The Canadian men's eight led the way at the World Rowing Championships in Munich, Germany, today with the fastest time in what is rowing's fastest event.
Canada won its semi-final in 5:30.88, followed by Great Britain in 5:32.62 and crowd favourites Germany, in 5:33.05. China, Switzerland and Belarus move to the B final.
"They got out of the start and steadily moved away, they had good length," said men's coach Mike Spracklen, who led the men's eight to two consecutive World Championships before the last Olympics in 2004, where the eight finished fifth. "It was a good race and they rowed well. Sunday's final will be a nail biter that's for sure."
The eight's members are Kyle Hamilton of Richmond, B.C., Adam Kreek of London, Ont., Dominic Seiterle of Victoria, B.C., Malcolm Howard of Victoria, B.C., Jake Wetzel of Saskatoon, Sask., Andrew Byrnes of Toronto, Ont., Ben Rutledge of Cranbrook, BC, Kevin Light of Sidney, B.C., and (coxswain) Brian Price of Belleville, Ont..
Price, Hamilton, Kreek, Rutledge, and Light are all back from the 2004 Olympic boat, while Wetzel won a silver in the men's four at the 2004 Games. Seiterle competed at the 2000 Games in the men's double, and Byrnes has not yet made an Olympic appearance.
This Worlds' men's eight lineup won the Lucerne World Cup this year. "The World Championships is a definite step up and I have learned to not take the results from the World Cup for granted, especially in a qualifying year," said team veteran Kevin Light. "The only thing higher (to this Worlds) in terms of level of competition is the Olympics."
The other men's eight semi was extremely close at the line with the U.S. (5:35.29), Russia (5:35.49) and Poland (5:35.99) all crossing within a second to qualify - leaving Australia, the Netherlands and France to go to the B final.
In another exciting race, the lightweight men's four continued their consistently strong racing with a second-place showing in today's semi-final.
"Since Lucerne (where Canada finished fourth at the World Cup), I think our start has improved and our technique continues to get better," said Liam Parsons of Thunder Bay, Ont. "We were in the lead at the 500 (metre mark) today and we were able to hold it very close until the finish."
The light four is Liam Parsons, Mike Lewis of Victoria, B.C., Jon Beare of Toronto, Ont., and Iain Brambell of Victoria, B.C.
France won the semi in 6:01.28, Canada's time was 6:01.51, and Denmark was third in 6:02.07 to also qualify for the A final. Great Britain (6:00.13), Italy (6:01.11) and China (6:01.19) were the top three in the other semi and will also race in Sunday's final, which promises to be one of the closest races of the regatta.
Both the men's eight and the four locked up an Olympic berth today, and their races were followed by a gutsy performance by the women's quad, who have also earned Canada a spot in the Olympics for this boat class.
The women's quad of Anna-Marie de Zwager of Victoria, B.C., Krista Guloien of Port Moody, B.C., Janine Hanson of Winnipeg, Man, and Rachelle de Jong of Regina, Sask. was second in its rep and moves to the A final. This is the first time since 1996 that Canada will send a women's quad to the Olympics.
"We're realizing that we've got a lot of room to improve off the start," said de Zwager of Victoria, "but we do have a solid rhythm in the body of the race. There's definitely more speed to be had in our boat, and to say that we are excited to be in the A final and to have qualified is an understatement."
The lightweight women's double didn't fare as well today, but still has an opportunity to qualify this boat for the Olympics with a good result (top two) in the B final. Canada was fourth in today's semi in 7:04.52, only the top three - all finishing within a second of each other at the 2000-metre mark - qualified for the A final. The Canadian double, who had medaled at two World Cups this year, is Lindsay Jennerich of Victoria, B.C. and Tracy Cameron of Shubenacadie, N.S.
In the lightweight men's double, Doug Vandor of Dewittville, Que, and Matt Jensen of Innerkip, Ont. were sixth in today's semi in 6:32.56 - they won't medal in this event, but still have a chance at an Olympic berth by finishing at least 11th overall.
Steve Van Knotsenburg of Beamsville, Ont., Jamie Faris of Fort Saskatchewan, Alta., Gabe Bergen of 100 Mile House, B.C., and Rob Weitemeyer of Coquitlam, B.C. were second in the C final of the men's quad event to finish 14th overall.
In the men's four event, Barney Williams of Salt Spring Island, BC, Rob Gibson of Kingston, Ont., Peter Dembicki of West Vancouver, B.C., and Scott Frandsen of Kelowna, B.C. also placed 14th overall.
John Sasi of North Delta, BC. and Terry McKall of Edmonton, AB., were fifth in a rep and move to the lightweight men's pair B final.
In today's adaptive races, Joan Reid of Enderby B.C was second in her B final to finish eighth overall, and the double of Wilfredo Moré Wilson of Toronto, Ont. and Caitlin Renneson of Ottawa, Ont. finished third in the B final to place ninth in the world in this event.