2022 World Championships: Tuesday September 20 Day 3
There’s nothing like the test of a repechage to tell a crew exactly where they’re at.
It’s a second chance to see if they can produce the row, they’ve been working for all season under the pressure of elimination from the big races that come later in the week.
That was the challenge facing four New Zealand crews on day 3 of the World Rowing Championships. The women’s four of Phoebe Spoors, Beth Ross, Davina Waddy and Catherine Layburn couldn’t have created a better start for the Kiwi boats.
They absolutely stepped on it off the start, rating 46 to lead at the first 500, just ahead of France, the United States and Canada. That first 500 set a real platform for the New Zealand boat and they looked more and more composed as the race went on.
They’d opened a clearwater lead over the French by the 1500m and remained in control of the race to win by just over 2 seconds. It was the kind of row that will give the bronze medallists from World Cup III huge confidence for Thursday night’s semifinals.
The women’s quad of Kate Haines, Hannah Osborne, Kirstyn Goodger and Stella Clayton-Greene were the very next race and facing three European heavyweights from Germany, Poland and Romania. It turned into the best race of the day with the Kiwis putting together a near perfect performance. They were 2nd at the 500m but rowed through Germany to lead at halfway. They still led at the 1500m and produced a class finish to win by less than a second. They look like they made some huge gains from their heat and the semifinals on Thursday will give them another opportunity to go even faster.
The women’s lightweight double of Jackie Kiddle and Rachael Kennedy needed a top-two finish to make Thursday’s semis. They’ve got an extra challenge managing Kiddle’s workload as she’s also rowing the single.
This was another Kiwi boat looking like it had improved from the heat, Kiddle and Kennedy rating below eventual winners Canada through much of the race to finish just under 2 seconds back.
The men’s quad of Jack O’Leary, Stephen Jones, Jamie Hindle-Daniels and Phillip Wilson made a great start and were on track for the semis but couldn’t lift when they needed to through the 1500m mark. They will row the C final on Saturday.
Kiwis in action tonight (NZT)
Jordan Parry quarter-final of the men’s single 8.14pm
Chris Stockley and Matt Dunham quarter-final of the men’s lightweight double 9.25pm