Fast and furious heats at the Coastal Championships

The course spans 4 km with five turns and passes in front of a boardwalk filled with locals in Thessaloniki. Passers-by stopped to cheer on the competitors as they rowed the last 900 metre stretch along the shore to the finish line.

Despite the relatively flat water, today’s racing was not without excitement. The first race of the day was Heat One of the men’s quadruple sculls. Seventeen crews lined up between the start boat and the starting buoy to await the three balls to drop. This is the FISA regulation starting procedure in coastal rowing. Italy 01 came through in first, with a very convincing lead over the rest of the crews.

In Heat One of the women’s double sculls, Spain 02 broke their stroke-seat oar just off the start line and managed to row the majority of the race with only one oar on the starboard side. However, at the front of the pack was Hungary 02.

In the first heat of the men’s solo, 2013 winner Lars Gumprecht from Spain found himself trailing Italy’s Marco Fabbi.  Italy looked strong in many of today’s heats, also coming through in first in Heat Two of the men’s solo and Heat Two of the men’s quad. France 01 took the top spot in Heat Two of the women’s double.

The afternoon racing got off to a great start in the men’s double sculls. The Italians were at it again with last year’s winners, the Geribaldi brothers getting ahead of home-favourites the Gkountoulas twins. These two boats were faster than the first place finishers, Spain One, in Heat Two. However, times can be difficult to compare considering possible changes in conditions.

In Heat One of the women’s solo, Ukraine’s Diana Dymchenko stormed ahead of France’s Stephanie Chantry, but both will be looking to medal in tomorrow’s final. Italy’s Benedetta Bellio won Heat Two and will also look to challenge for the medals.

Afternoon racing also saw the only heat of the women’s quad, contested by nine boats with the top eight progressing to tomorrow’s A-final. The home-favourite, Greece, was fastest off the line and led with certainty through the finish.

The B-finals start tomorrow (18 October) at 9:00, with A-finals at 12:40 local time.

For the full results, click here.