First (lightweight) titles at the Lucerne Regatta go to China and Italy
The weather brightened up on the second day of competition after the nasty, rain-soaked previous day at the World Cup II on the occasion of the LUCERNE REGATTA. Although there was a headwind again and again, this did not affect the usual fair competition conditions on the Rotsee.
While in the small boat classes the majority of the established, world-class boats were at the start, there were large gaps in the field of participants in the large boats. Large rowing nations from overseas were missing, either due to the Corona risks or the pre-Olympic planning.
As the first winner of the regatta, China’s Huiru Li was able to visit the winning pontoon together with Lydia Heaphy (IRL) and Federica Cesarini (ITA) for the medal presentation in the lightweight single sculls. Switzerland’s Eline Rol, who surprisingly secured a place in the final in a direct duel with compatriot Sofia Meakin in the semi-final, was able to move up to 5th place in the final meters. The B-final was won by Martina Veldhus from the Netherlands, while Sofia Meakin had to settle for 5th place or 11th overall after a good start.
There was an Italian double victory in the men’s race. Niels Torre was surprisingly victorious in the lightweight men’s single, ahead of former champion Martino Gorretti – the 2019 world champion in Linz – and Chile’s Felipe Andres Cardenas Morales, who made people sit up and take notice. Remarkably, Goretti, who is employed as a coach at the Erlenbach Rowing Club, was able to be celebrated by a loud Erlenbach supporter group.
As hoped, the two flagships of the Swiss delegation qualified for Sunday’s final races: the double sculls with Roman Röösli and Barnabé Delarze and skiffer Jeannine Gmelin. The duo did so quite clearly behind the boats from China – world champion of 2019 – and France and will additionally meet the representatives of Ireland, Great Britain and Holland from the second semi-final in the final. Jeannine Gmelin had to fight a hard battle. Only in the last meters she managed to outdo the Chinese and to reach the final behind the Russian Hanna Prakhatsen and the Austrian Magdalena Lobnig. From the second semifinal, Victoria Thornley (GBR), Sanita Puspure (IRL) and Kara Kohler (USA) secured their ticket to the final. Also in the final the 2024 Olympic project of SWISS ROWING, the women’s double four. Benefiting from the fact that only 6 boats were at the start. However, also handicapped by the quarantine and the associated uncertainty after a Corona case in the boat squad.
On Sunday, starting at 10:15 am, 13 other boat categories will fight for the medals. We are excited to see who will prevail in this last big showdown. We expect close and exciting competitions in almost all boat classes here at the LUCERNE REGATTA. Only the two eights do not show the field strength as in “non-corona” times. The women’s eight will not be held due to lack of entries.
Media inquiries: Mic Zemp, Communication LUCERNE REGATTA (+41 79 729 47 49 / communication@lucerneregatta.com )