Finals Start Thursday at the 2024 World Rowing Championships in St. Catherine’s

The seats in the Craig Swayze Memorial Grandstand filled early, ready for an action-packed fourth day of competition which saw all three age groups take to the water on Martindale Pond. Racing began with repechages in the senior lightweight women’s single sculls before we welcomed the U19 competitors to the water for the first time, to race their heats. The afternoon session saw semifinals in the U23 boat classes, confirming the line-ups for the finals.

In the U19 men’s quadruple sculls, Germany have come to St Catharines as defending Champions although only with one returning member from last year’s crew. While their winning time in heat two was fast, it wasn’t quite as fast as Italy had gone in the first heat so it will be exciting to see them go head-to-head in later stages of competition.

The reigning World U19 Champion in the women’s single sculls, Bianca-Camelia Ifteni of Romania, began her campaign to defend her title today when she easily clocked the fastest time across the three heats, 8:25.16, in conditions that were not conducive to fast times.

After the lunch interval, focus moved back to the U23 boat classes and a block of fiercely competitive semifinals took place, with the opportunity to race for medals at stake.

Two heat winners were neck-and-neck all the way down the course in the first semifinal of the women’s four; New Zealand eventually finishing just 0.77 second ahead of Great Britain. They’ll meet again in the final on Friday. In the men’s fours, where Great Britain are defending champions, they finished just 0.21 seconds ahead of France with Australia winning the second semifinal. Great Britain against Australia in a men’s four – a contest rowing fans are used to seeing!

A photo finish was required to decide the qualifiers in the second semifinal of the U23 men’s quadruple sculls with Great Britain finishing just 0.02 seconds ahead of Ireland and confirming their place in the final.

Germany clocked the fastest times in both the men’s and women’s U23 single sculls. Timo Strache is looking for his third World Rowing U23 medal, and he proved he’s on form today. Meanwhile, winner of the B final at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Alexandra Foester, continued her dominance in the U23 women’s single sculls.

With the semifinals of the U23 boat classes now complete, the first medal finals will take place tomorrow, Thursday 22 August. Medals will be awarded across eight boat classes. Racing starts at 09:30 EST with the U23 medal finals commencing at 15:30 local time.

For start lists, race reports, results and photos go to www.worldrowing.com

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