Cambridge Eight Beats Knapkova At Prague Mayor's Eights

However absurd the title above may sound, it was reality on Friday, 20 September: in a race of varsity eights, the crew of the British university competed against men's lineups representing a number of Czech universities and colleges. One of them, of Prague's Charles University, was reinforced by the Olympic champion in women's single sculls, Mirka Knapková. The race was taken by the Czech Technical University followed by Cambridge, the Czech University of Life Sciences, Charles University, and Prague University of Economics, respectively.

Video from the finals of the main race at Prague Mayor's Eights regatta on Sunday, 22 September

Knapková said the men's varsity one-kilometre race was rowed in the fastest pace she ever had to cope with in her life. "The boat runs in a different way and lets you feel the strength and speed. But then it is remarkably harder in the single - it makes you think the boat is standing still", told the top Czech female rower the Lidovky.cz news website, affiliated with the Czech nationwide daily Lidové noviny.

Knapkova’s Olympic Secret

Last year’s Olympic winner in women’s single sculls, Czech Republic’s Mirka Knapková had to walk a more difficult path to gold than it might have looked. As the media in her homeland intensely discussed after the victorious race, she had gone through the whole Olympic regatta with an injury.

Knapková’s progression at Eton Dorney looked as clear as it could be: she won her heat (on 28 July), quarterfinal (31 July), and semifinal (2 August).

But, at the start of the A final (4 August), Czech Television’s commentator Pavel Čapek revealed to the audience that the Czech sculler “was fighting serious health problems”. It turned out that there was a problem but only Knapková’s close circle knew about it, including a few journalist fellow-countrymen – and they decided to keep it secret so that the sculler does not get distracted by media attention and her rivals are not granted psychological advantage.

As rowing observers (including Czech men’s sculling coach, Milan Doleček Sr.) pointed out, it probably was due to the health challenge that Knapková reached the perfect concentration and her rowing style became simpler and more economic.

“Being close to such an achievement will stay inside me until the end of my life,” says Czech physiotherapy doctor Pavel Kolář who helped the rower in her critical moments. In an interview published on the Czech news website Idnes.cz (affiliated with a broad-circulation daily, Mladá fronta Dnes) on 27 December 2012, Kolář remembers how he was called to help after the heats of women’s singles: “The whole of Mirka’s shoulder-blade hurt. Even my intervention didn’t show any remarkable improvement.” An MRI screening indicated a torn shoulder-blade fixator.

Knapková a lehká čtyřka vyhráli sprinty ve Švýcarsku

ENGLISH TITLE: Czech Republic’s Knapkova and Lightweight Four Win in Switzerland Sprints

Čeští veslaři si odvážejí dvě vítězství z dnešních závodů na krátké trati ve švýcarském Curychu. Poprvé od svého vítězství na olympiádě, kde startovala zraněná, zde veslovala skifařka Mirka Knapková a opět vyhrála.

Zvítězila rovněž čtyřka bez kormidelníka lehkých vah mužů, která porazila favorizovanou domácí sestavu. Závod byl nejvyrovnanější z celého programu, neboť se v něm sešly tři posádky, které startovaly na olympiádě – Češi, Švýcaři a Nizozemci. Za česká vesla tahali Ondřej a Jan Vetešníkovi, Miroslav Vraštil a Martin Slavík. Poslední jmenovaný nahradil člena olympijské sestavy Jiřího Kopáče.

Eton Dorney, 2012, Again: Final Medal and Point Standings in Paralympic Rowing

Medal Chart:

China 2-0-0
Ukraine 1-0-1
Great Britain 1-0-0
France 0-2-0
Australia 0-1-0
Germany 0-1-0
United States 0-0-1
Belarus 0-0-1
Russia 0-0-1

České veslování má juniorského mistra světa na skifu

ENGLISH TITLE: Czech Rowing Has a Junior World Champion in Single Sculls

Veslař Michal Plocek z Uherského Hradiště dnes na juniorském mistrovství světa suverénně vyhrál finále skifu. Na umělé dráze v bulharském Plovdivu ujel dvoukilometrovou závodní trať ve velmi rychlém čase 7:03,47. Druhý Slovinec Jernej Markovc v cíli zaostal o 5,54 sekundy. Bronz získal Číňan Kang-kang Li (Ganggang Li).

Legenda Redgrave a jeho česká stopa

ENGLISH TITLE: The Living Legend Redgrave: A Czech Trace

Před slavnostním zahájením olympiády v Londýně se spekuluje o jménu sportovní osobnosti, která zapálí olympijský oheň. Jedním ze žhavých kandidátů je veslař Steve Redgrave, který co do olympijských zisků patří mezi nejlepší britské sportovce i nejúspěšnější veslaře světa: zlatou medaili si odvážel z každých her od Los Angeles 1984 až po Sydney 2000. (Tento rekord pak v Aténách 2004 vyrovnala rumunská veslařka Elisabeta Lipă.)

S tímto velikánem světového veslování souvisí jedna málo známá skutečnost. Jak uvádí kniha Four Men in a Boat („Čtyři muži v lodi“), Redgravův vstup do mezinárodního veslování nevypadal slibně: na mistrovství světa juniorů, které se roku 1979 konalo v Moskvě, soutěžil na skifu, ale vypadl už v kvalifikaci. Mezi jeho přemožitele patřil i československý reprezentant.

Z výsledkové databáze na stránkách Mezinárodní veslařské federace (FISA) vyplývá, že oním držitelem Redgravova skalpu je český veslař Miloš Zářecký, který nakonec na šampionátu v Moskvě skončil celkově 10. Vrcholem Zářeckého kariéry bylo mistrovství světa roku 1985 v belgickém Hazewinkelu, kde získal bronz na párové čtyřce.

Czech Athlete of the Year: Knapkova Fourth, Synek Ninth

Results of the Czech annual Athlete of Year poll were announced on Wednesday, 21 December in Prague. Rowing has historically scored twice in the Top Ten: fourth place went to the world champion in women's single, Mirka Knapková, while the world vice-champion (and last year's champion) in men's single, Ondřej Synek, finished ninth.

A year ago, Synek even ranked third in the chart based on votes of members of a national sports journalism body.

Love in Another Language: A Movie Romance With Much Rowing

Shot in 2009, the Turkish fictional film “Love in Another Language” (Başka Dilde Aşk) is a love story of deaf man Onur and hearing woman Zeynep in Istanbul. Played by Mert Fırat (born 1981), the hero is an enthusiastic rower (obviously a lightweight sculler).

“Love in Another Language” may be the most rowing-permeated of the films whose stories are not essentially about the sport. Rowing scenes are included as if it were just by the way but you can indulge in them throughout the whole film: Onur practicing on an erg at home, going out in a single or a double, racing in a quad, checking the slide, getting off a Galatasaray Rowing jersey, sleeping in the boat park...

Mirka Knapková má šanci na titul nejlepší veslařky roku

ENGLISH TITLE: Mirka Knapková Has a Chance for the Year’s Best Woman Rower Title

Česká mistryně světa na skifu Mirka Knapková je nominována na Cenu světového veslování (World Rowing Awards), kterou každoročně uděluje Mezinárodní veslařská federace (FISA). Veřejnost může na internetových stránkách FISA až do této neděle 2. října vybírat mezi letošními mistry světa v kategoriích mužů, žen a handicapovaných. Zároveň je umožněno alternativně navrhnout jinou posádku, která letos na světovém šampionátu nevyhrála. Dalšími kategoriemi, kde už je nominace zcela otevřená a závisí čistě na návrzích z řad hlasujících, jsou nejlepší trenér a osobnost s největšími zásluhami o veslování.

Jak uvádějí stránky FISA, konečné vítěze nakonec z předložených nominací vybere její Výkonný výbor 14. října.

Čeští junioři mají světový bronz

ENGLISH TITLE: Czech Juniors (JM2x) Earn a World Bronze

Juniorští reprezentanti na dvojskifu Adam Štěrbák a Martin Slavík dnes dopoledne ve finále mistrovství světa dojeli třetí. Olympijskou trať na kanále Dorney u anglického Etonu zvládli v čase 6 minut, 40 sekund a 36 setin. Rychlejší byli pouze Němci a Francouzi; naopak za nimi zůstaly posádky Švýcarska, Slovinska a domácí Velké Británie.

Další českou účast ve finálové šestce zajistila skifařka Lucie Žabová. Ve finále své disciplíny skončila na šestém místě v čase 8 minut, 17 sekund a 94 setin. Medaile si rozdělily Německo, Irsko a Lotyšsko. Čtvrtá místo získala Itálie, páté bylo Dánsko.

V domácích vodách Štěrbák závodí za Veslařský klub Morávia Uherské Hradiště. Slavík i Žabová jsou odchovanci Veslařského klubu Slávie Děčín.

Vraštil s Kopáčem mají zlato ze Světového poháru v Mnichově

ENGLISH TITLE: Vraštil, Kopáč (LM2-) Have Gold from the World Cup in Munich

Hned úvodní díl Světového poháru začal pro české veslaře úspěchem: Jiří Kopáč a Miroslav Vraštil vyhráli v kategorii dvojek lehkých vah. O jejich dnešním výsledku informovaly internetové stránky Mezinárodní veslařské federace (FISA). Cesta české lehké dvojky do finále přitom nebyla jednoduchá: v kvalifikaci (která je organizována novým systémem měřených jízd na čas) byli Vraštil s Kopáčem penalizováni za to, že jejich loď nesplňovala předepsaný hmotnostní limit.

Své vystoupení v Mnichově mají za sebou i slovenští skifaři: loňský vicemistr světa na skifu lehkých vah Lukáš Babač nyní startoval mezi těžkými vahami a skončil 14. Ve finále C o celkové 13.-18. místo ho předstihl pouze Georgi Božilov z Bulharska. Ve své premiéře mezi světovými seniory dojel další skifař ve slovenských barvách Andre Rédr (loni čtvrtý nejlepší juniorský skifař světa) na 24. místě.

Český skifař Ondřej Synek dnes vyhrál svou semifinálovou jízdu a v neděli 29. května se představí ve finále. Těsně za Synkem dojel Litevec Mindaugas Griskonis.

Do finále skifařek se dostaly hned dvě české zástupkyně: Mirka Knapková dnes vyhrála svou semifinálovou jízdu, ze které se třetím místem kvalifikovala ještě Jitka Antošová.

(AKTUALIZACE: Ve finálových závodech olympijských disciplín, které se jely v neděli 29. května, Ondřej Synek zvítězil mezi skifaři. Ze skifařek byla nejlepší Běloruska Jekatěrina Chodotovičová-Karstenová, následovaná domácí závodnicí Anne-Katrin Thieleovou a bronzovou Siou-jün Čangovou z Číny.

Oficiální česká dvojka mezi skifařkami Jitka Antošová předstihla jedničku Mirku Knapkovou, když obsadily čtvrté a páté místo. Antošová se však velkou část závodu držela na druhém místě za dlouho vedoucí Němkou Thieleovou.)

Čop and Knapková Grab the Golden Cups of Philadelphia

Slovenian rower Iztok Čop has won the men’s singles race at the Aberdeen Dad Vail Regatta in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, overtaking Kenneth Jurkowski of the United States in second. Last year’s world champion, Ondřej Synek of the Czech Republic finished in third, followed by Čop’s compatriot Luka Špik in fourth.

It looks like the retirement of Slovenia’s most successful Olympian from top rowing events last year started his victorious spree throughout regional rowing races.

The trophy for women’s singles has been taken by Czech sculler Mirka Knapková. Her rivals were Ekaterina Karsten of Belarus, finishing second, with last year’s world champion, Sweden’s Frida Svensson, in third. The fourth place went to Iva Obradović of Serbia.

Screenshot from the official website of the Aberdeen Dad Vail Regatta.

The regatta was held on 13 and 14 May 2011. It featured a rich variety of events, with singles, coxless pairs, coxed fours, and eights divided into student categories (varsity, collegiate, and frosh/novice crews). The competition of corporate eights featured crews rowing for well-known brands such as Coca-Cola, Ernst & Young, and Vanguard. World elite men’s and women’s single scullers pursued the Golden Cup trophies.

Full list of results is available on the official website of the Aberdeen Dad Vail Regatta.

Karonen Beats Synek at Czech 6K Open

Czech single sculler and last year’s world champion Ondřej Synek finished second in the Czech Long-Distance Open Championships yesterday. A regular participant in the event, Sweden’s Lassi Karonen takes gold.

Synek was some 26 seconds slower than Karonen, and was closely followed by his teammate David Jirka in third.

Women’s singles witnessed a similar surprise as the Czech number one, Mirka Knapková, was overtaken by the Czech women’s double sculler Jitka Antošová. The difference between their finish times was over 17 seconds. Bronze goes to Antošová’s sister and double scull teammate, Lenka.

In men’s pairs, too, elder crews were all beaten by an under-23 duo, Jakub Koloc and Petr Melichar.

Results have been posted on the website of the Czech Rowing Association, with an abstract also published by the Czech news website Idnes.cz.

Hořín Lateral Canal opening into the Labe (Elbe) river on the outskirts of the town of Mělník. Source: Thorsten Bachner, Wikimedia Commons.

The race venue was the Hořín Lateral Canal north of Prague. The narrow waterway was built in early 20th century as a ship shortcut between the Vltava and Labe (Elbe) rivers. In the recent years, Czech rowing championships on the 6 kilometre distance take place here every spring. The head race of singles and pairs serves as a preliminary trial for the Czech national team selection.

Iraqi Olympic Committee Rewards Medalists of Asian Games, Sculler Hamarasheid Calls for “More Interest”

Iraqi Olympic Committee has held a gathering in honour of the country’s three medalists of the Asian Games: a silver runner, a bronze wrestler, and a bronze rower. The event of Monday, 13 December has been covered by Iraqi media outlets and reported on the Committee’s website.

The 16th Asian Games were hosted by Guangzhou, China on 12-27 November this year.

Current (interim) flag of Iraq. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

It has been announced that the Iraqi Olympic Committee handed over a financial reward worth 15 million Iraqi dinars (an equivalent of approximately 12,800 US dollars) to the silver medalist, his coach, and his sport federation each. The reward for the bronze medalists with their coaches and federations was 10 million Iraqi dinars (approximately 8,500 US dollars) to each.

Synek může být zvolen světovým veslařem roku

ENGLISH TITLE: Synek May Be Elected World’s Rower of the Year

Poté, co se skifař Ondřej Synek stal v sobotu 27. listopadu celkem dle očekávání nejlepším českým veslařem (resp. nejlepší posádkou) letošního roku, má nyní šanci vyhrát podobnou anketu i v globálním měřítku – Cenu světového veslování (World Rowing Awards) v kategorii mužských posádek. Na internetových stránkách Mezinárodní veslařské federace (FISA) je otevřeno hlasování o nominace na nejvýraznější veslařské posádky a osobnosti roku 2010. Formulář v angličtině umožňuje komukoli navrhnout kandidáty na nejlepší mužskou, ženskou a handicapovanou posádku. Hlasování bude uzavřeno již v pátek 10. prosince o půlnoci středoevropského času.

Synek Becomes Father to Daughter, Gets Military Promotion

This year's world champion in men's single scull, Ondřej Synek of the Czech Republic, has become a father for the first time. His little daughter Alice was born on 17 November, the Czech Rowing Association has reported on its website. A sport news emission of the Czech Television announced the same news last evening. Alice's mother is Synek's fiancée, Pavla Bezová. The expected delivery term was 8 November, two days after Synek won his A-final in Karapiro, New Zealand. (Language note: The surname Synek means in Czech “little son”.)

Czech Expectations from World Rowing Championships: Knapkova Wants Any Medal, Synek Only Gold; Slovakia’s Babac Hopes for a Medal Too

Nothing but gold is the goal of Czech Republic’s single sculler, Ondřej Synek, for the upcoming World Rowing Championships in Karapiro, New Zealand. When asked by Czech reporters in a press conference in Prague on 14 October whether he aims for gold, Synek replied: “Nothing else would please me. But, anything can happen.” Synek’s replies were summarised in a number of Czech dailies such as Mladá fronta Dnes (with its website platform Idnes.cz) and Právo (with its affiliate website Sport.cz).

Czech single sculler Ondřej Synek earned Olympic silver in Beijing 2008. Source: screen grab from a YouTube video.

The Czech rower’s life moments may come condensed in three days of November: the A finals of men’s single sculls where Synek is expected to appear as the unbeaten favourite of this season are scheduled for Saturday, 6 November; two days later, his fiancée Pavla Bezová is expected to give birth to their first child. “I hope they will wait for me with the delivery. If it comes sooner, I will feel a little sorry,” the athlete was quoted on the Idnes.cz website as saying.

Czechs, Poles Head for Karapiro

The teams of the Czech Republic and Poland set for Karapiro, New Zealand, the scene of this year's World Rowing Championships. Four Czech and three Polish boats are going to fight for medals.

Czech rowing will be represented in men's and women's categories by singles and doubles. The Poles are sending women's doubles (standard and lightweight) and men's eight. The nominations have been announced on the websites of the national rowing bodies of both countries.

The Polish team left Warsaw on 14 October as confirmed on the personal website of Magdalena Kemnitz who rows in the bow seat of lightweight women's double.

According to the Czech Rowing Association website, the Czech rowers will fly from Prague on 16 October evening. They will join their team fellow Mirka Knapková, the women's single sculler who has already been in New Zealand since late September. Knapková was the first athlete to arrive at the World Championships venue, the websites of the FISA and the Czech Rowing Association have reported.

Karsten to Be the Only Belarusian at World Champs

Belarus is due to be represented in the upcoming World Rowing Championships by a single athlete – the indefatigable woman sculler Ekaterina Karsten (Екатерина Карстен). The selection was announced by the country’s head rowing coach Uladzimyr Sinelshchykau (Уладзімір Сінельшчыкаў; Russian spelling Vladimir Sinelshchikov, Владимир Синельщиков) in the Belarusian Sport Panorama newspaper published in Russian. The interview with Sinelshchykau was posted on the newspaper’s website on 14 September and quoted by the Belarusian website Goals.by.

Sinelshchykau’s soundbites largely identical with those in the Sport Panorama interview appeared on the Poland Rowing Association website on 3 October.

The reasons for not sending more crews from Belarus to the World Championships are mainly financial, the coach suggested.

First Full-Fledged European Championships... Finally

The upcoming European Rowing Championships in Montemor-o-Velho, Portugal are due to be much different from the previous years: for the first time since the championships were restored in 2007, Europeans get the opportunity to compete in all rowing events (not just the fourteen Olympic ones) and, unlike the past years again, most of the European rowing elite will really be present.

Rowing is a part of Europe's history. Source: Wikipedia.

The new history of the European Rowing Championships is problematic: the regatta was always held after the World Championships or Olympic Games and thus remained overshadowed by the real peak of the season. Many of the best European rowers did not bother to come – either because they already wanted to relax, or because they knew their main rivals would also stay home, or because they had anyway accomplished success on the world level for that season (European countries won 57% of rowing events at the 2008 Olympics and 70% of all events at the 2009 World Championships). Take Great Britain, one of the superpowers of rowing: two years ago, they sent seven boats to the European championships; last year, there was only one British boat.

In their current shape, the European Rowing Championships have largely become a regatta for: 1) reserve crews, 2) hopeful juniors, 3) experimental lineups, and 4) consolation prize seekers, i.e. those who might not be satisfied with their performance in the preceding World Championships or Olympic Games (see below for examples).