2006 World IRC Report
The Agganis Arena is an excellent venue for an indoor rowing race. An ice hockey stadium normally, the Arena is the perfect size, and having only opened in December 2004, everything is nicely lickety-spit to boot, with an ace video cube hanging from the ceiling to display the race system.
The first race of the day saw Anna Bailey win her fourth world title, and her first in the 55-59 age category. Her time of 7:40.3 saw her comfortably ahead of the opposition. Evergreen Shelagh Allen took silver in the 65-69 Hwt category in a time of 8:29.4. The even more evergreen Mavis Surridge, at 76 the oldest British competitor this year, won the 75-79 Lwt category in a time of 7:33.2. Another British gold mdeal came from Veronica Kennedy in the 70-74 Hwt race, in a time of 13:24.0. A very surprised and happy Ray Davies, who had only come to Boston to give a presentation on the pioneering work that indoor rowing is doing in Birmingham's inner city schools, came away with a silver in the Women's 60-64 Hwt category. The first British bronze of the day came from Marion Eagles in the 60-64 Lwt race, rowing a 9:15.1.
The most impressive performance of the morning came in the second race, when Dean Smith rowed a time of 7:34.6. Not only did this time win him gold, but he did it at the age of 79, and a lightweight to boot. Richard Morgan of the UK was just edged out of the silver medal position, winning bronze in 8:05.4.
In race three, Roger Prowse maintained his dominance of the 60-64 Lwt category, winning gold in 6:56.4.
Races four and five saw the male fiftysomethings put on a good show. In the 55-59 Hwt category, Rich Cureton, the former 50-59 Lwt world record holder, had moved up both a weight and age class. He got off to a good start, rowing 1:37.02, but after a couple of hundred metres he was clearly strugging and put the handle down; a few seconds later, he picked it up again, repeating this pattern for the whole 2,000 metres.
Out front, it was the US's Larry O'Toole who broke from the pack at about 500 metres. He was trailed all the way home, however, by the tenacious Martyn Low. Martyn forced O'Toole to really hang on; despite a trademark flying finish, Martyn was forced to settle for silver in a time of 6:34.8.
Martyn was following in a bit of a British trend when he won silver, as Tom Hinsby and Jim Clarke had also done that in the Men's 60-64 Hwt and 65-69 Hwt categories respectively.
In the 55-59 Lwt category, the US's Dennis Hastings just failed to beat his own world record, but still ran out the winner in 6:41.8, ahead of the doughty Frenchman Alain Mangin.
In race five, the 50-54s got to show what they could do. In an excellent race, Stranraer's David Hislop finished second behind Denmark's Frede Nørskov Nielsen in a time of 6:48.5, just edging out British teammate Rob Buckley, who was just a handful of metres behind in 6:49.4.
The race of the day so far was in the Men's 50-54 Hwt race. European champion Jonathan Bone was in a thrilling battle with fellow American Steve Krum. Bone hit the front at the halfway. With 600 to go, both men were going full steam ahead. It was Bone who seemed to crack first, and with 500 left his splits fluttered out slightly and Krum rowed through him. With a little shake of the head, it seemed that Bone had ceded the race, with Krum opening up a small but noticeable lead. Bone stands big and strong, although, and with a couple of hundred to go he gathered himself for one last heave, and, somehow, (despite the fact he was rumoured to be rowing with a cold) he managed to re-overtake Krum on the line to the applause of the crowd to win in 6:24.9, with Krum just behind in 6:25.4.
The 40-49 Lwt men's event also saw some an excellent finish, with under a second covering the three medallists. Paul Siebach reversed last year's defeat by Mike Caviston to win in 6:26.8. Caviston finished second oin 6:27.1 while Robert Meenk repeated his bronze medal effort of last year in a time of 6:27.6.
In the 30-39 Lwt men's race, Concept 2's own Alex Dunne, after years of trying, finally managed to get his hands on a medal, rowing through Eric Hagberg right at the end to take the gold, and possibly the least expected hammer of the championship, in a time of 6:44.5. Just behind Eric, Alistair Harsant won a bronze to add to an evergrowing UK medal horde.
In all honesty, the Junior 18 Lwt race was a bit of a foregone conclusion. Henrik Stephansen, the Danish prodigy and world record holder, was rumoured to be aiming for an astonishing sub 6:10. Although he was never on that pace, he still destroyed the rest of the field, winning in, for him, a relatively tardy 6:15.9. Behind him, the American Noah Bruegmann and Germany's Adrian Bretting tied for silver in 6:28.1.
The Women's Open Lwt race is a tasty one. Lisa Schlenker is attempting to win an Open event at the age of 41, while the Europeans Julianne Elander, Katrien Hautvast and Marit Van Eupen, and the Americans Elizabeth Peters, Meg Sarhanis and will be trying their best to deny her. It's Elander, a very experienced competitor, who gets the best start, hitting 1:45s to eke out a little lead. That lead is steadily nibbled away by the pack, and at the halfway stage the two Dutch women Hautvast and Van Eupen have drawn level, as has Meg Sarhanis. Schlenker is a little way back, but looks to be under-rating by a good few strokes from the rest. With 500 left, it's clear that it's all down to the finish. Elander looks to be tiring and starts to drop back, while Team Netherlands are starting to draw away. It's Hautvast who looks to have the race sewn up, and despite a last push from her teammate, she takes home the gold in 7:08.0. Van Eupen is second in 7:09.1, with Sarhanis preventing a European clean sweep of the medals by holding off Elander for the bronze in 7:10.9.
The Men's Open Lwt race also looks like a classic in the making. With world record holder Elia Luini in the field, along with a strong Danish contingent, one thing's for sure: the start is going to be quick.
After 300 metres, Luini has already opened up a nice lead, looking very powerful and hitting 1:28s off the start. Behind him the two Danes, Rasmus Quist and Mads Anderssen flank him, a full length back. At 1000 metres, Luini has opened up a large lead over such a high class field. He's on 1:30.8 overall, and the question is whether he's going to be able to have a crack at his world record of 6:02.6. According to the pre-race talk, he's not in that sort of form, but he's looking good at the moment. Behind him, it's Rasmussen who has settled into silver position, with George Byrne and the Italian Marcello Miani sneaking up on him. With 500 to go, Luini's splits are jut half a second off world record pace. What has he got in the tank? Rasmussen is clinging on, while the Miani makes a charge. At 200 to go, however, it's Rasmussen who's making the move, finishing really strongly, just like he did in the European championship. Luini has done too much for him in the early stage of the race, and he wins in 6:06.7. Rasmussen takes silver in 6:09.2, while Miani, who spent the early part of the race hanging at the back of the pack, has finished well to take the bronze in 6:13.4.
Today also sees a demonstration of FES rowing. Four rowers from the UK have come over to show the benefits of rowing. They get the best reception of the day and there's a huge amount of respect and interest in what they're doing and what Professor Brian Andrews is helping them achieve. Robin Gibbons finishes in 11:36.7, Kevin Brooks in 12:00.4, Sol Solomu in 14:01.3, and Sarah Orr in 16:55.1, and a huge standing ovation.
In the Women's 40-49 Hwt race, Tracy Axten totally dominated the race from start to finish, winning in a time of 6:58.8. Also in this category, Michelle Houghton, Deborah Hallett and Carole McNally finished fifth, eleventh and thirteenth respectively in times of 7:32.7, 7:50.2 and 7:51.5.
The Men's 40-49 Hwt race sees some mighty powerful seniors take to the floor. At the start, Denmark's Poul Bysted and Germany's Ralph Eckhart hit the front with sub-1:29s. Behind them, South Africa's Andreas Van Tonder looks good in third. The US's Brian Burke is also lurking ominously in fourth place. At the half-way stage, Eckhart has the lead, sat in at 6 minute pace. Van Tonder is starting to move up on Bysted. With 500 to go, Eckert looks really strong. He looks to have the race in the bag. Van Tonder is threatening to overtake Bysted, while back in fourth, Brian Burke starts to put the hammer down, hitting 1:29s. Eckhart has the race, but the silver and bronze posiitons are all in the bag. Bysted, seeing Van Tonder and Burke move, hits his replies. It's a bit too much for Van Tonder who starts to tire and is picked up by Burke. Eckhart wins in a great time of 5:59.2, the first sub-6 row of the day. Bysted hold on for silver in 6:05.0, with Burke third in 6:05.8. Behind them, Grahame Todd of the UK rows a strong second half to his race to finish 6th in 6:20.6.
In the Women's 30-39 Hwt race, Maren Derlien of Germany rowed to an easy victory in a time of 6:53.4. Behind her, Erin O'Connor of the US was second in 7:03.7, while Katrina Lundstedt was forced to dig deep in the latter stages to hold on for bronze in 7:07.7
The Men's 30-39 Hwt race sees a strong British contingent hoping for glory. As well as former world champions Chris Rushton and Nik Fleming, Stuart Williams will have been dreaming the night before of a medal. Craig Lindsay, Rob Smith and John Davies will also be looking to see low 1:30 splits appear on their monitor. The biggest threat to a British win comes from Denmark's Peter Sylvest and Jesper Lindemann and the US's Toby Ayer. It's Sylvest who hits the front at the start. With 700m gone he's joined by Toby Ayer. You could throw a blanket over the first 6, however. Ayer hits the front at the halfway stage. Nik Fleming starts to really move up the field, however, and he joins Ayer at the front, both hitting 1:30.3 splits. Sylvest is in third, but his fast start looks like it could be telling, and Williams nudges his nose into the final medal position for the first time. With 400 to go, Toby Ayer has hit the front. What has Nik Fleming got left? The race looks to be going to the American, while Sylvest has re-overtaken Williams. With 200m to go, Ayer is at 1:27s and looks on for another sub-6. Fleming looks to have the silver in the bag. As the line approaches, Ayer wins in 5:59.5, Fleming has silver with a brave row of 6:00.6, while Williams has fallen away slightly in the last part of the race to take fourth in 6:06.1, with Sylvest third in 6:03.7. Behind these, Chris Rushton was seventh in 6:15.0, Rob Smith ninth in 6:16.1, and John Davies 13th in 6:33.5.
In a tightly fought Women's Open Hwt race, South Africa's Rika Geyser emerged victorious in a quality time of 6:40.2, just taking the victory from Anna-Marie de Zwager, who rowed 6:44.2. Maria Stevens came third in 6:44.2.
The Men's Open Hwt. The Big One. Last year Graham Benton won the Men's 30-39 Hwt category. Now, with a British Open title under his belt, he's trying for the ultimate prize in indoor rowing. Amongst the men trying to stop him are the Italians Dario Dantale and Mario Palmisano, the Americans Mark Flickinger and Wyatt Allen, and his compatriot and current European champion Phil Turnham. Ten seconds before the race starts, Benton's coach Eddie Fletcher is prevailed upon to give his prediction. 5:46 he murmurs out of the corner of his mouth.
At the gun, Benton hits his trademark 1:10. Although it seems strange in a 2,000m race to put the emphasis on the first ten seconds, his ability to hit such powerful strokes early on when they're, allegedly, free gives him an advantage over his rivals, opening up a small but measurable lead. After 300 metres he settles into 1:25s, his rivals in the same ballpark. After 750 metres, Benton has the lead, but he's being pushed hard by Roman Shor, the J18 European champion. Eventually, however, the pace begins to tell on Shor, and he starts to float back down the field. Benton can't shake off Dario Dantale who's matching him stroke for stroke, lying just a handful of metres back. At this speed, the line comes quick. No sooner has the halfway mark been and gone then we're into the end game. There's 500m to go. It's become clear that if Benton's to win this, he's going to have to do this the hard way. With 300 to go, Dantale makes his move. Benton's splits start to everso slowly inch out. He's having to hold on. He's at 1:27s and 1:28s. Dantale, urged on by his coach Ricardo Dezi, tries to snatch himself a gold medal. He ups his rate, higher and higher but, unfortunately, for him, his splits stubbornly refuse to come down. It's Mark Flickinger who's finishing the strongest out of everyone. He's really flying now, but the line is coming and, with a little half stroke, Benton rows 2,000m and promptly falls off his erg a world champion. His time? 5:46.4, almost exactly what Eddie Fletcher predicted, and a new Personal Best. Unlike at the British IRC, he can't immediately rise to his feet but, as he lies on the floor, he's just got enough breath to gasp out "I did it. I did it."
Behind him, Flickinger takes silver in 5:47.3, Dantale bronze in 5:48.1, while Allen is fourth in 5:48.8. In fifth place is Phil Turnham, with a new PB of 5:54.2, despite being slightly under the weather. Having only been rowing for a year, and a member of the World Class Start programme, just like Benton, Turnham looks certain to be a star in the years to come.
