As it has been all week the sun was shining for the final day of the World Junior Rowing Championships on the 2016 Olympic rowing course in Rio. And the sun glistened on a bronze medal for New Zealand won by the Junior Women's Coxless Four of Ella Greenslade, Lucy Hutchinson, Finau Mosa'ati-Fosita and Anahera Nin. In an exciting race the girls battled it out with China to finish in 3rd place in a time of 7.20.46 which was 0.12 seconds ahead of China. Ella said after the race "we really just gave it all we had for that first 1500, and then when it came down to the last 500 China really put the pressure on us but we just really dug deep and really went for it, shut our eyes and grit out teeth and it ended up alright".
The first New Zealand crew to race today was Ben Watkinson-Boyle in the B Final of the Junior Men's Single Scull. Ben was placed 3rd in a time of 7:18.17 which gives him an overall Junior World ranking of 9th. This was a great effort as the junior men's single had the largest number of entries (25) at the championships.
Next up in the B Final was the Junior Men's Double Scull of Jack Lopas and Hayden Robertson. This crew had an incredibly close finish as they battled it out beside Estonia and just missed out by .66 of a second to be placed 2nd in a time of 6.38.68. This results ranks the boys 8th in the world.
The last B Final for the New Zealand Team was the Junior Women's Quad of Ella Toa, Ella Simanu, Claudia MacDonald and Michaela Townshend who improved on their race yesterday finishing 2nd place in a time of 6:53.97 behind Romania. This again ranks the crew 8th in the world at the junior level.
The first kiwi crew to race the A Final today was the Junior Women's Coxless Pair of Ruby Willis and Olivia Mendonca. They continued a strong week of racing finishing 6th in a tight field in a time of 7:47.27 which was only 6.5 seconds behind the gold medal crew of Russia.
The Junior Men's Coxed Four of Fergus McSwiney, George Howat, Sam Martel, Jonathan Winter Coxed by Timothy Zouch raced their hardest to finish 6th best in the world in a time of 6.52.03 behind the winners Germany in a time of 6.41.51.
In the final race for the kiwi crews the Junior Men's Quad of Ben Kirsop, Lenny Jenkins, Matthew Mesman and Braeden Camp put it all on the line finishing 4th best in the world in a time of 6:10.70 behind winners Great Britain in a time of 6:05.36.
Results Wrap Up
Bronze Medal - Junior Women's Coxless Four
4th place - Junior Men's Quad
6th place - Junior Men's Coxed Four
6th place - Junior Women's Coxless Pair
8th place - Junior Men's Double Scull
8th place - Junior Women's Quad
9th place - Junior Men's Single Scull