Women's Pair
Viorica SUSANU (ROU)
On how this race compares to their heat:
"It is a better race, but it is just about getting into the final."
On what is needed to beat the favourite crews from Great Britain and New Zealand in the final:
"From start to finish, just put on the power. But it's not just about Great Britain and New Zealand. It's Germany, Australia and the United States. All finalists are good."
Georgeta ANDRUNACHE (ROU)
On how she would feel if she won gold in the final, putting her total tally to six golds and making her the most successful rower in history:
"I would be very happy with everyone, with my friends, with my family, with my crewmate." (Viorica SUSANU, who she hugs afterwards.)
On continuing on to Rio 2016:
"Anything's possible."
Gabriela BEST (ARG)
On coming last in the repechage:
"We had a really bad day today and we chose the wrong day to have a bad day. The conditions are good but we didn't take advantage of them. We know that we can do more than this and are going to fight for first place in the B final."
On why the race didn't go to plan:
"We were nervous and anxious about the final. There was so much presssure and the two of us worked differently with it and today we couldn't find each other in the boat."
Marlene SINNING (GER):
On their race plan:
"Our heat was pretty bad, so our goal was to be better.
On being in the repechage rather than qualifying directly for the final:
"At every international regatta we have to go through a repechage except in New Zealand (2010 world championships) where we went straight to the final."
On the upcoming A final:
"I'll enjoy the final and hope to row the best race of my life."
Kerstin HARTMANN (GER):
On the race:
"The last 500 metres were a great experience and very exciting, and we're thrilled to be in the final. We won't change our tactics for the final - our plan is just to beat everyone else."
Naydene SMITH (RSA)
On failing to qualify for the women's pair final:
"We put our good South African hearts into this race. Obviously it is good being at the Games, a dream come true, but it would have been good to get into the final too."
On being the first South African pair to race at the Olympic Games since 2000:
"You always have pride for your country and you can't put money on how much that is valued. We are so, so proud to be in green and gold."
Lee-Ann PERSSE (RSA)
On being the youngest woman in the South African team:
"We all dream of going to the Games so it is a dream come true, but it would have been good to get to the final and that is for the future now."
On her hero being Roger Federer and whether she has met him yet:
"I have his cap and so I hope to get it signed, maybe at the closing ceremony."
Women's Quad
Jason LANE (AUS) - coach
On the United States attacking in the final part of the race:
"When the US put on the pressure, they (his crew) stayed calm. That was good."
On whether rower Dana FALETIC (AUS) being a mother is a challenge:
"It definitely is. Her son was with us in Italy (on the training camp), (but) he's gone home now. I guess it's tough (for her)."
On his experience biking alongside the course, right next to the crowd:
"It's quite exciting. The crowd's cheering, yelling 'go Aussie', kids giving you high fives."
Amy CLAY (AUS)
On winning the repechage:
"We are really happy. It was a good step up from the heat and good to get another race under our belt. We were excited to take another step to the final."
On the race:
"Today we tried to race technically well and to manage the conditions well. There was a pretty strong cross-tail wind. It was a matter of keeping on top of it."
On the next step:
"There is always something more and improvements can be made and we are excited to be in the final and to have the opportunity to represent our country. We will rest today and row tomorrow, and start gearing up for the final."
On her personal high spot in the race:
"I think the atmosphere in the crowd going into the last 500-250 metres was just amazing - definitely important in the last stretch and the atmosphere overwhelmed me in a very positive way."
Frances HOUGHTON (GBR)
On the race:
"It's a really big relief to be in the final - we got through some very tough race conditions and we're confident in ourselves that the best is yet to come."
On why they held back before moving into third place:
"We like to make the race dramatic and exciting for the spectators."
On the final:
"I know we're good enough to be up there. We're going to find ourselves and go out and give our all."
On who their main rivals are:
"All of them. We're not worried about any of them, but they will be there and we're going to pick them out, each and every one of them."
Debbie FLOOD (GBR)
On the GBR crew being the dark horse rather than a favourite:
"We were favourites at Beijing (2008) and Athens (2004) and we were medalling. We've only had one race together, in Munich, but at the Olympics everything is reset and everyone starts level. We are having to work very hard."
Beth RODFORD (GBR)
On the race:
"We stayed focused on our lane. We knocked off two crews. The second half we were moving through. It was a strong race."
On preparation for the final and any changes they might make:
"We're not going to throw everything up in the air and have massive tweaks. We'll watch the race video. It was a stronger race than in the heat. It's a question of stepping up our game. It's an Olympic final on our home water. It's got to be bigger for final days."
On maintaining mental focus:
"We'll play to our strengths. We're quick in the middle, Ukraine have a strong start. With the stress of an Olympic regatta, anything can happen."
Louise TRAPPITT (NZL)
On getting her blade stuck in the water ('catching a crab') in the last 500 metres of the race:
"We were having a flyer and my blade had had it. It got caught in the water and snapped in half so even if I could recover it it would not have been any good. I had to enjoy the ride for the last metres. That's sport for you."
Eve MACFARLANE (NZL)
On the problem:
"Onwards and upwards. Everyone in the team supports eachother and we are looking forward to Rio (2016 Olympic Games)."
Men's Quad
Francesco FOSSI (ITA)
On the performance:
"We are still experiencing some problems with fitness and are trying to find our best performance but we are happy. We are growing with every race."
On the competition they will be facing in the semifinal:
"Croatia and Germany are strong competition but if we can find ourselves in good condition we can race everyone as long as we trust in ourselves."
On the crew:
"This is only our second race together. It's a very new crew. We have only been racing together for about a month, basically since two weeks before the (world cup) regatta in Munich."
Andre VONARBURG (SUI)
On being a mentor to his less experienced teammates:
"There are some things to tell them, what to expect (at the Olympic Games). I don't think they didn't know what was coming."
On racing the quadruple scull compared to the single scull:
"It (the quadruple scull) is much easier. There's more people in the boat, you can talk to each other before the race. Mentally it is so much better."
On what they will have to do to reach the final:
"We have to try everything. We really have to go the first 1000 metres. Stay in places one, two or three so we can get into the final."
Matthew TROTT (NZL)
On the race:
"There were a few technical things that we wanted to do without the pressure of the heats and we managed to do that."
"We kept some energy back and saved ourselves for the semifinals."
Robert MANSON (NZL)
On Matthew TROTT's return to the boat after injuring his back in the world cup series in Lucerne and then missing the round in Munich:
"It was definitely challenging having Matthew out of the boat, it is good to have him back."
Men's Eight
Tobias LISTER (AUS)
On whether the crew needs to be more aggressive:
"We did to a degree. We're not just there yet. (We were) left behind at the start. The first 15 strokes are key. (But) it was better than the heat."
On whether they had completed a race in training where they realised where they would need to be:
"Yes, at the training camp in Italy. We did one race where we finished at the top. A medal isn't unrealistic."
On how the crowds are affecting communication with the crew:
"In the last 250 (metres) the guys have got to be listening really closely for my voice. Early on, you can't really hear the crowd. Just a buzz. Wednesday at the final (it'll be) pretty wild."
Alex PARTRIDGE (GBR)
On having a second chance in the repechage after coming second in Saturday's heat:
"The more racing we do the better. We did learn a lot, so it's better to be prepared."
On having a race plan:
"We had a job to do in a certain way, and it was executed well."
On the influence of Greg SEARLE (GBR), gold medal winner from the Barcelona 1992 Olympic Games:
"He's part of the team. We're nine guys. We've got a mission to follow."
On pre-race nerves:
"They prove useful if used in the right way. It's a unique feeling. Once in a lifetime (to be here), and we have to use (nerves) to our advantage on Wednesday."
Olivier SIEGELAAR (NED)
On coming in third in the repechage:
"The thing is, it was not a perfect race. In the end, I wasn't too happy with it, but then you see we're only one second behind the Brits, and 0.5 of a second behind the Canadians. It's so close."
On the final:
"It's going to be an insane final. That's what you want to have. You have six crews competing for the first three medals. We need a 100% race to win a medal. We've got to have it perfect."
On changing the tactics:
"What's tactics? We just have to be as fast as we can be."
On the lead-up to the London 2012 Olympic Games:
"We had a really rough year. Really insane practices, tough selections, everything. I told one of my crewmates that this is what you do it for. Think of all the things we've done, all the tough training camps we've been going through."
On whether the world champion German crew are invincible:
"It's going to be an awesome final anyway, if they lose or if they win. If they win, they will have an awesome streak. If they lose, it's going to be a huge upset. For them it's a huge burden on their shoulders to win. There's five other crews breathing in their necks. They had a good heat, but they were also fighting with the Brits. They have to be 100% too."
Matthijs VELLENGA (NED)
On the rowing in the repechage:
"It was good, but it wasn't our best. And we'll need that if we want to get a good result in the finals."
On what they need to change:
"It's just the big picture. The rhythm just needs to be a little bit higher."
"The margins are positively small. If we row better, we'll be right to next to everyone."
"In the end, it's all about rhythm and really feeling the boat run. I recognise that from the men's four (that he raced in the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games). It (not having that smooth rhythm) makes you realise that the rowing in the four was (incredibly) good. Having a consistently good rhythm is hard."
"We can execute our final sprint so much better. We're yo-yoing up and down with a couple of boats for the bronze medal. But if we click together, we're a contender for the gold medal. Looking at the odds, chances are not that big that they'll happen, but there's no doubt about the quality in our boat. We can do it."
On getting a good result in the final:
"You can't expect things to go well in the final just like that."
Conlin MCCABE (CAN)
"This is the type of stuff we've been doing all year training on Elk Lake (in Victoria)... I feel much better now than I did on Saturday after the heat. We found our rhythm again and we are back in this. We know that this next race (the final) is the important one and it's going to define us as a crew."
Malcolm HOWARD (CAN)
On reaching a place in the final:
"We are in the right place for the final, there is some work to do tomorrow but we are close."
"We have to focus on our race plan and what is important for us. We can't get fixated on one boat."
On the rowing culture in the UK:
"I wouldn't say exactly that rowing to the UK is what hockey is to us in Canada but there are a lot of traditions and the way people come out and watch the sport here is fantastic."
On their performance in their first race:
"You can't go our there and have a performance like that and think anything good of it. But it taught us things and you learn from it."
"One race doesn't define you."
Will CROTHERS (CAN)
On coming second in the repechage of the men's eight:
"We kept our noses to the grindstone and got the result we wanted."
On reaching the final:
"It is not just about Germany and GBR. It is going to the wire and once we have made a last few adjustments we will be ready."
On being at his first Olympics:
"I am just taking it day by day, stroke by stroke. It is the Olympics but it is a lot like any other race. The same guys, the same boat, just more people, bigger stands and really exciting, a good vibe."
On his role as stroke:
"I have a lot of confidence in the guys and it is my job to get the most out of them. Everyone puts everything in to it but there is another gear there for us."
On dropping the stroke rate in this race compared to the heats:
"We approached it like another day on the lake. We know that is what works for us. We were looking to revise the rate to keep power and quality and we managed to do that today but we can do one better."
On racing against world champions Germany:
"Germany are just another crew. They are fast and I respect them for that but it means they have a lot of pressure which we can get behind."
On relaxing with family and friends:
"It is great when I can decompress with family and friends who are here. It puts the Olympics in the rear view mirror."
Jeremiah BROWN (CAN)
On the added pressure on the Canadians for being reigning Olympic champions:
"Any programme has its ups and downs. The Canadian programme has been doing well. Our hallmark is our ability to bounce back up."
On using his background as an American football player in rowing:
"I played football for four years in uni (university). I was an offensive lineman. But the physiology is completely different. (Contrary to American football) rowing is about increasing your lactic acid threshold."
"Football gave me a firm grounding and discipline."
On Germany being the favourites for Wednesday's final of the men's eights:
"All crews are good crews. Germany is great, I don't need to tell you that."
Men's Pair
Nikola STOJIC (SRB)
On the first part of the race, when they were in last position:
"I caught a crab, that's why we were behind in the first 250m. For the next 500m we had some steering problems, but after that we could focus on some good rowing."
On their plans for the semifinals:
"We want to make the final. We don't know who is going to be with us but we'll try to do our best to get to the final."
On using his experience at his fourth Olympic Games:
"My experience is coming with racing and I try to help the other guy (Nenad BEDIK), who is much younger than me, with this."
Anton BRAUN (GER)
On the New Zealand pair (Eric MURRAY/Hamish BOND, who set a world best time in Saturday's heat):
"I think that there are six boats on our level. New Zealand are different, they are not in our range. They will win the semifinals and the finals."
On winning the first world cup of 2012 and then failing to win a medal at the next two:
"At the first world cup the competition were not as good as they were in Lucerne. At Lucerne we did a good job and in Munich we were very down."
On their race plan for the semifinal:
"We have to improve our pretty good start and have a long and very strong rhythm."
"We are a very good sprint boat."
Women's Double
Fiona PATERSON (NZL)
On Great Britain (Anna WATKINS/Katherine GRAINGER), who came first:
"The Brits were top dogs going into the race. We wanted a good start, to use the race conditions and execute our race plan."
"We didn't want to get sucked into killing ourselves but we went in with confidence."
On injury concerns:
"We have been ill at different times, just bugs and fatigue, which has been frustrating but we are both well now and can put all that behind us and have a good regatta."
Anna REYMER (NZL)
On the disappointment in women's quadruple sculls, where the New Zealand crew "caught a crab" in the final quarter of the race and were relegated to the B final:
"It is absolutely gut-wrenching what happened to the girls in the quad. They have so much potential and are such a great team."
Kim CROW (AUS)
On racing in the double sculls after winning the single sculls heat on Saturday:
"We had confidence that we can do it. We're really looking for the final."
On their expectations for the final:
"We'll be pushing up further in the final."
Brooke PRATLEY (AUS)
On the beginning of this race:
"We didn't have a great start."
Lenka ANTOSOVA (CZE)
On the first part of the race:
"I think it was not a good race. We had a not bad start, but at 750 metres I had an accident with my right oar."
On their expectations before the heat:
"We were in the same heat for example with team New Zealand (Fiona PATERSON/Anna REYMER), so we expected that it would be hard."
On their expectations for the repechage:
"It'll be very hard tomorrow."
Jitka ANTOSOVA (CZE)
On their expectations for the repechage:
"We hope that the next race will be better for us, and we will progress to the next round."
On their preparation:
"We need to sleep, then eat and relax."
Anna WATKINS (GBR)
On how it feels to win the heat:
"It's been a long wait, watching everyone start. We're absolutely ready to race. The roar of the crowd... no pressure - absolutely amazing. It's as if the whole British public wants us to win. It's the biggest high ever."
On how pleased she is with their performance:
"We've had (some) great training, on perfect water. It's different here with the cross wind. We (needed to) do a good row in these conditions. It turned out to be fast on the day."
On if she was nervous:
"I thought I was going to be sick at the start. I've felt worse in the last couple of days. (But) every detail is planned out, so at the start, we had to do our plan. We knew we could do it."
On how difficult the next four days will be ahead of their final on Friday:
"We mustn't get caught up in other people's finals. Keep our heads down, not get swept up with the excitement. We're on course. Exactly where we want to be."
On breaking the Olympic record:
"I'd forgotten about the Olympic record. Steve REDGRAVE (GBR) said to us, don't have your best race in the heat. Records come and go. We're pleased with the win. We were able to relax in the second half of the race, but didn't want anyone to come back on us."
Katherine GRAINGER (GBR)
On racing her first heat at the Olympics:
"We were looking forward to the Olympic startline. All we'd hear from everyone around us was the effect that the crowds have. And what we've never experienced before is that they start with 100 metres gone. The whole way down the course you've got this incredible support. Both Anna (WATKINS) and I enjoy that. I don't think it distracts or affects us in a negative way. It's a wonderful buoyancy you get."
On her last thought before the start of the race:
"It's very simple, what I've thought a lot of times before. The intensity of the situation, you're very aware it's an Olympic heat. I don't need to be reminding myself of that."
On the last 250 metres towards the line:
"I wasn't gonna give out a big smile, but there was a big grin inside me."
"I am just doing what Anna tells me to do. There's part of me that would have loved to lift the roof off the boat and see how fast we can go. We know we'll have that for us in the final, and today was just about getting ourselves in the final in the best possible position. I think we'll play a little more on Friday (in the final)."
On how fast she thinks she can go:
"To be honest, we were surprised we got the Olympic record. We knew that if there were very fast conditions, we would go for a fast time, but it didn't feel fast. Anna deliberately held us steady. We've got a lot more steps we'll put in when we want to do the full race. There's quite a big amount to come still."
On coping with the expectations:
"We did come off buzzing. Tonight it's going to be feet back on the ground, we've got a job to do. The heat is wonderful to win, but it's the heat. No one's gonna remember who won the heat come Friday. It's about bringing it all right back down tomorrow. It's like a new job on Friday to do."
Men's Four
Andrew TRIGGS HODGE (GBR)
On the race performance:
"We did what we could achieve. There are definitely a few points that we can work on and push for a few more seconds."
On the competition:
"We are not scared. We know we will be competing with a lot of top-class crews and we are very aware that everyone of them can be a danger. At the startline everyone is a threat."
Alex GREGORY (GBR)
On finishing his first Olympic race:
"It was a nervous race for me. I am glad I got that under my belt. It feels good."
Tom JAMES (GBR)
On how it feels to win:
"It feels great. The boat's moving well. We've more work to do, it was a bit scrappy. We've got to get in the top three (in the semifinal) to get to the final. We've got to do the right (things) to get to the final."
On how tough the competition is:
"We're quite relaxed. This is why we do it - the tough racing. It's more memorable if it's tough and you win. (I) like it when racing good people. I want to beat them. Great to have tough opposition."
On the spirit in the boat:
"We all approach racing in a similar way. Relaxed and free. We focus internally on what we're doing. We respond to the challenge. We've got tough opposition and we want to respond to that. That's why we do it. It's our home Olympics. There's a lot of opportunity."
James CHAPMAN (AUS)
On the four's performance:
"We are trying to execute on all the training we have done. You want to be able to get a quick heat row and now we will look back at the footage and try to row well."
On the crew's energy levels:
"We still have plenty left in the tank. The job is to start well and see where we are halfway. There are lots of strong teams in the field."
Drew GINN (AUS)
On the plan for the semifinal:
"Simple, we are just trying to go as fast as we can from the first stroke. I do not want to play games, we have trained for the hardest battle possible. We love to race and we are looking forward to it."
"As a crew we are focused on being the best rowers that we possibly can, to get the best win that we possibly can."
On achieving an Olympic best time:
"There's a great commentator in Australia who says times in rowing don't mean anything. We don't underestimate our competitors."
On winning the heat:
"It's great to get the heat out of the way, it gives us confidence for the rest of the week."
Matyas KLANG (CZE)
On why the race plan didn't work:
"It was pretty bad. We had a good start, but we had problems getting into the right stroke and at 200m I had a big problem with my steering shoe. The last 450 (metres) were pretty bad because in the world cups and qualification we had good finishes. And today we didn't. I am disappointed. I have to put it behind me and think about tomorrow."
Stergios PAPACHRISTOS (GRE)
On qualifying:
"We are very happy to be in the semifinals. Our coach will decide on the way we will go in the semis. We respect all our opponents but it will be very difficult. Great Britain and Australia (who won their heats) are traditionally very strong in this race but at the Olympics there are no favourites. It will definitely not be the same race."
Sebastian SCHMIDT (GER)
On the result:
"Very pleased with the result. Little bit surprised by the strong wind, we weren't as fast as we should be."
On not being picked for the men's eight:
"I am not disappointed. In Britain the men's four is the best boat class."
"I have won two gold medals in the men's eight, now my goal is to win a medal in the four."
On the race plan:
"The race plan did not go as expected, we hoped to go with the field, but in fact we were behind the field from the start."
"We raised the stroke rate to 45 in the last 300m to try and get ahead. The last 500m were very good."
On the Great Britain and Australian crews - the favourites in this event:
"GB will be the best. Australia will try to get in front but they won't."
On the crew's chances of winning a medal:
"We hope for silver, but think realistically it could be bronze."
On the future of his crew and his own rowing career:
"I don't know if I will row next year. I have to study and so do many of the other crew members. I don't know if I will row again, it's 50/50."
"This may be my last Olympic Games, I don't know."
Derek O'FARRELL (CAN)
On the race and lessons learned:
"Maybe we gave up a little too much water in the second 500 metres just trying to settle into rhythm. That might have cost us a little bit, so that's an area we could work on. But we're pretty pleased with the result and it's obviously a stepping-stone to where we want to be, but we've proved to ourselves that we're not pretenders - we're contenders."
On being asked whether it helps not having the pressure of expectation on the crew:
"Yes definitely. It's the Olympics and flying under the radar a little allows us to concentrate on ourselves and on our race."
On the crew:
"There's a lot of horsepower in the boat and at times this year it's been a little raw, but that's good - it's what you need, and we've been able to harness it."
"There hasn't been a lot of attention on us, so we were able to fly under the radar. That allowed us to focus on executing a good race and I think that's what we did. We can be in the mix for a top spot and to get into the A final. That's our goal and obviously there's a little work to be done still, but it's exciting that we can have that speed and continue to tweak it to get more out of ourselves."
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