Stormy conditions hamper racing on Day 2 in Sarasota

Storms hampered Day Two of the 2019 World Rowing U23 Championships with racing suspended mid-way through the morning session and only resumed after lunch in Sarasota-Bradenton.

Nine Australian crews competed today (Thursday) in Florida, with U23 Lightweight Men’s Double Scull, U23 Women’s Pair and U23 Lightweight Women’s Single Scull all progressing to semi-finals. The U23 Women’s Double Scull and U23 Men’s Eight will both contest repechages to make their A-Finals, while the U23 Men’s and Women’s Four progressed to the B-Finals.

Meanwhile, the U23 Lightweight Women’s Pair and U23 Women’s Coxed Four each finished third in their preliminary races and will race A-Finals on Saturday.

The U23 Women’s Double Scull of Giorgia Patten and Harriet Hudson, opened proceeding on Thursday at Nathan Bederson Park, with duo finishing third in their heat, while Hungary took the win and the only A-Final berth on offer. The Australians will contest the repechage on Friday.

The Lightweight Men’s Double Scull of Mitchell Reinhard and Nathan Kennedy had a great heat, with the young Australians finishing in second place, in a time of 6 minutes 30 seconds. The Australians, who were coached by the late Nick Garratt and wore black tape on their zoot suits today to honour Garratt, qualified for the A/B semi-finals set for Saturday in Florida.

The U23 Men’s Eight had a late change with Alexander Jeremijenko being replaced with team-mate Mitchell Hooper. Hooper, who is part of Australia’s U23 Men’s Coxed Four that won their heat yesterday (Wednesday) to progress straight to Saturday’s A-Final, will be doubling up and racing both the U23 Men’s Coxed Four and the U23 Men’s Eight.

The Australians needed a top two finish to progress straight to the A-Final and avoid the repechage. Taking on Great Britain, Germany, Romania and France the Australians had a strong start and were third by the halfway mark but the crew ultimately finished in fifth and will contest the repechage on Friday.

Of the two preliminary races today, the Lightweight Women’s Pair of Lucy Theodore and Jilly Roberts had the more eventful of races. The duo’s first race, in the morning, was pulled off the course by officials at the 1250 mark after extreme storms came in over the course. The Australians raced again in the afternoon, finishing in third, with their A-Final set for Saturday.

The repechages saw the U23 Women’s Pair of Dyone Bettega and Tara Rigney and the U23 Lightweight Women’s Single Scull of Georgie Masters both win. The Pair were second at the 500 metre mark, but pushed into the lead to take the win and progress to Friday’s semi-finals. Masters led her race from start to finish to progress to the Friday’s semi-finals.

The U23 Women’s Four finished fourth in their repechage, to progress to the B-Final. Meanwhile, their male counterparts were pipped at the finish line, by China, to just miss out on an A-Final berth in Sarasota.

Race times for Friday 26 July at 2019 World Rowing U23 Championships

U23 Men’s Single Scull: Quarter-Final at 23:00 AEST (09:00 local time)

U23 Women’s Double Scull: Repechage at 23:25 AEST (09:25 local time)

U23 Men’s Eight: Repechage at 23:50 AEST (09:50 local time)

U23 Lightweight Women’s Single Scull: Semi-Final at 00:18 AEST (10:18 local time)

U23 Women’s Pair: Semi-Final 00:30 AEST (10:30 local time)

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