Cawthorn impresses in K1 showdown
7th August 2012
Team GB scored its first race win on the water at Dorney today in the heats of the Women’s K1 500m, as Rachel Cawthorn showed her class and speed to take the win and draw a great lane for the semi-final.
With six boats going through and six boats in her heat, qualification for the semi-final was never in question. It was all about getting established in the competition, getting comfortable with the pressure of the home crowd and showing a turn of speed that would impress.
And impress she did, leading practically from the start and fighting off Alana Nicholls of Australia, who had shared the lead with her.
Come the semi finals, the grandstands knew they were going to witness a great race, letting out a huge roar when Rachel was announced. Drawn in lane five, she had arguably the best lane but only the first two finishers would be guaranteed a place in Thursday’s final.
From the gun, the boats around her powered away, leaving Rachel trailing in fifth by the half way point. Flanked on either side by the likes of Katrin Wagner-Augustin of Germany and Teresa Portela of Portugal, as well as the legendary Josefa Idem of Italy to her right, Rachel started to move through the field quickly in the closing stages, looking stronger and faster with every stroke.
With about twenty metres to go, Rachel nudged ahead of Teresa Portela into second place and crossed the line safely into the final, just behind the winner Josefa Idem.
Speaking afterwards, Rachel was delighted with her performance: “I tried to go as hard as I could off the start and with about three hundred to go I thought it’s now or never. I really put everything into that last bit and the crowd kept me going all the way”
In the Women’s K2 500m race, Abigail Edmonds paired up with Louisa Sawers to mount a valiant effort to qualify their boat for the finals, but after finishing 5th behind Sweden, Russia, Romania and Australia in their heat, they finished 7th in their semi-final meaning they would progress no further.
Abigail was gracious and positive about her brief but enjoyable Olympic moment: “I went in with the mindset that I was going to really enjoy it and I know that’s the best way to get the best out of myself. We’ve been training on this lake for three years now and to have everyone around you like this, you get a real buzz from it. I think for me if having seen the Olympics, someone’s inspired to get into canoeing then I feel like I’ve done half my job by being here.”
Racing will really heat tomorrow with the start of the Olympic Canoe Sprint finals.
British fans won’t be waiting long for the excitement to start with the reigning Olympic Champion Tim Brabants going in the first final of the day at 9.38am, in the men’s K1 1000m. Four years ago in Beijing Brabants had the race of his life, dominating the field to take Great Britain’s first ever canoeing Olympic Gold.
Having said himself how much the competition has come on in the past four years, Brabants will have a tough feat to retain his title. The early focus of the race is expected to be on the current World Champion, Canada’s Adam Van Koeverden, who looked incredibly strong throughout Monday’s heats and semi-final. Although four years ago, he displayed great form throughout the early rounds, but blew up in the final missing out on a medal, a performance he will be hoping is long behind him. The field is packed with World, European and Olympic medallists, guaranteeing to deliver a fierce contest.
The crowds will on their feet once again for the closing final of the day, the women’s K4 500m which features Great Britains foursome of Jess Walker, Rachel Cawthorn, Angela Hannah and Louisa Sawers. Having already achieved something that British canoeing hasn’t in 20 years by reaching the final, the girls are ready and determined to give it their all in hope of going one better than their 4th place at the European Championships.
The quartet will line up in Lane 1, the home lane, and use the power of the crowd to get in amongst the front runners who are expected to be Germany and Hungary having claimed the gold and silver respectively at the past three Olympic Games.
Canoe Sprint 6th – 11th August 2012
Schedule:
Date Session Time Events
Wednesday 8 August 09:30- 11:15 Finals
Men's K1, K2 and C1 1000m, Women’s K4 500m
Thursday 9 August 09:30- 11:15 Finals
Men’s K4 and C1 1000m, Women’s K1 and K2 500m
Friday 10 August 09:30- 11:55 Heats and Semi Finals
Men’s K1, K2 and C1 200m, Women’s K1 200m
Saturday 11 August 09:30 – 11:20 Finals
Men’s K1, K2 and C1 200m, Women’s K1 200m
The Team:
Men’s K1 1000m - Tim Brabants
Men’s K1 200m - Ed McKeever
Men's K2 200m - Liam Heath & Jon Schofield
Men’s C1 1000m - Richard Jefferies
Men’s C1 200m - Richard Jefferies
Women’s K1 500m - Rachel Cawthorn
Women's K2 500m - Abigail Edmonds & Louisa Sawers
Women's K4 500m - Jess Walker, Rachel Cawthorn, Angela Hannah, Louisa Sawers
Women’s K1 200m - Jess Walker