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Kiwi pair take another step in defence of world title
Ben Taylor and Oli Welch set fastest time on way to gold medal race in Amsterdam.
The Men's Pair of Ben Taylor and Oli Welch were the only New Zealand crew to qualify for the A Finals on day three of the World Championships on the Bosbaan course in Amsterdam.
The defending world champions led from start to finish in a semifinal win over rivals Romania and a fast-improving Australia.
It was another signature start from the Kiwi pair.
"I think we're naturally quite quick out of the blocks," says Oli. "We're quite explosive in the gym so it lends itself to a quick start. From there, we just try to control the race from the front."
New Zealand led Australia by more than two seconds at halfway, pushed the margin out to more than three at the 1500m, before crossing the line in 6min 39.99sec, the fastest time of the two semis.
Australia grabbed second (6:41.84) and Romania third (6:43.11).
How deep did they have to go to keep the Aussies at bay?
"I can't say too much," says Oli. "Don't want to give it away."
"The final will definitely be exciting, they'll be going for it even more, and so will we."
Ben Taylor (str) and Oli Welch produced another quick start to put them in control of their semifinal of the Men’s Pair.
Ben Mason and Finn Hamill were going to need something special over the last 500m of their semifinal of the Men's Double Sculls, one of the most hotly-contested events at these championships.
The New Zealanders were fifth at that stage, nearly three seconds back on leaders Great Britain. Everyone was running on desperation in the race to the line, New Zealand unable to move any further through the pack to finish behind the Brits, Belgium, Czechia and Portugal.
Ben Mason (str) and Finn Hamill had too much to do in the final 500m of their semifinal of the Men’s Double and will race the B final.
Kathryn Glen finished fifth in heat one of the Women's Single Sculls.
She's only just back after a scan in May revealed a stress reaction in a rib just before she was about to jump on the plane with the Women's Quad for the World Cup events.
"It was such a shock," says Kathryn. "It took me a few days to believe it because I've always been so sweet with that [kind of injury]. I went through a phase of being in denial that I wasn't going overseas…it took a few days and then I was like, 'Okay, back into it, just grind it out on the bike.'"
While there's been disappointment at not getting to race the quad, she's been honoured to get an entry in the single.
" I feel like it's a bit of a once in a lifetime opportunity to say that you're the women's single [sculler], so just trying to embrace that while I'm here."
It's a quick turnaround for the quarters tomorrow (11.05pm NZT).
"The C final is realistically where it is," says Kathryn. "If I can get to the B Final, that's pretty cool. I just want to keep improving and seeing how close I can get to those other girls."
She'd been reflecting on the race on her solo trip back to the hotel on a nearly empty athlete bus, enjoying the freedom of being her own boss as it were. She knows what's needed to step on.
"The first day was always [about] go out and see what happens because I haven't raced any of these girls before…just need to be braver through the middle K. I was probably too focused on rowing well into the wind than just like savage with it."
Kathryn Glen on the way back to the hotel after finishing fifth in her heat of the Women’s Single. Plenty of time to reflect as she goes it alone - her mantra is be braver in the middle K when she rows her quarter-final.
Katie Lush and Juliette Lequeux finished fourth in their semifinal of the Women's Pair. The race was dominated by the Romanian crew stroked by Simona Radis, generally regarded as the greatest female rower on the planet.
Romania won in 7:20.94, Chilean sisters Antonia and Melita Abraham finished in second (7:29.85) and Italy was third (7:31.34).
Katie and Juliette crossed in 7:40.56 and will row the B Final just before midnight tomorrow NZT.
Katie Lush (str) and Juliette Lequeux finished fourth in their semifinal of the Women’s Pair.
Eva Hofmans and Sophie Egnot-Johnson are in their first year together as a combination in the Women's Double Sculls.
It's Eva's first senior world championship while Sophie was originally selected for last year's team but was forced out through injury.
They lined up in a C Final that included the Greek combination that won a silver medal at the European Championships at the beginning of the month, such is the depth of the event.
Eva and Sophie finished sixth (7:34.67), with Greece winning in 7:20.88.
EVA (STR) HOFMANS AND SOPHIE EGNOT-JOHNSON FINISHED 18TH OVERALL IN THE WOMEN’S DOUBLE. SOPHIE WILL NOW ROW THE MIXED DOUBLE WITH BEN MASON.
Andy Hay
Andy Hay is a freelance producer, writer and Maadi Cup-winning coach. He was cox of the world champion New Zealand eight of 1982 and '83. He is NZ Olympian #446.
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- Home
- /
- International Regattas
- /
- Kiwi pair take...
Kiwi pair take another step in defence of world title
Ben Taylor and Oli Welch set fastest time on way to gold medal race in Amsterdam.
The Men's Pair of Ben Taylor and Oli Welch were the only New Zealand crew to qualify for the A Finals on day three of the World Championships on the Bosbaan course in Amsterdam.
The defending world champions led from start to finish in a semifinal win over rivals Romania and a fast-improving Australia.
It was another signature start from the Kiwi pair.
"I think we're naturally quite quick out of the blocks," says Oli. "We're quite explosive in the gym so it lends itself to a quick start. From there, we just try to control the race from the front."
New Zealand led Australia by more than two seconds at halfway, pushed the margin out to more than three at the 1500m, before crossing the line in 6min 39.99sec, the fastest time of the two semis.
Australia grabbed second (6:41.84) and Romania third (6:43.11).
How deep did they have to go to keep the Aussies at bay?
"I can't say too much," says Oli. "Don't want to give it away."
"The final will definitely be exciting, they'll be going for it even more, and so will we."
Ben Taylor (str) and Oli Welch produced another quick start to put them in control of their semifinal of the Men’s Pair.
Ben Mason and Finn Hamill were going to need something special over the last 500m of their semifinal of the Men's Double Sculls, one of the most hotly-contested events at these championships.
The New Zealanders were fifth at that stage, nearly three seconds back on leaders Great Britain. Everyone was running on desperation in the race to the line, New Zealand unable to move any further through the pack to finish behind the Brits, Belgium, Czechia and Portugal.
Ben Mason (str) and Finn Hamill had too much to do in the final 500m of their semifinal of the Men’s Double and will race the B final.
Kathryn Glen finished fifth in heat one of the Women's Single Sculls.
She's only just back after a scan in May revealed a stress reaction in a rib just before she was about to jump on the plane with the Women's Quad for the World Cup events.
"It was such a shock," says Kathryn. "It took me a few days to believe it because I've always been so sweet with that [kind of injury]. I went through a phase of being in denial that I wasn't going overseas…it took a few days and then I was like, 'Okay, back into it, just grind it out on the bike.'"
While there's been disappointment at not getting to race the quad, she's been honoured to get an entry in the single.
" I feel like it's a bit of a once in a lifetime opportunity to say that you're the women's single [sculler], so just trying to embrace that while I'm here."
It's a quick turnaround for the quarters tomorrow (11.05pm NZT).
"The C final is realistically where it is," says Kathryn. "If I can get to the B Final, that's pretty cool. I just want to keep improving and seeing how close I can get to those other girls."
She'd been reflecting on the race on her solo trip back to the hotel on a nearly empty athlete bus, enjoying the freedom of being her own boss as it were. She knows what's needed to step on.
"The first day was always [about] go out and see what happens because I haven't raced any of these girls before…just need to be braver through the middle K. I was probably too focused on rowing well into the wind than just like savage with it."
Kathryn Glen on the way back to the hotel after finishing fifth in her heat of the Women’s Single. Plenty of time to reflect as she goes it alone - her mantra is be braver in the middle K when she rows her quarter-final.
Katie Lush and Juliette Lequeux finished fourth in their semifinal of the Women's Pair. The race was dominated by the Romanian crew stroked by Simona Radis, generally regarded as the greatest female rower on the planet.
Romania won in 7:20.94, Chilean sisters Antonia and Melita Abraham finished in second (7:29.85) and Italy was third (7:31.34).
Katie and Juliette crossed in 7:40.56 and will row the B Final just before midnight tomorrow NZT.
Katie Lush (str) and Juliette Lequeux finished fourth in their semifinal of the Women’s Pair.
Eva Hofmans and Sophie Egnot-Johnson are in their first year together as a combination in the Women's Double Sculls.
It's Eva's first senior world championship while Sophie was originally selected for last year's team but was forced out through injury.
They lined up in a C Final that included the Greek combination that won a silver medal at the European Championships at the beginning of the month, such is the depth of the event.
Eva and Sophie finished sixth (7:34.67), with Greece winning in 7:20.88.
EVA (STR) HOFMANS AND SOPHIE EGNOT-JOHNSON FINISHED 18TH OVERALL IN THE WOMEN’S DOUBLE. SOPHIE WILL NOW ROW THE MIXED DOUBLE WITH BEN MASON.
Andy Hay
Andy Hay is a freelance producer, writer and Maadi Cup-winning coach. He was cox of the world champion New Zealand eight of 1982 and '83. He is NZ Olympian #446.
