Canada's five crews raced among the 63 heats this morning at the Munich World Cup of rowing, and at the end of the day all of Canada's entries advanced nicely to the next round of racing.
Tracy Cameron of Shubenacadie, N.S., started off the day with a first in her lightweight women's single heat. Her time was 7:51.40. Cameron also won her quarter-final race this afternoon. A new trial progression system meant that events with 25 or more entries advanced to a quarter-final stage, removing the repechage.
The women's pair of Darcy Marquardt Richmond, B.C., and Jane Rumball of Fredericton, N.B., also took their heat (7:14.77).
"It was just a lot of fun to get back into racing," said Marquardt, who finished fourth at the 2004 Olympics in the pairs event (with Buffy Williams). "There was a lot of tactical racing today, and it was a good result, but we will see what the other pairs can really do in the semis."
The second Canadian women's pair of Romina Stefancic of Victoria, B.C. and Heather Mandoli of Kelowna, B.C., had a respectable finish in their heat, coming second to Australia's top entry.
In a team of mainly veterans, this is Mandoli's first World Cup event. "The rest of the team is teaching me so much," she said after today's racing. "Romina has had so much experience in different boat classes, it has been great so far.
Both women's pairs won their quarter-final races this afternoon see results below.
The men's pair of Malcolm Howard of Victoria, B.C. and Kevin Light of Sidney, B.C. finished about seven second ahead of the next boat in this mornings heat in 6:33.33. The pair advances to the semi-finals to be held on Friday.
"The first day of racing is always a bit nerve wracking," said Howard, who has been training in Victoria with mens coach Mike Spracklen over the winter. "It was my first serious race of the year, at college (Harvard) I was used to racing a lot, so this feels a bit different."
A fast men's four finished first in its heat in 5:58.33. The men's four at this regatta is Peter Dembicki of West Vancouver, B.C, Scott Frandsen of Kelowna, B.C., Kyle Hamilton of Richmond, B.C., and Ben Rutledge of Cranbrook, B.C. Canada has been strong in this event over the past few years, including an Olympic silver with a different lineup. Dembicki is the only member of last years World bronze medal mens four rowing in this World Cup.
Racing continues tomorrow and Saturday. Full results: www.worldrowing.com.
FISA World Cup Munich
Canadian Results May 25, 2006
Conditions: Tailwind
Heats
Lightweight women's single (top three advance to quarter finals)
1 CAN 7:51.40 (Cameron)
2 AUT 7:57.38
3 CHN2 8:01.35
4 FRA1 8:08.11
Women's pair
1 AUS1 7:20.30
2 CAN2 7:23.84 (Stefancic, Mandoli)
3 GBR2 7:25.66
4 CHN1 7:26.31
5 ITA1 7:48.62
Women's pair (top three advance to quarter finals)
1 CAN1 7:14.77 (Marquardt, Rumball)
2 GER2 7:17.95
3 ROM 7:25.65
4 KOR1 7:49.81
Men's pair (top boat goes to semi final)
1 CAN 6:33.33 (Howard, Light)
2 SCG 6:46.37
3 ESP1 6:55.18
4 GEO 6:57.97
5 UZB 6:59.92
DNS GER2
Men's four (top two to semi final)
1 CAN 5:58.33 (Frandsen, Dembicki, Rutledge, Hamilton)
2 GER2 6:00.70
3 ITA2 6:04.21
4 IRL1 6:04.86
5 DEN 6:12.68
Quarter finals
Women's lightweight single
1 CAN 7:50.18 (Cameron)
2 SUI 7:54.28
3 GRE 8:05.09
4 CZE 8:19.27
5 HKG1 8:22.81
6 HKG2 8:35.41
Women's pair
1 CAN2 7:19.47 (Stefancic, Mandoli)
2 ROM 7:21.44
3 AUS2 7:21.70
4 BLR2 7:24.39
5 BLR1 7:25.55
6 GBR1 7:27.32
Women's pair
1 CAN1 7:15.07 (Marquardt, Rumball)
2 DEN 7:17.31
3 USA2 7:19.81
4 GBR2 7:23.45
5 CHN2 7:27.36
6 ITA1 7:39.78