Canada picked up three bronze medals - men's coxed pair, lightweight women's single and adaptive four - and an Olympic berth today at the 2007 World Rowing Championships on the Munich-Oberschleissheim Regatta Course in Germany.
In the men's coxed pair, Kip McDaniel of Cobble Hill, B.C., Derek O'Farrell of Montreal, Que., and coxswain Brian Price of Belleville, Ont. finished third to win Canada's first medal of this Worlds.
It is Brian Price's third World bronze medal in the coxed pair (2003, 2006, 2007). "This has to be the hardest-earned medal for me in the coxed pair. The calibre of this event is higher this year," said Price, who is also the cox of the men's eight, which races tomorrow and is the last event of the regatta.
Poland won the coxed pair in 7:00.10, with Italy in silver-medal position in 7:01.84 and Canada in 7:02.94. "Poland was the superior crew, but there was an opportunity for a medal today and we took it. I'm proud that the guys stayed calm and raced well." Price will face the Polish coxswain in the men's eight race.
O'Farrell was also part of the coxed pair last year in Eton, England. "This year I am a lot fitter and better prepared, but the event has also stepped up," he said after today's final.
Melanie Kok of St. Catharines, Ont. also picked up a bronze. Kok, rowing in the lightweight single, was a gold medalist in the lightweight quad in 2005 "In the quad it's more of a team effort, but in the single it's just you and all that you've got. I had a good row and it feels great to win a medal." Her time was 7:45.24; Marit Van Eupen of the Netherlands won in 7:38.02, followed by Jennifer Goldsack of the U.S. in 7:39.59.
The women's pair of Darcy Marquardt and Jane Rumball raced a solid B final and secured a spot for Canada in this event for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
"We qualified for the pair for the Olympics and we had a better race today overall, so that was positive," said Marquardt, who raced in the pair at the 2004 Olympics finishing fourth. "We were able to play up more of our strengths in this race and had a better finish. Personally, I have learned that I need to react better when other crews put on the pressure during a race. We will take what we've learned back home and make improvements."
The U.S. also took an Olympic spot by winning the B final in 7:11.89, finishing seventh overall, and Canada came in second in 7:13.16 grabbing the final Olympic berth available in this event at this regatta.
The men's pair of Chris Jarvis of St. Catharines, Ont. and Dan Casaca of Toronto, Ont. were sixth in their B final and miss qualifying this boat after finishing 12th overall. The top 11 pairs get a spot in the Olympics. Canada will have an opportunity next summer at a second-chance qualifier in Lucerne
Tim Colson of London, Ont. was third in his B final in the lightweight single, a non-Olympic event. "It's weird to be going in as an underdog, when I was expected to medal at the Under-23 regatta (he finished fourth)," he said today. "But it was great to compete with the top guys in the world. The level of racing can be mind-blowing, so it was a great experience" Colson ends up ninth overall.
In the final and one of the most exciting races of the day, the adaptive coxed four finished third for bronze in this event. A packed house watched Germany win in 3:34.99, followed by Great Britain in 3:36.19, then Canada 3:37.19, with Italy putting on some pressure but missing out on a medal in 3:37.92. Adaptive races are 1000 metres.
The four is Megan Montgomery of Winnipeg, Man., Victoria Nolan of Toronto, Ont., Scott Rand of Calgary, Alta., Tony Theriault of Victoria and Laura Comeau (coxswain) of St. Catharines, Ont.
Two of the members - Theriault and Montgomery - were part of the bronze medal coxed four last year at the Worlds.
"To be back in the competition, knowing that the field is twice as strong, is very satisfying," said Tony. "We're motivated for next year (at the Paralympics)."
Peter Morel of Ottawa, Ont. was sixth in his event, the adaptive men's single, in 5:44.91. This result will make make Canada eligible for another Paralympic spot. Canada's full count of Paralympic berths is four resulting from this Worlds, pending approval from the Canadian Paralympic Committee.
Tomorrow is the final day of the Worlds, with Canada looking for medals and Olympic qualification in the lightweight men's four, women's quad, women's eight and men's eight events and a possible Olympic spot in the lightweight women's double.