Olympics Day 5 – Live Updates

Welcome to the ARA’s live coverage of the Olympic rowing. We’ll be updating this minute by minute as the action happens so keep coming back to get the latest updates. Let us know what you think of the action by emailing [email protected].

Minute by Minute Updates

 
10:46

That’s all for today, we’ll be back tomorrow for more semi-finals.  Join us from 8:30am when we’ll have the semi-finals of the lightweight events and the men’s quad.

[finish]
10:43

All five boats are really close in the last 500m.  Canada win in 6:10.38, then Netherlands – GB qualify for the final in third.  Australia finish fourth and Germany miss out on a place in the final after finishing last.

[1500]
10:42

At 1500m it’s Canada then the Netherlands, GB still in third. It’s still really tight though.

[1000]
10:41

Canada leading now with Netherlands second.  Great Britain currently sat in third with Germany being pushed hard by Australia at the back of the pack.

Remember it’s the first four through to the final.

[500]
10:40

Netherland lead from Canada with GB in third.

 [start]
10:39

Start of the women’s eight repechage.

Lane Country
1 [can]
2 [gbr]
3 [ned]
4 [aus]
5 [ger]
 
10:26

We’ll be back in a bit with coverage of the women’s eight repechage.

[finish]
10:26

Great Britain comfortably win that one.  Good to see they could raise their game after the disappointment of the other day.

[1500]
10:25

At 1500m GB have extended their lead further.

[1000]
10:23

At the halfway mark – GB have a comfortable lead of about 4 seconds.

[500]
10:21

At 500m it’s Great Britain leading from Poland.

[start]
10:20

So here we go with the C Final of the men’s pair.  It’s GB vs. Poland.

 
10:06

We’re going to take a bit of a break and we’ll come back to you with the results of the men’s pair C final with Robin Bourne-Taylor and Tom Solesbury competing against Poland.

[finish]
10:05

Slovenia win (5:56.08) by about a length with Czech Republic in second.  Germany finish second.  Belarus completely blew.

Germany had two subs in that boat who were in the boat for the first time but still manage to oust Holland.

[1500]
10:04

So through 1500m and it’s Slovenia leading from Belarus and Germany.  Czech Republic in that painful fourth place.

[1000]
10:03

At the halfway mark it’s Belarus, Germany and Slovenia.

[start]
10:00

So onto semi-final 2 of the men’s four.

Lane Country
1 [blr]
2 [slo]
3 [ger]
4 [ned]
5 [ita]
6 [cze]
[finish]
9:55

Great Britain win in 5:54.77, Australia finish second with France third.  Good performance from GB there.

New Zealand the world champions are out though having finished fourth.

[1500]
9:54

At 1500m, Great Britain have taken the lead looking good with a quarter of a length over France.  USA still ahead of New Zealand.

[1000]
9:53

France still lead but then GB and USA and New Zealand.  France pushed on a bit in that 500.

[500]
9:51

France have a good start along with the US.  At 500m though it’s still close with France leading Great Britain by a foot or two.

[start]
9:50

Time for the flagship coxless four for GB in lane 4.  The world champions New Zealand go in lane 2.

Two Moseley and two Leander boys but will they be the golden boys at the end of the regatta.

Lane Country
1 [usa]
2 [nzl]
3 [aus]
4 [gbr]
5 [irl]
6 [fra]
[finish]
9:46

Great Britain take third just behind Estonia.  France win in 6:18.86.  The last three Bulgaria, Russia and Belarus a bit further off.

[1500]

9:44

France starting to slip at the front with Estonia coming up in lane 2.  Great Britain seem to be coming up with Estonia too.

[1000]
9:42

GB put in a good push and come up into second with France leading.  Belarus in third and Estonia in fourth.  Nothing between these boats.

[500]
9:41

Belarus leading from France with Russia third and Team GB currently in fourth.

[start]
9:40

So here goes Team GB again – Rowbotham and Wells in the men’s double.

Lane Country
1 [bul]
2 [est]
3 [fra]
4 [gbr]
5 [blr]
6 [rus]

[finish]

9:37

Another great finish, Australia win (6:21.50) with Slovenia taking second.  New Zealand just finish third having been really pushed in that last 500m by Croatia.

Belgium take fifth with Germany sixth.

[1500]
9:34

Still Slovenia, Australia and New Zealand all really close at the front.  Will Nathan Cohen release the beast that is Rob Waddell?

[1000]
9:33

Slovenia just leading at the halfway with Australian in second and New Zealand third – all really close.  Croatia in fourth about a length back on the leading pack.

[500]
9:32

Everyone appears to be racing in the same boat in this race. As we come through 500m it’s Australia, Slovenia and New Zealand all very close at the front. Germany sat in fourth.

[start]
9:30

Onto the men’s double sculls, GB will go in semi-final 2.  Some big names going in this race though.

Lane Country
1 [bel]
2 [ger]
3 [aus]
4 [nzl]
5 [cro]
6 [slo]
[finish]
9:26

Another brilliant last 500m with four boats vying for the last two qualifying spots.  It’s incredibly close.

Australia win easily (6:34.29) with USA and Germany joining them in the final. Italy blew just before the line.

[1500]
9:24

Australia comfortably paddling here with about a three lengths lead.  Serbia and Italy follow them – Germany still just in fourth.

[1000]
9:23

At the halfway mark Australia still out in front with a lead of about length and a half.  Serbia in second.  Italy and Germany really close for third place but Italy just pip it.

[500]
9:21

Australians straight out into the lead and they have abouta length over the young German pair.  Serbia in third with Italy in fourth.

[start]
9:20

Drew Ginn and Duncan Free go in this second semi-final of the men’s pair.  Again three will progress to the final.

Lane Country
1 [usa]
2 [ita]
3 [aus]
4 [srb]
5 [ger]
6 [den]
[finish]
9:16

Massive push from South Africa in the last 500m and they just pip Czech Republic on the line.  New Zealand finish second, oh and in case you hadn’t worked it out from about the 500m mark – Canada win.

[1500]
9:14

Canada lead by two lengths looking comfortable with Czech Republic and New Zealand vying for second place.  South Africa trying to catch up for that last final spot.

[1000]

9:12

Canada have a couple of lengths lead at the halfway mark, Czech Republic still in second.  New Zealand have third and South Africa have fourth place.

Croatia well off the pace.

[500]
9:11

France and Canada get a good start and as we come through the first 500m it’s Canada ahead of Czech Republic and France.  Canada almost a length ahead of the rest of the field.  New Zealand in fourth place.

[start]
9:10

So on to the first semi-final of the men’s pair.

Lane Country
1 [cro]
2 [cze]
3 [fra]
4 [nzl]
5 [rsa]
6 [can]

[finish]

9:07

Synek wins (7:03.57) with Campbell finishing second.  Drysdale takes third just ahead of Greece.

Amazing last 500m – Greece really scaring Drysdale and Campbell there.

 
9:06

Campbell in a race with Greece now.

[1500]
9:05

Synek and Drysdale have pulled ahead of the field and Drysdale has it by a fraction.  Campbell still has two lengths over fourth place Greece.

[1000]
9:04

Alan Campbell has dropped back a bit at 1000m.  Synek leads just about 2ft over Drysdale.  Campbell is about 3/4 length down on Drysdale but has a bit of space behind him.

[500]
9:01

Solid start from Alan Campbell who leads through the first 500m just up on Drysdale and Synek.  The other three boats are about a length down.

[start]
8:57

Will it be lucky lane 5?  Karonen won from lane 5 in the last semi-final, will Great Britain’s Campbell win too from lane 5.  He’ll have some work to do with Synek and Drysdale in this heat.

Lane Country
1 [gre]
2 [ltu]
3 [nzl]
4 [cze]
5 [gbr]
6 [usa]
[finish]
8:56

Tufte with a storming finish but just misses out on first place which goes to Sweden (6:57.28).  Belgium takes third and Hacker misses out on a final spot.  

[1500]
8:54

Sweden lead still then Belgium, Germany and Tufte of Norway who’s still just outside the qualifying spots.  We should be in for an exciting last 500m.

[1000]
8:53

The Swede and Tufte looking like they’re playing it cool and playing a steady race.

Sweden, Belgium, Germany then Norway at the halfway mark.

[500]
8:51

Coming through 500m it’s Australia’s Hardcastle leading, Hacker second and Belgium third.  Tufte sitting at the back of the field at the moment.

[start]
8:50

First semi-final of the men’s single sculls.  Hacker and Tufte could be the ones to watch here.

Lane Country
1 [sui]
2 [bel]
3 [ger]
4 [nor]
5 [swe]
6 [aus]
[finish]
8:46

Karsten wins in it with a strong finish.  The Bulgarian finishes just behind and a great finish from the Polish sculler seems them just pip it on the line from New Zealand.

[1500]
8:44

Bulgaria just ahead of Belarus now as we come through 1500m.  GB Rowing’s Steve Gunn has told us, he thinks Emma Twigg will be a name to watch for the future.  She’s currently in third.

[1000]
8:43

Coming through 1000m and it’s Belarus still leading with the Bulgarian in second by a couple of feet.  Emma Twigg of New Zealand still sits in third.

[500]
8:42

Karsten (Belarus) seems to be out front (minus her Speedcoach aerial today!).  Bulgaria comes through half a length down on Belarus with New Zealand in third.

[start]
8:40

Onto heat 2 and again it’s three to the final.

Lane Country
1 [nzl]
2 [pol]
3 [bul]
4 [blr]
5 [fra]
6 [srb]
[finish]
8:38

So it’s China who win after pushing past the USA in the final 500m, Czech Republic takes the final final spot.

[1500]
8:36

As we come into the final 500m it’s still USA leading with China pushing back up in second.  Czech Republic comfortably ahead of Sweden in fourth.

[1000]
8:34

USA leading now with Czech Republic in second.  China have dropped down to third.  Sweden curently down in fourth.

[500]
8:33

Through 500m and it’s Czech Republic leading China and United States.

[start]
8:30

We kick off with the first semi-final of the women’s single scull.  No British interest in this event.  The first three will progress to the final.

Lane Country
1 [sui]
2 [bel]
3 [ger]
4 [nor]
5 [swe]
6 [aus]
 
8:14

Good morning, welcome to today’s live updates. We’ll be kicking off at 8:30am with the men’s single semi-final.