Racing continues to be fast and furious at the 2005 FISA World Rowing Championships in Gifu, Japan.
Canada's men's four won its rep today in 5:45.27, followed by Australia in 5:47.03 and Poland in 5:48.80 (2000m) - these top three boats move to tomorrow's semi-final.
"We went into the rep with the mindset of establishing our dominance from the get go," said Andrew Ireland of Hamilton, Ont. We improved the start and rowed the first 1250 metres like it was our last, and with 750 remaining, we had built a comfortable enough lead to drop the rate and power to the line. Essentially, we attacked the race with aggression and never took the foot off the pedal, something we will have to repeat in the semis."
The other crew members are Rob Weitemeyer of Coquitlam, B.C., Peter Dembicki of West Vancouver, B.C., and Kristopher "Kip" McDaniel of Cobble Hill, B.C.
Canada faces the much-hyped British four - World Cup winners, but a different crew than last year's Olympic gold medallists - as well as Ireland, Italy, Denmark and Poland in the semi-final. Strong crews from the U.S. and the Netherlands row in the other semi.
"We know Britain is fast, so our focus is going to be on Denmark and Italy," said Kip McDaniel, who is rowing in his first international regatta for Canada. "Our goal right now is to get to the final."
Canadas mens eight, however, will have to settle for the B final for the first time since the 2000 Olympics, after coming third in todays repechage. Italy won the rep in 5:26.64, with Great Britain edging out the Canadian eight by less than a second. Canada's time was 5:28.86, with Britain qualifying in 5:28.59 Belarus and Romania followed. Poland, qualifying for its first mens eight final in more than 30 years, and Russia, advanced from the other rep. The four qualifiers from todays reps will face the U.S., gold medallists in Athens, and Germany in the final on Sunday.
"Our start was better than in the heat," said Andrew Hoskins, who has been in the men's eight since 2001, winning two World Championships (2002, 2003). "We didn't expect the British to be right up there with us. It was surprise at the finish line - it was a small margin, but we don't get another chance."
The Canadian men had hoped to recapture a World Championship title after finishing a disappointing fifth in Athens in 2004.
"In hindsight, we should have tried to close the door on the British sooner," said Scott Frandsen, who rowed for Oxford University in the same boat with British coxswain. "We were focused on beating the Italians, but at the end of the day, it wasn't enough."
Members of the eight are Scott Frandsen of Kelowna, B.C., Barney Williams of Salt Spring Island, B.C., Joe Stankevicius of Dundas, Ont., Andrew Hoskins of Edmonton, Alta., Ben Rutledge of Cranbrook, B.C., Kyle Hamilton of Richmond, B.C., Cameron Baerg of Saskatoon, Sask., Kevin Light of Sidney, B.C., and Brian Price of Belleville, Ont. (coxswain).
"I'll probably never have an answer," Andrew Hoskins said after today's race, "just like I don't for Athens."