10:18 – Racing Suspended

The heats of the men’s and women’s eights have been cancelled for today due to poor weather.

Sounds like no more racing for today.

10:15

Ukraine win in 5:40.07, Germany and USA take the two other semi-final spots.

Slovenia will have to race in the repechage on Tuesday.

10:14

Through 1500m and it’s still Ukraine leading with Germany second.  USA sitting quite comfortably in third with Slovenia dropping away a bit at the back.

10:12

As we coe through the half way mark Ukraine have taken the lead from Germany.  USA still sit in third ahead of Slovenia.

10:11

Germany lead through the first 400m with Ukraine in second and at the moment it looks like Slovenia missing out on the semi-final spot as they trail USA.

10:10

Final heat of the men’s quad sculls.

10:05

So it’s Poland (5:38.76), France and Belarus through to semi-final with Cuba just missing out.

10:04

Still the same order but all the boats are fairly well spread out except Belarus and Cuba.

Poland looking good in this event though and so they should as they are double world champions.

10:02

Poland now in first place ahead of France and Belarus.

[500]

10:01

Through 500m and Poland lead France, Belarus and Cuba a bit further back.

Three through to the semi-final from this heat.

10:00

Second heat of the men’s quad sculls.

9:56

Australia really pushing hard in the last 500m and just nick first place ahead of Italy and Russia third.

Estonia finish fourth and the Czech Republic finish fifth.

9:54

Italy have taken the lead with Australia second and Russia now down to third.

9:53

Russia still leading but Australia are now in second with Italy now third.

9:52

So the Russians lead with Italy second, Australia and Estonia chasing them. The Czech Republic are bringing up the rear.

In the men’s quad sculls it’s the first three through to the final.

9:50

Onto the men’s quad now and unfortunately no GB crew in this event having narrowly missed out on a qualifying spot in Poznan.

9:46

Great Britain (6:13.62) stretch out a bit in the final 500m and hold off the challenge of Germany (containing Katherine Boron – going for her fifth gold medal).

USA finish third with Australia in fourth.

9:44

Will Germany make a challenge on GB here – will Great Britain have something to hold on with.

Great Britain are still leading but Germany are really giving them a race here.

9:43

Good row for [gbr] so far.  Still leading but with Germany challenging them.

9:41

Great Britain leading after the first 500m, leading by 1.62 seconds over Germany, Australia say in third and USA in fourth.

9:37

Team GB’s turn now – can our quad respond to that marker laid down by the Chinese?

9:36

We’ve got a thunder storm brewing at the course as China come through the finish in 6:11.86.  What a devastating win.  Ukraine second, Canada finish third, Russia fourth but no-one was close to China.

9:35

China come through 1500m and still have a huge lead.

9:34

China are destroying the field here almost 6 seconds ahead of the field.  The rest of the crews in this heat may as well wind down because unless China has a disaster no-one is going to catch them.

9:32

China fly out of the blocks and come through the first 500 in first with quite a big lead.  Russia come through in second but they must be over a length down on China already.

9:30

We’re onto the women’s quads now and Great Britain will go in the second heat.

Only one through to the final straight from these heats.

9:26

It’s a close finish and Germany win in 5:50.16, France hold onto second with Poland third.  Ireland had a great last 500m but they’ll be left to rue a poor start.

9:24

Germany lead still with France second.  Ireland dropping off a little again – not much in it but they’ve got a lot of work to do to get that last semi-final spot.

9:22

Germany have put a bit of a push on here and have moved ahead of France. Poland still hanging onto the coat tails of France with Ireland just 0.20 seconds off Poland.

9:20

Bit of a slow start by Ireland and it could cost them, they currently sit in fourth place.  France leading the field with Germany in second and Poland in third.

9:18

So moving onto the last heat of the lightweight men’s four.  Ireland in this heat with Richard Archibald in the boat.  Archibald learnt to row at Coleraine alongside Alan Campbell and Richard Chambers of GB as featured in the BBC programme "From Bann to Beijing".

9:16

Denmark win in 5:50.12 looking really comfortable.  Canada and Italy take the final semi-final spots with USA finishing last.

9:14

Denmark making the pace look easy as they carry on rating about 40 through the whole course.  Canada have moved up into second and Italy currently occupying the last semi-final slot.

9:13

Coming through halfway, Denmark looking really strong with almost a length lead.

9:11

Through 500m and it’s Denmark, Italy, Canada then United States.

9:10

Second heat of the men’s lightweight four. 

9:06

Very good performance from China (5:51.26) there but GB did well to push them hard and finish in second.

Australia take the third semi-final spot.

9:04

Great Britain closing on the leading Chinese boat.  Australia still sit in third and Netherlands in fourth.

9:03

China pulling quite a way ahead but as we come through the halfway mark GB still sit in second ahead of Australia in third.

In these heats it’s top three to the semi-final.

9:01

Great Britain had the best start there but China just lead by 0.23 seconds as we come through 500m.

9:00

Onto the lightweight men’s four and [gbr] go in lane 5.

8:56

New Zealand win in (6:16.75) with France taking the second semi-final spot.  Portugal take third with Hong Kong fourth and Korea in fifth.

8:54

Coming through 1500m, New Zealand have pulled away from the field with France in second.  Hong Kong have dropped off to fourth with Portugal coming through to take third.

8:53

New Zealand still leading with France in second, Hong Kong still in third but they’ve dropped off the pace a bit.

8:51

New Zealand continue their good start to this Olympic regatta leading through the first 500m.  France come through second with Hong Kong in third.

8:50

Final heat of the men’s lightweight double sculls.  

8:45

Denmark (6:14.93) destroyed Canada in that last 1000m.  Looks like they’ll be the ones for GB to beat.

Canada just hold on ahead of Hungary for the second semi-final spot.

8:44

Canada looking like they’re feeling the burn as we pass through 1500m.  Denmark now in the lead, Canada second and the former world champions, Hungary are in third.

8:41

Canada leading with Gungary in second, Denmark who were seen as a potential threat to GB in this event down in third.

Denmark have been suffering with illness this season – have they recovered fully?  

8:40

Heat 3 of the men’s lightweight double.

8:36

China really pushed it in the last 500m but Italy win it in 6:16.08.  Australia finish third with Cuba in fourth.

8:35

Italy start to pull ahad and Australia and China are just under a length down.  Cuba coming through in lane 1 and trying to put pressure on Australia and China.

8:33

Through 100m and the three out the front are really close but it’s Italy, Australia and China.

8:31

Through 500m and Australia lead China and Italy, Cuba in fourth.

8:28

Start of heat 2 of the men’s lightweight double. Listening to the start umpire it’s great – they sound a bit like a Bond villain when they say "raising the start system".

8:26

Great Britain win and keep their unbeaten record (6:13.82).  Greece finish second with Germany third.

Good finish from Zac and Mark after a bit of pressure from the Greeks.

8:25

Britain come through in 4:38.17, Greeks still holding on and pushing GB a bit.

8:23

GB stilll in the lead at 1000m, the Greeks are still in second.

In these heats it’s the top two through to the semi-finals.

8:21

Great Britain lead through 500m (1:29.82) with Greece in second and Germany in third.

8:18

So here comes many people’s top tip for a medal: the GB men’s lightweight double of Zac Purchase and Mark Hunter.

8:17

China just hold on and win (6:57.48), Denmark come through to take second.  Japan finish third, Cuba fourth and Korea fifth.

8:15

Denmark making a move on China as we come through 1500m.

8:13

Through 1000m and it’s still China leading though they look like they might be flagging a bit with Japan and Denmark putting pressure on them.

8:11

Chinese rating very high in the first 500m and come through first, followed by Japan and Denmark.

8:10

Heat 3 of the women’s lightweight double scull.  Tail wind today btw which will really help these lightweights.

8:06

Germany win (6:51.60), Canada come second taking the last semi-final spot.  Unlucky for Great Britain who just miss out and finish in third though their performance will be encouraging for Tuesday’s repechage.

8:05

Canada still lead but Germany have unfortunately pushed ahead of Great Britain.

8:03

Through 1000m and Britain have had a good 500m and have moved up into second position behind Canada but ahead of Germany.

8:01

500m and Canada lead with [gbr] in third.

7:58

So first race of the morning for Team GB.  Helen Casey and Hester Goodsell go in lane 1.

7:57

So Netherlands win in 6:50.90, Australia second, USA third, Mexico fourth then Brazil and Kazakhstan.

7:56

At 1500m it’s still Netherlands and Australia in the qualifying spots.

7:54

At 1000m, Netherlands have taken the lead with Australia second, USA third.

In these heats it’s top two to the semis by the way.

7:52

Through 500m and it’s Australia leading with the Netherlands in second.

7:50

So first race up and it’s heat 1 of the women’s lightweight double.  GB will go in heat 2 at 8:00.  Here’s the lane order for heat 1.