[World Cup Rowing, München, Germany]
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© Henk Schrik / May 1997 / © foto's: Henk Schrik [World Cup Rowing, München, Germany] |
Olympic events
World
Cup
Rowing
[Munich 1997 (Dutch)] | [Uitslagen/Results Munich 1997]Rowers do hate cross headwinds you know...
Germans best prepared for World Cup seriesAfter the 'low profile' regattas of Cologne, Gent, Piediluco and Essen, the international regatta of Munich attracted more crews from more countries. Sorry for the dead, the World Cup single scull, it died silent and peaceful; long live the World Cup Rowing, a new FISA concept. Will this new concept work, will it change the policies of the national rowing federations, where to compete and with what crews, considering their budgets. And if, what will be the consequences for the other international regattas. Will this new concept attract the media (read: TV). Yes there was media coverage, but, except for the BBC, not at times when the rowing took place (ARD-Germany, rather showing 1/8 final tennis of Steffi Graf at Roland Garross in Paris). And although pictures were available, in some countries last years' rowing gold is only a memory; no single second of the regatta on TV (NOS-Netherlands). Anybody beleaving honestly TV-coverage might improve by new concepts ?? Call for scientific research to investigate (im)possibilities of attracting media and the public.
As for the regatta itself, the first of three World Cup Rowing tournaments, a lot of elite rowers met each other again for the first time since Atlanta, to find out where they stand in international ranking this year. Not all crews will remember the Munich tournament being pleasant, not because they lost from other competitors, but because they lost from a cros headwind; a nightmare for all rowers and rowing fans. Some crews who fortuned by it, still don't know about their real ranking after Munich......
Germany was best prepared for this tournament and consequently scored most WCR-points; in all Olympic-events, basis for the World Cup Rowing, Germany had entered an A-boat and a B-boat.
Sculling
Singles
The womens' single scull event was very competitive, with all elite rowers present. Olympic champion Ekaterina Khodotovich (BLR), as well as Guin Batten (GB), Trine Hansen (DEN) and Roumania Neikova (BUL) won their heat in which they had been placed. Only Maria Brandin, who lost from Neikova, joined the semies after a repechage.
Although this powerful woman Ekaterina Khodotovich needs no advantage from a cross headwind, she rowed the final in the more sheltered lower lane 1, because she entered the final with the slowest time. But then in the final she 'powered' away, leading halfway with over 7 seconds, and finishing first, followed by both former or still in name worldchampions Trine Hansen ('94) and Maria Brandin ('95).
Ekaterina Khodotovitch 
Olympic champion Xeno Müller (SUI) took a sabattical this year; Thomas Lange (GER) stopped. The heats in Munich were won by Iztok Cop (SLO, OS96-fourth), André Willms (last year stroke of the golden German quad) who plans the single scull this year, Fredrik Bekken (NOR, OS96-sixth), and surprising new appearance Greg Searle (GB, OS92-gold in the watertaxi, OS96-bronze in coxless four). The first three also came through the semies into the final; Greg Searle not yet. Instead Ibrahim Aly (EGY) made it into the final, as did Jamie Koven (USA), also new to the discipline (last year in the eight). The sixth finalist was André Reinholds from Latvia (OS96-nineth double scull), four weeks earlier winner in Cologne. Cop (lane 3) dominated the race, leading from start to finish, followed by a very strong sculling Aly. Although he showed strong sculling by rowing the final, Jamie Koven was lucky to row in lane 1 in the final; he finished third. André Willms finished only 6th; after a bad test race end April and trouble with a tooth (he didn't start in Cologne and Essen) he undoubtedly won't have pleasent memories of rowing on the outerlane in Munich...
Doubles
The German womens' sculling headcoach Jutta Lau had all her 'sheep' still together. Last year she gambled only on the quad, a lot of bad talk followed. This year some of her scullers had notably indicated to prefer the single scull; after Cologne there was silence, in Munich she appeared with all her top-scullers in the double and the quad. (The newest issue of 'Rudersport' shows Rutschow on the cover, with the note she will be in the single scull this year, but at that very moment rowing in the double in Munich; things change fast..). Kathrin Boron and Kathrin Rutschow (both from the golden quad from last years) formed the double. And it seems Jutta Lau has two very strong boats now; at least the double lead from start to finish (lane 4), followed by the Lithuanian and Latvian double. Again on the outer lane, a disappointing race of and for the Olympic fourth crew from Australia, Marina Hatzakis and Roy Bronwyn; travelling 24-hours to get to Munich, to find oneself in the worst thinkeable lane of a windy regatta.
Kathrin Rutschow en Kathrin Boron 
Olympic silver medallists from Norway, Kjetil Undset and Steffen Storseth, won the first heat in Munich, as did Stephen Volkert and Andreas Hajek (GER, and OS96 gold in the quad) in the second heat. Although performing in the single scull in Cologne and Essen (winning), Sebastian Mayer and Marco Schwalbe (GER) won the third heat. The Poles, Ukrainians, and Hungarians joined them for the final. Although not completely sure Volkert/Hajek had kind of intention of winning all races this year including the worldchampionships in Aiguebelette. Indeed they took an early lead, but halfway they had been passed by the Norwegians (lanes 3 and 4) who could sustain their lead to the finishline with a margin of 1.5 seconds. The Ukrainians Alexander Marchenko and Alexander Zaskalko (OS96-7th in the quad) had been rowing in fourth position; but rowing on lane 1 they could improve considerably in the final stages of the race once nearing the Grandstand (300meters long of shelter). The Ukrainians passed both German boats to finish second behind the Norwegians; Volkert/Hajek finishing third.
Two heats with two clear winners in the womens' lightweight double scull. Canadian-German Michelle Darvill (OS96-8th) with her new partner Angelika Brand (NC96-gold double scull) won the first heat. The second heat was won by Lene Anderson (OS96-5th) and Anna Helleberg (NC96-gold, WC96-4th single scull) from Denmark. The battle in Sundays' final, board a board, all the time, was between these two crews. As for the Olympic gold medallists from Romania, with still Camelia Naciviciuc on board, now with Maria Sava as her partner, they powered away as they did at the Games in Atlanta, still leading halfway course. But unlike at the Games, this time they relapsed, leaving the German and Danish double fighting to win; the Danes, Anderson/Helleberg won, their margin only 0.4 seconds.
Bernhard Rühling en Ingo Euler 
Last year the Germans Ingo Euler and Bernd Rühling battled against each other for selection in the German lightweight double; Euler formed the double with Uhrig, they finished 11th at the Games. This year Euler/Rühling seem to form a talented double, beating the Olympic champions, the Swiss brothers Gier, twice in Cologne. (see the reports on Cologne and Essen). In Munich they won their heat, the semi-final and also the final. Surprising second, a new couple from Austria, Jurtschitsch/Kobau (Kobau, OS96-12th lightweight coxless four), just ahead of Touron/Dufour (not qualified for the Games last year in Lucerne, Dufour NC96- silver single scull) from France. And the Swiss brothers Gier, the Olympic champions, as so many, 5th in lane 5.
Quads
As I wrote above, Jutta Lau seems to have two strong boats this year. In the quad ever present Kerstin Köppen, then Jana Thieme (former worldchampion single scull) and Manuela Lutze (both OS96-5th double scull), and young Meike Evers, last year, being 19, thrown to the lians in the Olympic single scull event (13th). The crew just powered away in the final. Only Russia, rowing in lane 1, could keep pace with what I always call the German rowing machine (the latter years only beaten by surprise by the Chinese in Racice, 1993). So Russia finished second behind the German quad. Silvermedallists from Atlanta, Ukrania, finished third. Just in case.... Jutta Lau still has another strong B-quad!.With Volkert/Hajek in the double scull and Willms in the single scull and, as was told, Steiner stopped; all four part of the German golden Olympic quad, this quad was completely renewed now. And after a few races of minor importance in Cologne and Essen, this new formed German crew with Jens Burow, Marcel Hacker (NC96-silver single scull), Marco Geisler, and Stephan Röhnert (NC96-gold in the quad), gave again a good performance. The Russian Olympic crew (OS96-8th) could keep the pace one length behind, closely followed by the new Dutch quad. From the Dutch Olympic crew (OS96-10th) only Joris Loefs was still part of the new crew, next to last years' spare GerritJan Eggenkamp, and two of the 'golden' boys from the Dutch Olympic goldmedallists in the eight, the 'Holland Acht'; Diederik Simon and Michiel Bartman changed discipline this year and got themselves into this quad of Dutch sculling headcoach Jan Klerks. Somewhat helped by their position in lane 2, the Dutch quad had far out the fastest last interval, jumping from 1 second down on the Russians to 2 seconds up and finishing only just over a second behind the Germans, the winners of this event.
Sweeping
Pairs
Russia's pair Albina Ligatcheva and Vera Potchitaeva had been disqualified in the Olympic final in Atlanta. In Munich they lead their heat for more than 3/4 of the race; somehow still lost by quite a margin from Germany's Kathleen Naser and Gerte John; the Russians to join the final via the repechage. In the final the Russians, again with Naser/John as 'closest' competitors, lead the race from start and build their lead over the course to finish 8.5 seconds ahead of the German pair. The second German pair finished third, but then seventeen seconds had already passed.Non-Olympic eventsBest fight we saw in Essen was between the two German pairs Huhn/Guhl (winners) and Zeidler/Ueck; the first pair won their heat in Munich, as did the Croation pair Boraska/Frankovic (OS96-7th coxless four), and the French brothers Beghin. Petkus/Bagdonas from Lithuania (OS96-10th), the second German pair, and a recently formed British pair Hunt-Davis/Thatcher joined them for the final. Igor Boraska and Tihomir Frankovic (lane 1) made it quite clear from the start, there was no crew to catch them. Surprisingly, the British pair seemed to be true successors of Pinsent and Redgrave (see: fours); they kept good pace to the Croations finishing 4.5 seconds down; the French finishing third. Both German boats fighting for fourth place, but Zeidler/Ueck fought an unequal battle rowing in lane 5.
Fours
The rowers from the French Olympic lightweight coxless four (OS96- 7th) were devided over two boats. They had to compete against the Olympic goldmedallists from Denmark, still with three from four rowers on board. The final was a start-finish victory for the Danes, about a length down followed by one of the French boats. Halfway course still being second, the British four, with rowers from last years' lightweight eight, were then overtaken by the French, and loosing more an more seconds to the end, but still finishing third.As for the open fours event, 'people' were awaiting the British coxless four, because Steven Redgrave had changed his decision in NOT EVER rowing in a boat again, just after the glorious Olympic final. His new goal; Olympic gold in the coxless four, to start with some international regattas and a few worldchampionships....
The British coxless four had Matthew Pinsent and Steven Redgrave on board, next to Tim Foster, part of the Olympic bronze medal crew, and James Cracknell (from last years' not very succesfull British double, OS96-17th). Unfortunately for the Brits and the public, the Italians, who always have strong fourths, although disappointing at The Games; they were absent, and the French silvermedallists preferred the eight. The Brits won their heat, the semi-final and the final, therefore Redgrave continued his being unbeaten for several years, a sport in itself as Redgrave told. The Slovenians, present with their Olympic crew (OS96-4th), had the thankless task to compete in lane 5; they finished 5th, as so many crews did in lane 5.....Eights
There were three of them, three womens' eights. The three eights, Olympic champion Romania, with still five of their eight rowers left, and the renewed eights of Germany and Belarus, competed against each other in lanes 1,2 and 3 (as the results tell). There was only one possible winner, the Olympic champions from Romania, leaving Germany and Belarus behind on seven and 14 seconds respectively.Last year the Dutch mens' eight, the 'Holland Acht', had won every international race, including gold at the Olympics. Six of the 'golden boys' stopped, two of them changed discipline (see: quads). This year, the Olympic silver medallists from Germany and bronse medallists from Russia fought a minor battle in Essen. In Munich, both crews won their heats. During sundays' final, the Russians had an off-day. An almost completeley new British eight surprised by finishing second only two seconds down on the German eight, and narrowly beating Germanies' second eight (lane 1). The French eight (coxless four silvermedallists and bronse coxless pair on board) and Romania, fought a losing battle on lanes 5 and 6.
The Dutch were also present with a completely new crew; for the greater part international unexperienced rowers, therefore this new eight can't be compared to the Dutch elite eight that won the prestigeous gold last year. Still, finishing eight of eight crews and two boatlenghts down on number seven is not inspiring. For Kris Korzeniowski, now responsable for the mens' sweep section, a lot of work to be done.
General
Within FISA 24 events in total exist in 2 disciplines, 11 sweep events, 13 sculling events; 14 Olympic events and 10 non-Olympic events. As the years pass more and more attention is paid to the Olympic events; I wont go into detail about the pro's and cons of all that, being seen as only nostalgic, when revealing for instance exciting races in the coxed pair in Lucerne or at worldchampionships. No, I won't go into that now, it needs a report and study of its own. The effect however: as for the Olympic events in Munich, one event, the womens's eight had no preliminaries; there were only 3 entries. As for the non-Olympic events, 10 in total, only 3 events had preliminaries: WLW1x, MLW1x, MLW2-. To summarize: W4- (3 entries); WLW4x (2 entries); WLW2- (2 entries); WLW1x (14 entries); MLW2- (9 entries); MLW1x (17 entries); MLW4x (5 entries); M2+ (2 entries); M4+ (5 entries); MLW8+ (4 entries).
Sculling
Singles
From the three earlier regattas in Cologne, Gent and Essen we learned that Karin Stephan and Valerie Viehoff from Germany, Jane Hall from Great Britain, and Annett Bogtstra from the Netherlands, might be possible finalists in Munich. The first three made it into the final; Bogtstra didn't, partly because of a bad lane. Benedict Luzy from France, and both sisters Knejp from Sweden were also represented in the final; Kristina being the faster of the two (in Munich). Also in the final (lane 4) she showed to be the strongest rower, in beating both German scullers. And Jane Hall, she finished 5th in lane 5.
Tomas Kacovsky, CZE | picture: Lucerne 1996 
Knowing the results of last years' worldchampionships and the outcome of this years' first international regatta in Cologne, we might expect a final amongst others including the Dutchman Pepijn Aardewijn (OS96-silver double scull, winner in Cologne), the Dane Karsten Nielsen (WC96-gold single scull, winner in Cologne), the Swiss Michael Bänninger (2nd, 3rd in Cologne), the Czech Tomas Cacovsky (winner Lucerne '96, WC96-silver single scull), the Fin Heiki Haavikko (WC96-bronse). Haavikko didn't make it into the final, beaten by Nielsen, Aardewijn, and Bänninger who all were in the same semi-final. Instead, Michal Vabrousek, another Czech sculler made his way into the final in winning the semi-final ahead of Kacovsky and ahead of the young Irishman, Gearoid Towey (NC96-gold single scull). Vabrousek had an early lead. In the final, Kacovsky, a rather slow starter and stroking less strokes a minute than the others, it takes him a while in catching up with his opponents. But (helped somewhat by rowing in lane 1) Kacovsky had passed all about halfway course; Nielsen the one who could keep closest pace to Kacovsky; Kacovsky won, Nielsen about 4 seconds behind. Aardewijn, seeing the impossibility to keep the pace in his lane, resigned from fighting for a lost cause; finishing last.
Quads
The mens' lightweight quad had a somewhat surprising outcome. The Germans, WC-silvermedallists of last year and present with still 3/4 of that crew might have counted on winning this 5-crew event. But tossed to row in lane 5 they had an impossible task of winning this event, and they didn't. Up to halfway course the Germans were still in the lead, but from there the Poles (including Robert Sycz, OS96-7th double scull), rowing in lane 1 had more energy left, to win the event, the Germans finishing second, 2.5 seconds down.
After Essen with two German crews, at Munich the second international race for lightweight womens' quads took place between a British and a German crew. Also this time no fast times worthwhile mentioning in rowing books; the British crew won, two seconds ahead of the Germans.
Sweeping
A pair, four, eight
In Essen, the Russians had done a few experiments on both days to find a best rowing pair and four. It seemed to have paid off for the pair, at least against the other crews present in Munich. Anatoli Kremarenko and Serguei Boukreev, also in the four, won the coxless pair event ahead of Vogt/Wittek from Germany.
Last year the German lightweight eight had won the events in Lucerne and the gold medal at the worldchampionships. Half of the crew was still present as they came to the start in Munich. Their opponents, Denmark (silver-medallists) and Great Britain (WC96-4th) came to Munich with almost complete new crews, which made it almost evident that Germany would win the event, as they did.
Next to Kacovsky, the Czech had another victory in Munich; their coxed four won easily ahead of a Croation crew.
I compiled 4 files with listings of all the results; preliminaries, repechages, semi-finals, A- and B-finals.
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