Phew, that was a relief. The only result that had to be was delivered by the
British four in fine style on the flat lake at Penrith. They went off the
blocks, took the lead quickly from the charging Slovenians, went through the
500 marker with the Australians still in third, went through the 1000 marker
with the Australians in second, added another second's advantage by the 1500
marker, and opened clear water in front of an Australian crowd with 200 metres
to go. Now that's the four we're used to, and they have found themselves again.
They were not alone. Ed Coode and Greg Searle in their new seating order with
Greg at stroke did the same, holding off repeated challenges from Matthew Long
and James Tomkins, who after the euphoria of their win in Lucerne in mid-July
with Long in for Drew Ginn as sub, are now learning to row together. What with
Long having to change sides to row with Tomkins, this is not the dream pair
that first appeared on the Rotsee.
Meanwhile, Coode and Searle have had time to bond in the boat after, as Searle
said at their press conference, "Ed came from a fast-moving boat and I came
from a slow-moving one. We had to learn to row together."
Matthew Pinsent began the four's press conference early because doping control
had summoned him to "piss in a pot". "We are back to the four who know we can
win the Olympics," he said. "It was important to show ourselves that Lucerne is
not the way we row." The stroke man also dispelled the importance of history.
"Our individual histories don't matter. Rowing is a combination of the
individual and the team. We have to help each other to win. Motivation matters
to me, but history doesn't." After he went to do his duty, Tim Foster and James
Cracknell confirmed his line although they had arrived later, while the mature
man of the crew did not show at all - but it was definitely him in the boat.
The pair asserted that neither was bothered about who sits where, and that the
European competition season with Coode sitting at stroke followed by the switch
were both good moves in their preparation. Searle's interpretation was that
with him in bow he could distract Ed with chatter, while with himself at stroke
Ed could follow him, "which he's very good at" - all delivered with one of
those smiles that captivates every woman I know.
Let's not get over-excited. "This is only the heats," said one Jurgen Grobler.
Semi-finals for the four and pair are on Thursday. The rest of the Sunday
starters repechage on Tuesday. Matthew Wells had a terrific initiation to
Olympic sculling with second place to Derek Porter of Canada. Other heat
winners were Waddell of NZ, Hacker of Germany who saw off Chalupa of the Czech
Republic, and Olympic champion Mueller of Switzerland. The women's singles heat
winners were equally predictable (and seeded): Karsten, Neykova, Sonia Waddell
and Rutschow-Stomporowski, whose newly extended name has not quite defeated the
Olympic results sheets.
Sadly, Dot Blackie and Cath Bishop saw nothing of the fine race by the four
crews ahead of them vying for the one qualifying place in their heat of the
pairs. Francis Houghton and Sarah Winckless lacked fire as well.
Now for another sleepless night preparing for the men's eight and the women's
quad.