The 2012 World Rowing Senior & Junior Championships in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, kicked off today. This regatta gives senior boat classes that do not race in the Olympic Games, and junior athletes, a chance to show their speed.
Canada has five crews competing in Plovdiv - four of them raced today, with the junior men's double seeing its first race tomorrow.
The senior men's coxed pair of Kai Langerfeld of Parksville, B.C., Peter McClelland of Aurora/King City, ON, and coxswain Dane Lawson of Brockville, ON, won a heat in 7:11.21 to advance directly to the A final.
"We got out of the blocks very well today and set a positive tone for the rest of the race," said McClelland. "We were able to follow up our start with a good rhythm through the middle of the race and that allowed us to stay ahead of the fight for second place." The U.S. took second to also advance.
Eric Woelfl of St. Catharines, ON, and John Sasi of North Delta, B.C. were second in today's heat in 6:59.42 of the lightweight men's pair event, and go to the rep. The Netherlands won this heat to advance to the semifinal.
"It is a really tight field and there should be some good racing for the rest of the week," said Sasi, a 2008 Olympian.
The lightweight women's lightweight quad was fifth in 6:59.10, and go to the rep. Polish and Danish crews advanced from this heat.
The junior women's four finished third in the heat (07:11.84) and advances to semifinal. Italy won this heat convincingly in 7:00.99.
Racing continues to Sunday.