com, the official website of the International Rowing Federation and the Rowing World Cup, for points & rankings, detailed race reports, results and the photo gallery.
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