Canadian women picked up two medals today at the Munich World Cup, the final major rowing competition before the 2002 World Championships next month.
Jacqui Cook of Burlington, Ont. and Karen Clark of Delta, B.C. were third in a time of 7:13.41 in the women’s pair - the same position they held at last year's World Championships.
"Romania and Belarus got out ahead early and we were fighting with Australia and South Africa for third," said Cook. "We're now looking forward to getting back to London (Ontario) to get ready for the Worlds."
Fifteen pairs began the competition, but only six qualified for today's medal round. Belarus is closing the gap on first-place Romania - Natallia Helakh and Yuliya Bichyk were six seconds behind at the previous World Cup in Lucerne and shaved three seconds off that gap today. Belarus led the race through the half-way point (1000 metres) and kept ahead of Canada. South Africa, silver medallists in Lucerne, could only manage fourth today with Canada in the line-up. The second Canadian entry in this Olympic event - Dorota Urbaniak of Toronto, Ont. and Katy Dunnet of Vancouver - was 12th overall.
Canada was second in 6:39.25 to last year's World Champions from Australia (6:36.47) in the women's four event. The silver-medal winning women's four is Pauline VanRoessel of Bow Island, Alta., Darcy Marquardt of Richmond, B.C., Rachelle deJong of Regina, Sask. and Roslyn McLeod of Burlington, Ont.
"It was an incredible race," said VanRoessel, the only member of the crew with experience in World Cup competition. "We came together as a crew and it would be great to have another opportunity to go for gold." Canadian crews for the upcoming Worlds have not been finalized.
Although all the rowers in the women's eight raced in events earlier in the day, they still managed a fourth-place finish in a tough field. Germany was first in 6:15.69, followed by 2001 World Champions from Australia (6:19.81) and then perennial medallists Romania in the third-place position (6:21.71). Canada’s time was 6:25.25, and Belarus was fifth in 6:30.29.
Members of the eight are Sarah Pape of Toronto, Ont. (coxswain), Pauline VanRoessel, Dorota Urbaniak, Karen Clark, Jacqui Cook, Rachelle deJong, Darcy Marquardt, Katy Dunnet and Roslyn McLeod.
“It was a lot of racing for all the women,” said women’s coach Al Morrow, “but it was great experience and I’m proud of the way they’ve come together as a team.”
The Canadian men and lightweight crews did not compete in Munich - they are training for the Worlds to be held in Seville, Spain (Sept. 15 to 22) - at Rowing Canada's training centre in Victoria, B.C. In a previous World Cup in Lucerne, the men's lightweight four won gold and the men's eight brought home bronze.
Canadian Final Results 2000 metres
Women’s pair final 1. ROM 7:07.84 2. BLR 7:10.39 3. CAN1 7:13.41 4. RSA 7:15.67 5. GER1 7:16.59 6. AUS2 7:18.09
Women’s four final 1. AUS1 6:36.47 2. CAN 6:39.25 3. AUS2 6:42.58 4. NZL1 6:44.31 5. GER 6:46.80 6. NZL2 6:56.87
Women’s eight final 1. GER 6:15.69 2. AUS 6:19.81 3. ROM 6:21.71 4. CAN 6:25.25 5. BLR 6:30.29
Full results can be found at www.worldrowing.com --
Jackie Skender - Rowing Canada Aviron