25 Feb 2021
Further records set on day 2 of 2021 World Rowing Indoor Championships
The open men’s and women’s 500m proved to be the highlight of racing on day 2 at the 2021 World Rowing Indoor Championships. This virtual event draws athletes together from around the globe, racing live from their living rooms, bedrooms, balconies, back yards and gyms.
In the open men’s 500m category, all eyes were on the world record holder and 2020 World Rowing Indoor Champion, Phil Clapp of Great Britain. The 205cm tall Clapp was hoping to match his top pace world record time of 1:10.5 and he went out quickly averaging a 1:10 pace with 47 strokes per minute. Clapp slowed a little as the race progressed but still won by a second and a half, recording 1:11.6. This put Anton Bondarenko of Ukraine in second with Joel Naukkarinen of Finland in third. Bondarenko won at the 2017 World Games ahead of Clapp. Naukkarinen is part of Finland’s national rowing team and qualified in every category possible for these World Rowing Indoor Championships. Naukkarinen raced on day 1 of the championships and will race again on day 3 – Saturday 27 February.
In the absence of the reigning World Champion and World Record holder Olena Buryak of Ukraine, it was Ana Do Carmo Caldas’ show in the open women’s 500m category. The former Portuguese swimmer and CrossFit Games athlete was the clear favorite and she didn’t disappoint with a blistering 1:24.5, tying Buryak’s World Record. Great Britain’s Joanne Clapp came in second with Bianca Piloseno of the United States in third.
The closest races of the day were the under-19 men’s and women’s 500m. For the men, it was a tight contest all the way between Shane Keegan from Canada and Artem Zakharov of Ukraine. Both rowers went neck-and-neck to the finish line, with French rower Yann Le Campion also getting in the mix. Finishing in a time of 1:18.2, Zakharov was just 1.2 seconds ahead of Le Campion who in turn was just 0.3 seconds ahead of Keegan. Zakharov, 17, rows on the Ukrainian national team and also competes regularly as an indoor rower.
It was even closer in the under-19 women’s 500m where only 0.5 seconds separated Sara Mohamed El Marzouky of Egypt and Meg Knight of Great Britain. Down to the last stroke, it was an impressive performance by El Marzouky to finish ahead of Knight, gold medallist in the 500m and 2000m at the British Rowing Indoor (virtual) Championships (2020). Danielle Kaschula, 13, of Zimbabwe, who broke numerous indoor records during lockdown, was third.
The finishing times: El Mrzouky 1:30.2, Knight 1:30.7, Kaschula 1:31.9.
The masters races opened with the masters men’s 30-39-year-old, 2000m category. This race was incredibly tight between Tim Grohmann from Germany, Olympic Champion in the men’s quadruple sculls in London 2012 and Dan Bennett of the United States, a first-time participant in the World Rowing Indoor Championships. It was a stellar performance by the rookie Bennett who dominated the race for 1950 metres – just to see Grohmann go into a 1:27 per 500m pace and finishing 0.4 seconds ahead of Bennett. Both Grohmann and Bennett went under 6 minutes with Grohmann clocking 5:56.7.
Racing at the same time was the masters lightweight men’s 30-39-year-old, 2000m. Sebastian Kleinsorgen of Germany successfully defended his 2020 indoor title in this category by posting a time of 6:18.8.
The next two races were won in dominating fashion. In the masters women’s 30-39-year-old, 2000m, Kirsten Kline of the United States cruised all the way to victory with an impressive 6:44.4, nearly 15 seconds ahead of 2020 European and World Rowing Indoor Champion, Anna Muehle of Germany. Kline will also race in the women’s open category on Saturday, coming to this final with one of the fastest qualifying times.
Then the three-time defending World Indoor Champion in the masters men’s 50-54-year-old, 2000m, Andrew Benko of the United States raced. Benko held off a late surge by John Thomson of New Zealand to continue his domination on his age category. Benko’s finishing time of 6:09.5, was two seconds slower than his time in Paris last year. This may have been disappointing for Benko who holds all of the world records in the category from the 1000 meters to the half marathon.
It was all smiles from Justine Reston of Great Britain. Reston finished first in the masters lightweight women’s 50-54-year-old, 2000m category. Reston dominated her race finishing ten seconds ahead of Nathalie Villechenaud of France. Reston’s finishing time of 7:18.3 matched her world record time that she set in 2020.
Said Reston: “The race experience is intense but comfortable because I was at home. It was weird racing in my bedroom where I normally train. I’m really pleased because I had a good time.”
The last highlight of the day came from Gerard Le Flohic of France. Racing in front of his supporters in the masters lightweight men’s 65-69-year-old, 2000m, Le Flohic broke his own World Record in dominating fashion with a 6:46.3. This was five seconds faster than his previous best time which he set in 2020.
Racing at the World Rowing Virtual Indoor Championships will continue Saturday, 27 February at 12:05 CET. Follow it live on www.worldrowing.com.