Rowing WR Final World Olympic Qualification Regatta 2024

[copravolley 253]

6 minutes ago, Andry84 said:

Look at the start list of women 4x and Remember the last race of different italian crews, no chance at all, right decision

In my opinion Romania has made more progress in recent years under the work of Italian coaches than we did under Franco Cattaneo. I don't know if any changes are needed but we definitely need more money to compete with the Netherlands or the UK. Romania shows that it is possible

[Andry84 102]

17 minutes ago, copravolley said:

In my opinion only Ukraine is out of reach even in our form is close to the previous World Champ. However, we have too many injuries and changes. Some rowers also go to study in the USA and there is no continuation of work. In your opinion we are greater chances for advance in W2-?

I would say no chance at all

[copravolley 253]

3 minutes ago, Andry84 said:

I would say no chance at all

At the World Championships 2023 we were 1st under the line of QO in this category but with a different lineup.

[Rafa Maciel 1,594]

2 hours ago, Benolympique said:

who are the favorites?

My thoughts.....for what they are worth, starting with the sweep crews:

 

Men's Eight:     - I still struggle with the logic of Austria prioritising the Eight over some of the smaller boats where they would have had a better chance of qualifying. So in all honesty it will come down to Canada, USA and Italy fighting it out for 2 quotas. Neither USA nor Canada competed in Varese so it is difficult to gauge where they are. Based on performances last year and  should start as strong favourites with  likely to get the second spot. Italy and Canada went head-to-head twice last year and both times Italy came out on top. Add to that the turn of speed that they have shown early in the season, and they should have enough to get the better of Canada - but it will be close.

 

Women's Eight:     - Denmark are a new crew for 2024 but they haven't been able to challenge their European rivals so far this year and I don't see that changing in Lucerne. Although the German men's eight has been steadily rebuilding, their women's crew are still a bit behind their rivals.  got to the A-Final at last year's World Champs, but ultimately missed out on qualification. They should put that right in Lucerne and will probably start as favourites. Germany have competed twice this year - they were about 9 seconds behind GB in Varese, but they struggled at the Europeans (with a different crew). They've reverted back to the Varese crew so have given themselves a decent chance to qualify. The problem is that  are a complete unknown - as they always are going into an Olympic regatta - but they have a tendency to effectively navigate their way through the qualifying regatta so may well get the second quota. 

 

 

Men's Four:            - Although it was on home water,  delivered the surprise of the season when they beat GB twice in Varese. Although they couldn't repeat the feat at the Europeans, they are continuing to show great form so should start as favourites for the first quota. Behind them. After a pretty disastrous World Champs where they ended up in Final C, this is a priority boat for . After they finished 4th in Varese, they skipped the Europeans to focus on this - and I expect them to edge out the second quota. I think we're likely to see South Africa, Switzerland, Ukraine and Poland in the final but I don't see them being able to get into the top 2.

 

Women's Four:       - In a surprising turn of events, Canada and Germany have elected not to send a crew in this event and with them absent,  and  should start as favourites based on their performances from last year. Poland could run them close but will likely come up short. Whilst their results this year would suggest that neither Chile or Spain are likely to figure in the quota fight, it's difficult to make a call on Japan as this is another new crew, but the country doesn't have a huge track record in the sweep boats so there is nothing to suggest that they will be able to make the top two. 

 

 

Men's Pair:              - Predicting the final for this event is probably easier than predicting the top two as none of the crews have been able to show any real consistency. Denmark were the 1st non-qualifying boat in the World Champs last year and, although they skipped the Europeans to prepare for this after finishing 3rd at Varese, I don't think they'll end up getting a quota. I probably favour  and  - both have changed up their crews since the World Champs last year and performed well at the Europeans.  

 

Women's Pair:       - This could be one of the closest races in Lucerne. We haven't seen New Zealand in action yet but they are sticking with the same crew that went to the World Champs last year and finished 13th overall. Italy was the highest finishing non-qualifying crew at the World Champs last year but have struggled for form so far this season.  The  Jurkovic sisters are possibly the form crew after they finished 3rd at the Europeans and I think they are likely to get one of the two quotas.  The second quota should be a fight between New Zealand and Germany and I think should get it. 

[Benolympique 2,398]

44 minutes ago, Rafa Maciel said:

My thoughts.....for what they are worth, starting with the sweep crews:

 

Men's Eight:     - I still struggle with the logic of Austria prioritising the Eight over some of the smaller boats where they would have had a better chance of qualifying. So in all honesty it will come down to Canada, USA and Italy fighting it out for 2 quotas. Neither USA nor Canada competed in Varese so it is difficult to gauge where they are. Based on performances last year and  should start as strong favourites with  likely to get the second spot. Italy and Canada went head-to-head twice last year and both times Italy came out on top. Add to that the turn of speed that they have shown early in the season, and they should have enough to get the better of Canada - but it will be close.

 

Women's Eight:     - Denmark are a new crew for 2024 but they haven't been able to challenge their European rivals so far this year and I don't see that changing in Lucerne. Although the German men's eight has been steadily rebuilding, their women's crew are still a bit behind their rivals.  got to the A-Final at last year's World Champs, but ultimately missed out on qualification. They should put that right in Lucerne and will probably start as favourites. Germany have competed twice this year - they were about 9 seconds behind GB in Varese, but they struggled at the Europeans (with a different crew). They've reverted back to the Varese crew so have given themselves a decent chance to qualify. The problem is that  are a complete unknown - as they always are going into an Olympic regatta - but they have a tendency to effectively navigate their way through the qualifying regatta so may well get the second quota. 

 

 

Men's Four:            - Although it was on home water,  delivered the surprise of the season when they beat GB twice in Varese. Although they couldn't repeat the feat at the Europeans, they are continuing to show great form so should start as favourites for the first quota. Behind them. After a pretty disastrous World Champs where they ended up in Final C, this is a priority boat for . After they finished 4th in Varese, they skipped the Europeans to focus on this - and I expect them to edge out the second quota. I think we're likely to see South Africa, Switzerland, Ukraine and Poland in the final but I don't see them being able to get into the top 2.

 

Women's Four:       - In a surprising turn of events, Canada and Germany have elected not to send a crew in this event and with them absent,  and  should start as favourites based on their performances from last year. Poland could run them close but will likely come up short. Whilst their results this year would suggest that neither Chile or Spain are likely to figure in the quota fight, it's difficult to make a call on Japan as this is another new crew, but the country doesn't have a huge track record in the sweep boats so there is nothing to suggest that they will be able to make the top two. 

 

 

Men's Pair:              - Predicting the final for this event is probably easier than predicting the top two as none of the crews have been able to show any real consistency. Denmark were the 1st non-qualifying boat in the World Champs last year and, although they skipped the Europeans to prepare for this after finishing 3rd at Varese, I don't think they'll end up getting a quota. I probably favour  and  - both have changed up their crews since the World Champs last year and performed well at the Europeans.  

 

Women's Pair:       - This could be one of the closest races in Lucerne. We haven't seen New Zealand in action yet but they are sticking with the same crew that went to the World Champs last year and finished 13th overall. Italy was the highest finishing non-qualifying crew at the World Champs last year but have struggled for form so far this season.  The  Jurkovic sisters are possibly the form crew after they finished 3rd at the Europeans and I think they are likely to get one of the two quotas.  The second quota should be a fight between New Zealand and Germany and I think should get it. 

And 4x et Lm4x Lw4x ?

[Rafa Maciel 1,594]

2 minutes ago, Benolympique said:

And 4x et Lm4x Lw4x ?

Will post them tomorrow.

[Makedonas 2,155]

3 hours ago, copravolley said:

Italians in Tokyo 2021 they replaced a rower in M4- due to Covid - a few hours before the final and they had a bronze medal.

You mean they replaced the rower between Lucerne and Tokyo?

 

3 hours ago, copravolley said:

In my opinion only Ukraine is out of reach even in our form is close to the previous World Champ. However, we have too many injuries and changes. Some rowers also go to study in the USA and there is no continuation of work. In your opinion we are greater chances for advance in W2-?

We have the same problem, so many girls win gold medals at the U23 and U19 World Championships, then go study in the US and then decline as rowers. Or some study in Greece and quit the sport. At least in USA they have rowing teams at the universities. So far the only successful one (who went to USA) seems to be Christina Bourmpou, but she took a year off from her studies to prepare for Paris so it is hard to say. Let's see how she does in Paris, she was 5th in Tokyo and I think she has a real chance at a medal based on what we saw last week at the European Championships.

[Makedonas 2,155]

I'm disappointed in our team. For the most part it was expected, I just didn't know what the crews would be for W1X and W2X.

 

Well now I see that we are sending Fragkou in W1X and no one in W2X! I'm shocked that we are sending a M2-, who have shown they have no chance to qualify here, but not a W2X who I think would've had somewhat of a chance especially if the combination was Fragkou/Kyridou.

 

We should have good chances in M2X, LM2X, and LW2X. Hopefully at least two of those boats can qualify, otherwise it would be kind of a failure in my opinion. W1X we maybe have an outside chance as some of the mail rivals like Puspure and Janzen seem out of form.

 

M2- we have no chance, we are wasting our time, though it is a shame because Palaiopanos really seemed on track to make it to Paris. He won bronze in M2- at the 2019 World U23 Championships, gold in M2X at the 2021 World U23 Championships, then in 2022 competed in M2X with a different partner where he got 5th at the European Championships and 6th at the World Championships, but seems to have regressed since then. He is now 25 yo and this really should be his time to make the Olympics...

 

So far we have only qualified in M1X and W2-, so it's been disappointing but this is our last chance to change it.

[Makedonas 2,155]

I was also just saying in our national club, our girls dominated the U19 World Championships in 2022, we won gold in W1X, W2-, W2X, and now you are telling me we can't even find girls to try to qualify for a W2X?!

 

None of those five golden girls will be in Paris...

 

One of them is studying in the USA where she competes on the rowing team, another is going to USA after the summer to do the same, another has been training with our national team but wasn't selected for Lucerne (I imagine we will see her on the U23 national team this summer at least), and the other two have not rowed in over a year either for our national team or their clubs. It's such a shame how we are constantly losing these talented young rowers.

 

Also the Greek Rowing Championships start tomorrow and finish on Sunday, I am not sure why they thought to organise it this weekend when it is so close to the Olympic qualification regatta, hopefully some of our athletes won't be too tired when they go to Lucerne...

[copravolley 253]

17 minutes ago, Makedonas said:

You mean they replaced the rower between Lucerne and Tokyo?

 

We have the same problem, so many girls win gold medals at the U23 and U19 World Championships, then go study in the US and then decline as rowers. Or some study in Greece and quit the sport. At least in USA they have rowing teams at the universities. So far the only successful one (who went to USA) seems to be Christina Bourmpou, but she took a year off from her studies to prepare for Paris so it is hard to say. Let's see how she does in Paris, she was 5th in Tokyo and I think she has a real chance at a medal based on what we saw last week at the European Championships.

The reserve rower replaced the starter in Tokyo itself due to a case of Covid:

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rowing_at_the_2020_Summer_Olympics_–_Men's_coxless_four

 

 

I used to think that it was about too little money that the Italian Olympic Committee invests in rowing and that is why it is more profitable for some athletes to go to study in the USA and work there, instead of continuing their sports career in Italy. In the UK or the Netherlands, I haven't heard of any cases where someone went to study during the four-year period between the Games, or maybe I'm wrong? What's more, when I look at the Romanian team led by Italian coaches, I see greater stability and continuity in the squads there than in our country. In addition, Romania trains most of the time in Italy. I don't know what the problem is, but the frequent departures to study in the USA - mainly women - and the constant injuries are strange. Perhaps we should follow the example of Romania, which is not as rich a country as the UK, the Netherlands or Germany, but has great results in rowing. Maybe we should bring those coaches back to Italy and let them build such a system here? But it definitely invests more money.

Edited May 9 by copravolley