HPL2X / Men's Lightweight Double Sculls
Favored Swiss Brothers Head to Semifinals: The 1995 World Champion crew of Markus and Michael GIER of Switzerland had a close race in their heat in the men's lightweight double sculls but escaped to qualify for semifinal action on Friday, 26 July. Upset in the preliminaries was the Italian team which was edged out by Jose Maria DE MARCO and Juan Carlos SAEZ of Spain by just .60. The Italians had finished first at Lucerne and will look to rectify their chances for Olympic medals in the repechage on Wednesday. Also advancing to semifinal action was the crew of Maarten van der LINDEN and Pepijn AARDEWIJN of The Netherlands and the Australian team of Anthony EDWARDS and Bruce HICK.
See story.
"In the beginning we were not a favorite. There
was no pressure," said Spain's Jose Maria DE MARCO. "We
had nothing to lose and everything to win."
Second Upset Haunts Canadian Team: One day after teammate Silken LAUMANN was denied advancement in the women's single sculls event, the women's lightweight double sculls crew of Colleen MILLER and Wendy WIEBE suffered the same fates forcing them to the repechage on Wednesday. The Romanian crew of Constanta BURCICA and Camelia MACOVICIUC won the preliminary heat by three seconds over the Danish and nearly eight seconds than the favored Canadians. On their home waters, the United States' Lindsay BURNS and Teresa BELL also qualified for the semifinals, while the Australian duo of Virginia LEE and Rebecca JOYCE rounded out the threesome heading to the semifinals.
Danish Qualify for Semifinals: One of two teams seeded in its heat, the crew from Denmark lived up to pre-Olympic expectations by winning its preliminary race in the men's lightweight coxless four to advance to the semifinals. However, upsets were on tap during Monday's races as the always strong Italian and German teams will need to get their bid for the semifinals in the repechage, since both were defeated in preliminary action. The Italians were nearly seven seconds back of Denmark, while the crew from Germany finished just three seconds behind the South African crew. Also advancing to the semifinals was the Canadian crew. Denmark holds the silver medal from the 1995 World Championships and more recently captured first at the Lucerne regatta.
No Surprises in the Quadruple Sculls: "Too close for comfort" is what the German women's quadruple sculls crew might have labeled their race as they finished at 6:36.00, just 1.59 ahead of the Russian crew. However, the German crew of Jana SORGERS, Katrin RUTSCHOW, Kathrin BORON and Kerstin KOEPPEN is accustomed to finishing first they are the defending Olympic gold medalists and 1995 World Champions. Going to semifinal action on Friday also will be the crew from Canada, Laryssa BIESENTHAL, Marnie MCBEAN, Diane O'GRADY and Kathleen HEDDLE, who comfortably won their heat. McBEAN and HEDDLE will pull double duty in Olympic competition as the twosome also advanced to the semifinals of the women's double sculls during Sunday's races.
"When we got to the starting gate we said it
was either going to be a good race or great race," said Marnie
MCBEAN. "When you are racing well, despite the pain, you
can still pull harder."
Two-Time World Champions Advance to Semis: The
Italian crew of Massimo PARADISO, Alessandro CORONA, Rossano GALTAROSSA
and Alessio SARTORI proved why they are the world champions surviving
a close race in the men's quadruple sculls to qualify for semifinal
races on Friday. Currently, the crew holds the world's best time
in the event, 5:37.68, established at Indianapolis in 1994. Joining
the Italians in the semifinals will be the German crew of Andre
STEINER, Stephen VOLKERT, Andreas HAJEK and Andre WILLMS, a crew
which has dominated in 1996 with first-place finishes at Duisburg
and Lucerne. Other semifinal qualififiers: Australia, The Netherlands,
Belarus, United States, the Russian Federation, Switzerland and
Sweden.
One More Upset Tops the Second Day of Olympic
Rowing Competition: The Olympic Games
have long been highlighted by unexpected wins and shocking upsets,
and the United States women's eight got a dose of the latter in
its preliminary race on Monday. The defending World Champions
(6:28.45) were defeated by Belarus (6:24.61), just one month
after the U.S. victory at Lucerne. The other women's eight teams
besides Belarus to qualify for the finals was the Romanian
team, silver medalists at the World Championships. The Romanian
women hold the world's best time in the event (5:58.50) set at
this year's Duisburg Regatta.
"We didn't train this long to come out here
and loose one race and fall apart. We are too mature and professional
to let this get to us in that way," said Yasmin FAROOQ, coxswain
of the United States women's eight. "We want to win the final.
It will now take us one more race to get there."
US Men Advance Amongst Cheers of "Homeland"Crowd:: In front of an excited grandstand that included Chelsea Clinton, the United States men's eight narrowly edged the Germans in an exciting race to advance to the finals on Friday. The men's eight from The Netherlands proved themselves a powerhouse in the event, winning their heat to earn a spot in the finals as well. The Dutchmen have carried the momentum in 1996 with wins at Cologne, Duisburg and Lucerne and took second at the 1995 World Championships. The U.S. men have not captured the gold medal in the men's eight since 1964-- and is one step closer to bringing home the gold on its own waters.
"We were focused," said the United States'
Porter COLLINS. "We've been coached for Atlanta, so we were
ready to go."
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| The Mother Nature was kind to Olympic athletes and spectators. The average high temperature during the Games was 89 degrees with an average low of 72 degrees. Highest temperature registered (20 July) - 99 degrees. Lowest high temperature registered is 79 degrees (28 July). |