Olympics: Rowing

GB off to a great start in the first heat of the day, the Women's Pairs, Helen Glover and Heather Stanning crossing the line first in a new Olympic record.  The USA pair of Sara Hendershot and Sarah Zelenka also qualify for the final finishing in second place with reigning champions, Romania, through to the reperchage round along with Germany and Argentina.  Australia, New Zealand, China, South Africa and Italy row in the second heat.

There's a great crowd at Eton Dorney.  The stands look packed out.

Always look forward to the rowing. GB have some great competitors in this one so will be keeping a close eye on this one.

Having seen much rowing since the opening race, but GB just got third in the repechage race for the Women's Quadruple Sculls.  The race was comfortably won by Australia with the USA in second.  Don't know what happened to the New Zealand boat, they were holding third place but came to an abrupt halt after the half way mark.  GB was in last place at that point but picked up the place and overtook Poland, the unlucky NZ boat and finally overtook the Chinese boat.

Men's heavyweight 8 repechage is on now.  US and Germany already through.  GB against Canada, Australia, Poland, Netherlands and Ukraine.  Greg Searle is in the GB boat.  GB leading after 1500 meters.  Canada upping their pace, so do Australia.  GB about 1/2 a boat ahead.  GB win!  Canada second with Netherlands piping Australia for the third place.

Women's Double Skulls heat on now including Anna Watkins and Kath Grainger in the GB boat.  GB currently leading at the half way point ahead of  New Zealand, China, Czech Republic and Netherlands.

GB ahead by over 5 seconds at the 1500m mark.  GB win comfortably, with New Zealand second and China third.  That was impressive, obviously I'm biased towards GB but I really hope Kath Grainger can win that elusive gold medal this year.

Second heat is up next, featuring  Germany, Ukraine, USA, Australia and Poland.  Australia should be favourites for this.  Australia half a length up over Poland at the half way mark followed by USA, Germany and Ukraine.  Commentators saying that the first choice pair for Germany have been entered in their quad boat as the team didn't think they would be able to beat GB.  Australia still half a length up at the 1500 mark, with Poland and USA in second and third.  Germany and Ukraine are miles off the pace.  Australia are cruising this heat and win by over a length over Poland then USA, Germany and Ukraine.

Should be a good final!

The blue ribbon event of the rowing, the men's heavyweight coxless fours heats are on now.  Australia breezed through the first heat.  Very impressive, miles ahead of Germany and Canada.  Blimey, that was a new OR, they looked like they were out for a casual Sunday row!

One of the GB coaches was cycling along behind the Australian coaches doing time checks!

GB go next in the second heat against Romania, Belarus and Czech Republic.  GB also looking good, well ahead at the half way mark.  GB way out in front with a good battle on for the second spot between the other three boats.  GB win, with Romania and Belarus second and third.

Final heat is between Netherlands, USA, Italy and Greece.  Tight one this, all the crews are very close together at the 500m mark, USA just shading it from Greece.  USA have picked up the pace and are out to a length ahead at the half way mark.  Greece in  second just, Netherlands and Italy locked together.  Only 3 boats go through, should be a tense second half of the race!  As I type that Italy fall right back off the pace.  USA win comfortably, Netherlands second and Greece in third.

Good days rowing that!

Seemed like a good days rowing for Great Britain.Would love to see a great medals haul for GB here.

Stanning and Glover about to get our first gold !!!

Come on girls you can easily do this.

OMG how far ahead are we !! 

 

GB's first gold medal!!!!

Well in Heather Stanning and Helen Glover, brilliant race!

OMG how far ahead are we !! 

They were miles ahead!

That was absolutely fantastic, I've got tears streaming down my cheeks, such emotion !

Well done Helen Glover and Heather Stanning winning our first gold medal

 

F***ing hell...my heart is racing!!!!

Great race! Our first gold! First medal for the British women rowing team too in any Olympics!

Love it!!

Brilliant just brilliant.

Unbelievable. They absolutely dominated. And the crowd reaction - wow.

HEATHER SMALL Proud (LONDON 2012)

For Heather Stanning and Helen Glover, the nation are very PROUD of you.

F***ing hell...my heart is racing!!!!

Great race! Our first gold! First medal for the British women rowing team too in any Olympics!

Love it!!

Wow, I never knew that.  Surely it's first gold medal, though as Kath Grainger has 2 silver medals in rowing.

I missed it so I will have to look for some highlights later on.

Wow, I never knew that.  Surely it's first gold medal, though as Kath Grainger has 2 silver medals in rowing.

I missed it so I will have to look for some highlights later on.

I managed to watch it without sound in work so I'll be catching the highlights too.

And well done to the Men's Eight who won a bronze medal behind Germany and Canada.  Not seen any of this one except for the medal ceremony and our lads looked very emotional.

I managed to watch it without sound in work so I'll be catching the highlights too.

And well done to the Men's Eight who won a bronze medal behind Germany and Canada.  Not seen any of this one except for the medal ceremony and our lads looked very emotional.

Just seen the highlights and boy, did the lads in the eight boat give that a good go!  They were neck and neck with the German boat (who apparently are unbeaten for the last couple of years) past the 1500m mark, but the Germans pushed on brilliantly and the reigning champions, the Canadians, overtook us.  Superb effort, and the commentator was funny, his voice kept squeaking at the end!

So we have ten boats (including todays two) in finals with a possibility of three more tomorrow.  Ten out of fourteen boats reaching finals is amazing, but thirteen would be phenomenal!  There are good chances of more medals too!

Just seen the highlights and boy, did the lads in the eight boat give that a good go!  They were neck and neck with the German boat (who apparently are unbeaten for the last couple of years) past the 1500m mark, but the Germans pushed on brilliantly and the reigning champions, the Canadians, overtook us.  Superb effort, and the commentator was funny, his voice kept squeaking at the end!

So we have ten boats (including todays two) in finals with a possibility of three more tomorrow.  Ten out of fourteen boats reaching finals is amazing, but thirteen would be phenomenal!  There are good chances of more medals too!

Spot on mate getting a Bronze is fantastic because they could have probably got silver if they went for that but they tried for gold and thats exactly the right spirit they were fantastic.

Just seen the highlights and boy, did the lads in the eight boat give that a good go!  They were neck and neck with the German boat (who apparently are unbeaten for the last couple of years) past the 1500m mark, but the Germans pushed on brilliantly and the reigning champions, the Canadians, overtook us.  Superb effort, and the commentator was funny, his voice kept squeaking at the end!

So we have ten boats (including todays two) in finals with a possibility of three more tomorrow.  Ten out of fourteen boats reaching finals is amazing, but thirteen would be phenomenal!  There are good chances of more medals too!

Fingers crossed!

Looking forward to Friday (I think). Hoping to see Katherine Grainger finally become a gold medal winner in the double sculls. Three times a silver medalist!

Rowing and Cycling are probably our strongest sports.

How does everyone think we'll fare on track & field, and does anybody think that we'll reach the medal tally that we did in Beijing?

South Africa take gold and GB nick silver from Denmark in the lightweight four.

Rowing and Cycling are probably our strongest sports.

How does everyone think we'll fare on track & field, and does anybody think that we'll reach the medal tally that we did in Beijing?

I think we will do okay in track and field, not winning a stack of medals - just 3 or 4 overall. I think Team GB will fall short of the medal haul in Beijing.

I think Team GB will fall short of the medal haul in Beijing.

Beijing was a huge over-performance though.  Just like us winning the Champions League in 2005.

We should remember that there are over 1 billion people in China.  They have a population pool 50x greater than the UK.  The fact they only have 3x as many medals suggests we are doing a great job - similarly with the USA who have 5x as many people.

I don't understand how anyone can be disappointed with our tally - personally I think Team GB is doing very well.