Thursday afternoon's racing started off well for the New Zealand Junior Rowing Team with single sculler Ben Watkinson placing 3rd in the second heat of the Men's Quarter Final in a time of 7:23.23 which has taken him into tomorrow's Semi Final. This was the biggest field of entries at the Junior World Championships with 25 crews entered.
Second up in the afternoon session of quarter finals and repechages was the Junior Women's Coxless Pair of Ruby Willis and Olivia Mendonca who needed to finish in the top 2 to qualify for the A Final on Saturday. They achieved this with a close second place in a time of 7:50.37 heading off France, Uruguay and Columbia.
The Junior Men's Double Scull of Jack Lopas and Hayden Robertson continued New Zealand's successful afternoon with a tight finish placing them 2nd in a time of 6:48.65 which was less than one second behind winner Great Britain. This result secures their place in the Semi Final.
The fourth crew in the New Zealand Junior Rowing Team to race this afternoon was the Junior Women's Coxless Four of Anahera Nin, Finau Mosa-Ati'Fosita, Lucy Hutchinson and Ella Greenslade who finished a tight race in second place in a time of 7:06.29 less than a second behind winners Great Britain. This places the NZ crew into the A Final.
The last New Zealand crew to race on the afternoon of quarter finals and repechages was the New Zealand Junior Men's Coxed Four of Fergus McSwiney, George Howat, Sam Martel and Jonathan Winter Coxed by Timothy Zouch, finishing in 4th place in a time of 6:36.67 which was 4 seconds behind the winner Turkey. This crew proceeds to the A Final.
Of the 7 New Zealand crews racing at the regatta 3 have made A finals with 4 progressing through to tomorrow's semi finals.
Due to forecasted bad weather on final day Sunday 9 August, FISA are seriously considering moving the Sunday finals to Saturday. This will be confirmed in the next 12 hours.