Greek lightweights speedy in World Champ heats

29 / 08 / 2011

The near perfect rowing conditions on Lake Bled saw Greece’s Christina Giazitzidou and Alexandra Tsiavou close in on the World Best Time when they raced in their heat of the lightweight women’s double sculls. Giazitzidou and Tsiavou were racing in day two of the 2011 World Rowing Championships in Bled, Slovenia. Flat, warm water and a very light tail on Lake Bled meant fast heat times today as crews in five events raced for the first time at this regatta.

Lightweight Women’s Double Sculls (LW2x) – Heats
Four heats lined up in this event with the top boat in each heat earning a direct path to the semifinals. This is a big bonus in lightweight rowing as it means one less race and one less time of getting down to the correct weigh-in weight. The crews must have had this on their mind in heat one as the opening pace was hot and it remained hot. Greece’s Christina Giazitzidou and Alexandra Tsiavou got out very quickly at the start and it must have been their strategy to really shake things up early on, then hold on until the line. By the half way point the Greek’s had built up a very handy lead over Australia and China. Greece was third last year and it looks like they have really stepped up this year.
Coming into the line Greece had enough of a lead that they were able to enjoy what looked like a relaxed 32 stroke rate to not only cross the line in first, but also record the fastest qualifying time by a huge six seconds. Giazitzidou and Tsiavou’s time of 6:56.12 puts them less than seven seconds outside of the World Best Time.
The World Champions, Canada raced in heat two. Canada’s Tracy Cameron has been swapped for Patricia Obee as Cameron recovers from back problems. Obee, along with Lindsay Jennerich, took the lead at the beginning and had nearly a boat length lead with just 500m rowed. Belgium then attacked through the middle of the race and got their boat overlapping with the Canadians. Canada, however, kept the pressure on and a stroke rate of 42 coming into the finish line gave Obee and Jennerich the first place position. Canada advances to the semifinals.
Heat three turned into a two-way tussle between Great Britain and New Zealand with Hester Goodsell and Sophie Hosking of Great Britain having a slight advantage. Goodsell and Hosking were fifth in 2010 while New Zealand’s Lucy Strack was in the boat that finished sixth. Strack is now rowing with Louise Ayling and the duo finishes seventh at the final World Rowing Cup this season. Coming through the middle of the race these two countries remained locked together with the British holding a slight advantage. Coming into the line both crews upped their rating, New Zealand hitting 38. Great Britain held them off, only just. Great Britain earns a spot in the semifinals.
Winners of the World Cup season, the United States lined up in heat four. Kristin Hedstrom and Julie Nichols of the United States are in their first season rowing together, but both already have experience at the international level. Today they left the start just behind Belarus, but by the middle of the race Hedstrom and Nichols had found the lead. With that the Americans looked to relax, lengthen their stroke and drive their boat home strongly. A last minute challenge by Italy closed the gap on the Americans, but Hedstrom and Nichols were in control. The United States earn a spot in the semifinals.