In 7 of the 14 Olympic events, the Brits' big rivals are our beloved Australasian cousins, who between them are world champions in six.
But they haven’t come to Europe and set the World Cups alight. It’s important not to read too much into this. Despite planning their training and racing schedule around the northern hemisphere summer, they’re coming from winter. So instead of their normal World Cup smash-and-grab raid where they’ll test the opposition and disappear for the final six to eight weeks of training, they’re in Europe for the long haul. Which means properly acclimatising to the time zone, climate.
So it’s understandable why their performances in Munich this weekend were better than three weeks ago in Lucerne, and it would be foolish to assume they won’t be better again come August.
Eights can be great
A win for the British eight not a below-par bronze was expected here with the absence of the dominant Germans. They aren’t odds-on favourites for London but, with only seven rowers being named at the British Team announcement two weeks ago, the selectors are convinced that Constantine Louloudis, their talented young strokeman, will be back. Otherwise they’d have named the line-up that raced here. His return will lift them from racing for a medal to challenging for gold.
It’s important to read between the lines over Germany's absence. They were going to but withdrew due to an illness to one of the crew. Understandable, but it shows they are starting to feel the pressure from the British as the Games approach. If they had fronted up and won with a spare man on board, it would have sent out a confident message.
The final reason I have confidence in the eight is the view of Alex Partridge (silver medallist in the eight at Beijing), who said: “I’d rather finish last in the final than win another silver.” If everyone has that mindset and are prepared to risk everything to win, they have a real opportunity.
Kath Grainger's day at last?
After winning a silver at each of the last three Olympics, the question is can Kath Grainger claim Britain’s first gold in women’s rowing? Back in Sydney 2000, she was in the crew that won Britain’s first medal and, 12 years on, looked at last year’s World Championships like a dead cert to finally climb to the top of the podium.
As the season has unfolded the honour of being the first British crew to make that next step is the women’s pair of Helen Glover and Heather Stanning, who have won all three World Cups. Followed later in the programme by Grainger and Anna Watkins.
Twice World champions and winners of all three World Cups, they’ve done everything right but, unlike the New Zealand men's pair, Grainger and Watkins haven’t scared everyone out of their event. The Aussie silver medallists came over and, even when an injury to her partner forced Kim Crow to qualify for the Olympic single and race solo in Lucerne (where she won silver), they still think the double can be won. Grainger has to believe it’s hers and people are trying to steal it.
Cards on the table
The speed and incredible consistency of the New Zealand men’s pair has meant that Pete Reed and Andy Hodge have gone back into the men’s coxless four in which they won gold in 2008 but, crucially, Drew Ginn the three-time Australian Olympic champion and defending gold medallist in the men’s pair, has also opted for the four. In poker parlance, the Brits have called and the Aussies have laid out their hands, both nations having bet everything on what they hope is a Royal Flush.
The first two cards the British boys laid down were impressive, a world record followed by a race win ahead of the Aussies in Lucerne. With Munich to come and then potentially the best-of-three decider at the Olympics in London. Everyone knew the Australians were going to be better in Munich, but meeting in the semi-final meant a best of three has changed to a four-race series.
Jurgen Grobler, the four’s coach, won’t have been playing tactical games; he and the crew would have aimed to follow up the win in Lucerne with a success in the semi to demoralise the Aussies. Failing to do so meant there was even more riding on Sunday's final and leaving with the score 2-1 in their favour.
After a World Cup win apiece it’s 3-1 in the Australia's favour. The British guys raced well on Sunday but their pace in the middle 1,000 is neither as fast nor as efficient as the Australians, which resulted in them failing to have kept any powder dry for the sprint finish.
Their top speed is always going to trump the Aussies but it will take a huge amount of concentration to make natural rowing more efficient.
Difficult but not impossible. For his part, Ginn knows how to get it right on the one day when it counts. Whether he can impart that knowledge to his younger crewmates remains to be seen, but the British guys have to assume he can before they lay down their final trump card.
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
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