6 August 2018

The 2018 European Rowing Championships ended with two days of finals at the Strathclyde Country Park regatta course in Glasgow, Great Britain, FISA writes in a press release (with some extra editing by HTBS).

The European Rowing Championships concluded with 17 finals, and Romania proved their European rowing prowess by topping the medals table with seven medals – three gold, two silver and two bronze medals. The women’s pair started the gold medal run when Madalina Beres and Denisa Tilvescu won ahead of the Netherlands and Italy. Beres and Tilvescu then joined their nation’s women’s eight later the same day and picked up another gold medal.

The third gold for Romania went to the men’s four crew of Ciprian Huc, Stefan-Constantin Berariu, Cosmin Pascari and Mihaita-Vasile Tiganescu, who held off Great Britain to win the race. France finished in third.

These European Championships proved to be successful for France which finished second on the medals table. They won a total of five medals including two golds. The French women’s double sculls secured a surprise win when Helene Lefebvre and Elodie Ravera-Scarmozzino outsprinted the Netherlands and the favourites, Lithuania, to the line.

‘We didn’t know when we crossed the line if we were on the podium or not, because we stayed so focused in on our boat,’ said Ravera-Scarmozzino after the race, ‘so after we crossed the line, to look up and see our name on the top of the screen – amazing.’

The French men’s double sculls picked up the second gold for their nation – again an unexpected result over the favoured British crew. Matthieu Androdias and Hugo Boucheron performed a closing sprint that saw them race from fourth into first in the closing 250m. Romania was second and Great Britain third.

In the men’s double sculls lightweight Stefano Oppo and Pietro Ruta of Italy had a slight lead, closely chased by Paul and Gary O’Donovan of Ireland and Kristoffer Brun and Are Strandli of Norway. However, the Scandinavians proved to be too strong for the rest of the field, leaving the fight for the silver medal to the Irish and the Italians. Brun and Strandli’s winning time 6:20.850, while the O’Donovans crossed the finish line at 6:22.840 and Oppo and Ruta at 6:23.320.

‘It feels so great. The atmosphere at these games has been amazing. Everyone is so happy and friendly. The race was really good, we were really hoping for gold,’ Kristoffer Brun said.

Brun and Strandli’s countryman Kjetil Borch took the gold medal in the single sculls.

The regatta had 32 countries competing and medals were won by 17 nations. Italy finished third behind Romania and France with six medals, two of them gold. Switzerland was fourth and Norway fifth.

This is the first time the European Championships has taken place as a multi-sports event. Rowing is one of seven founding sports, the others being athletics, aquatics, gymnastics, cycling, triathlon and golf. These sports were staged between the host cities of Glasgow and Berlin. The event continues until 12 August. Rowing took place at Strathclyde Country Park, just outside of Glasgow, from 2 to 5 August. The European Championships is planned to take place in this form every four years.

The European Rowing Championships is comprised of the 46 European national rowing federations, including Israel. The championship events include 18 boat classes (14 Olympic events plus four International events).

In 2019, when the European Rowing Championships will return to being only for rowing, it will take place in Lucerne, Switzerland. It returns to the start of the rowing season from 31 May to 2 June 2019.

For results, race reports, quick quotes, live blog, photos and video go to: www.worldrowing.com