With organizers playing catch-up due to bad weather yesterday, it was a crammed schedule for Canada today at the 2010 World Rowing Championships (Oct. 31 to Nov. 07) at Lake Karapiro in New Zealand.
Races that were cancelled yesterday were completed this morning.
Cam Sylvester (Caledon, ON) and Doug Vandor (Dewittville, QC) dominated their heat and advance to the semi finals. This experienced Canadian lightweight double won today's race in 6:22.50, followed by Portugal in 6:24.64. (All times 2000 metres).
"The wind calmed down today and made for much better racing conditions," said Sylvester, who has two World Cup medals from this year. "We're happy with the race and are looking forward to the semi-final."
The outcome was not as positive for the other Canadian crews today.
Andreanne Morin (Montreal, QC) and Krista Guloien (Port Moody, BC) were fourth in 7:10.46 in the women's pair event.
"I'm a bit disappointed - this was not our best race," said Morin. "We have some small technical changes to make and we can close the gap. It's clear that we must be 100-percent in the race, we're not going to get away with 98-percent if we want to reach the podium here."
Both Morin, a two-time Olympian, and Guloien, a 2008 Olympian, will also row in the women's eight event here in New Zealand.
Men's single Malcolm Howard (Victoria, BC) was fifth in his heat today in 7:08.83. Olaf Tufte of Norway won this heat in 6:50.66.
"I know now that in the rep I have to put myself in a position of strength and power and work through the race from there," said Howard, a 2008 Olympic gold medalist. "I didn't race to what I'm capable of doing today, so I clearly have to be in a better position off the start in the rep."
Daniel Casaca (Toronto, ON), Fraser Berkhout (St. Catharines, ON), Gabe Bergen (100 Mile House, BC), and Steve Van Knotsenburg (Beamsville, ON) were fourth in today's heat (5:59.28) of the men's four event and will also row in the rep. The British, who are perennially strong in this boat class, won this heat in 5:50.96 to directly advance.
The Canadian four is rowing without Olympic gold medalist (2008-men's eight) Kevin Light, who is injured.
The lightweight four of Mike Lewis (Victoria, BC), Terry McKall (Edmonton, AB), Morgan Jarvis (Winnipeg, MB) and Tim Myers (Penticton, BC) finished sixth in the heat in 6:12.86, and also have to row in the reps.
The women's quad of Jane Rumball (Fredericton, NB), Isolda Penney (Kingston, ON), Peggy DeVos (Kamloops, BC) and Emily Cameron (Summerside, PEI) finished in fifth place this morning in 6:30.16. The Ukrainian crew won this heat in 6:16.85 to advance directly to the final, while Canada must row in a rep for a chance to advance.
Rowing in the lightweight women's single, Sheryl Preston of North Delta, BC, held in the second place position for most of her race before dropping off to fourth at the finish. Germany and Sweden move to the A finals from this heat. Preston's time was 7:58.33.
"The light men's double performed to expectation today; for some of the other crews tomorrow will be a chance to regroup for the repechage races," said Peter Cookson, Rowing Canada Aviron High Performance Director. "I'm confident they all have what it takes to progress to the next stage of racing."
Tomorrow sees the first appearance of the big boats - the men's and women's eights.
Comments | Log in to comment |
There are no Comments yet
|