On the rebound, rowers in strong World Cup performance
Australia's rowing team have capped off their World Cup series campaign with a strong showing in Switzerland as 29 athletes across six crews made it onto the podium.
The Lucerne regatta was their final international test before the world championships in Shanghai in September, as Australia look to rebound from a disappointing Olympic campaign last year when they won just a solitary bronze medal in Paris.
Advertisement
The Aussies finished third overall in the medal tally across the two World Cup regattas with two gold, three silver and one bronze medal.
The men's four made it back-to-back gold medals, again leading from the start as they held off late charges from Romania and Lithuania to win in five minutes 47.03 seconds.
"We didn't quite have everyone at Varese (in Italy); it's really strong competition here today and during this week, so it's nice to see where we're at," Australia's stroke Alexander Hill said.
Paralympian Erik Horrie also backed up a victory at Varese as he absorbed early pressure from France's Alexis Sanchez before powering away to comfortably win the PR1 men's single sculls in 9:01.16.
Advertisement
The women's four also impressed, surging out to an early lead before taking the silver behind the United States, holding off New Zealand and Great Britain.
The men's eight produced a courageous performance, attacking early and pushing the pace through the middle 1000m as they claimed the silver behind winners Germany with Romania third.
The women's eight was also involved in a tight tussle as they earned bronze behind winners Romania and the United States.
Erik Horrie on his way to claiming a second PR1 single sculls gold. (AP PHOTO)
And Australia's PR3 mixed double sculls crew of Lisa Greissl and Sam Stunell returned to the podium with silver, closing the gap on the German crew that beat them in Varese.
Advertisement
"We've seen competitive racing right across the squad and that's exactly what we want before bringing the team together for Shanghai," said Rowing Australia performance director Paul Thompson.
Before that, several crews will shift gears and head to England for the Henley Royal Regatta, where they'll take on traditional side-by-side knockout racing on one of the sport's most historic courses.
"Henley's completely different," Thompson said.
"It's racing for pride and an experience every rower should embrace. They should enjoy it, take it one race at a time, and see how far they can go."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Jess Breach ready to complete unfinished business at Rugby World Cup
By Paul Eddison Jess Breach has unfinished business when it comes to World Cups but believes she is a very different person ahead of a showpiece on home soil in 2025. Now 27, the flying winger burst onto the scene at just 20 with six tries on debut against Canada and quickly established herself as one of the best finishers in the game. Advertisement However, in New Zealand three years ago, she made just one appearance for England, in a group game against South Africa, missing out to a combination of Lydia Thompson, Abby Dow and Claudia MacDonald in the knockout stages. As England fell just short to the Black Ferns in the final, Breach had to deal with both collective and individual disappointment but feels she has matured in the three years since. England are chasing a first World Cup title since 2014 (imagecomms) She said: 'Individually I think I have learned a lot. I think I have grown a lot as a player over the last three years. It was hard, the last World Cup for me personally. But I think this time around, being involved and being with the girls, being on home soil, I think the whole thing will be completely different. Advertisement 'I think I've learned that me even being a part of the team is way more beneficial than not. I bring other stuff than just my playing ability to the squad which is what I've learned over the last three years. I've adapted and got better as an individual.' Given some time off after the Grand Slam, Breach took the opportunity to travel before coming back into England's World Cup training camp, part of the 42-player squad gearing up for the global competition. And now fully fit, she feels she is in position to put her best foot forward ahead of the biggest World Cup to date. She added: 'I went to Bali. People say you find yourself in Bali, I'm not saying I did that, but I allowed my time to reflect on the seven months I'd been through since WXV, on an injury that I didn't realise would be as serious as it was. Advertisement 'You have to be your biggest critic. That is really important, I knew I wasn't at my best and now I know I don't want to be in that position. I had to give myself time to process that and my body wasn't ready. It wasn't where it was in WXV, but that is because I'd not had the long period of training. I felt like was catching up but now I feel like we're all on a level playing field.' Purchase your tickets to the Red Roses v Spain fixture and the Autumn Nations Series at Allianz Stadium
Hamilton Spectator
an hour ago
- Hamilton Spectator
From Basel to Zurich: Discover the cities and stadiums hosting Euro 2025
The Women's European Championship will be played in eight cities across Switzerland. The 31 matches will be spread across Basel, Bern, Geneva, Lucerne, Sion, St. Gallen, Thun and Zurich. The opening game features Iceland against Finland on Wednesday at Arena Thun. Four of the stadiums have held matches in the men's European Championship, when Switzerland co-hosted the tournament with Austria in 2008. Here's a closer look at the cities and stadiums: Basel Commonly considered to be the cultural capital of Switzerland , Basel boasts a rich history and is home to the oldest public art collection in the world, housed in the Kunstmuseum Basel since 1661. Basel is Switzerland's third-most-populous city and is situated in the northwest of the country, bordering both France and Germany. The Dreiländereck of Basel, also known as the tripoint, is a monument marking the exact point where the borders meet. Tennis great Roger Federer was born in Basel and is a big fan of its local soccer team. Stadium: St. Jakob-Park is Switzerland's largest soccer venue, with a capacity of 34,250. It will host five matches, including the final on July 27 and the home nation's opening match on Wednesday. It is the home of Swiss national champion Basel so has regularly hosted Champions League matches as well as Euro 2008 quarterfinals and a semifinal, and a Europa League final in 2016. The stadium is nicknamed 'Joggeli' by the fans — a diminutive of 'Jakob' in the local dialect. It has also hosted many concerts. Bern Switzerland's federal capital is located in the west-central part of the country. Bern city center is largely medieval and has been recognized by UNESCO as a Cultural World Heritage Site. The most famous sights are the Zytglogge, an elaborate medieval clock tower with moving puppets, and the Münster, an impressive 15th century Gothic cathedral — the tallest in Switzerland. There is also a museum dedicated to Albert Einstein , at his former residence. Stadium: Stadion Wankdorf is the country's second-largest soccer stadium, with a capacity of 29,800. It is the home of the Young Boys soccer team. The venue opened in 2005 and was built on the grounds of the stadium that hosted the 1954 World Cup final. Bruce Springsteen, Elton John and Red Hot Chilli Peppers are among those to have played concerts in the stadium. It will host four matches at Euro 2025, including World Cup winner Spain's opening match against Portugal on July 3 as well as a quarterfinal. Geneva The second-most populous city in Switzerland, Geneva is a center for international diplomacy and finance. It hosts the highest number of international organizations in the world — including the European headquarters of the United Nations, the World Health Organization and the Red Cross. The city is located in southwestern Switzerland, almost encircled by the French border, in a picturesque basin at the tip of Lake Geneva and has a clear view of Mont Blanc, the highest Alpine peak. Stadium: Stade de Genève has a capacity of 26,750 and was completed in 2003 after three years of construction. It hosted three group stage games during Euro 2008 and held other international fixtures, notably a friendly between Argentina and Portugal in 2011 — the first time Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo faced each other while playing for their countries. It regularly holds rugby matches and even ice hockey games. It will host five matches at Euro 2025, including a quarterfinal and semifinal. Lucerne With a population of approximately 83,000 people, Lucerne is the most populous city in central Switzerland. It boasts the oldest covered bridge in Europe, built in 1333. It also has a colorful old town, where the buildings are decorated with murals depicting village life and hunting scenes from the olden days. That adds to the picturesque quality of Lucerne, which is set on the shores of Lake Lucerne and the River Reuss. Stadium: Allmend Stadion Luzern, which opened in 2011, was completely rebuilt after the previous stadium was deemed no longer suitable for use in the Swiss Super League. It has a matchday capacity of 14,350 and will be used for three group stage matches — all involving the two tournament debutants, Poland and Wales. Sion Situated near the Italian and French borders, Sion is one of the driest and sunniest areas of Switzerland. Sion is one of Europe's most significant prehistoric sites with the first settlements dating back to 6200 BC. The city is dotted with hills, the highest of which is Tourbillon with the ruins of a castle. On the opposite hill stands the Basilique de Valère, which houses the oldest playable organ in the world, built in the early 1430s. Sion has had multiple bids to host the Winter Olympics but never won. Stadium: The Stade de Tourbillon is the smallest of all the venues for Euro 2025 as it has a matchday capacity of just 7,750. It has nevertheless hosted a number of men's international matches, including one of Switzerland's qualifiers for Euro 2020. It is named after the castle that overlooks the city. St. Gallen Nestled in a northeastern valley between Lake Constance and the Appenzell Alps, St. Gallen is one of the highest cities in Switzerland. Its university is considered one of the best business schools in Europe and its Abbey District, which includes a medieval monastic library, has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Stadium: Arena St. Gallen opened in 2008 and will have a capacity of 16,300 at Euro 2025, where it will host three group stage matches — including defending champion England's game against Wales. The city's largest solar-electric power plant was installed on the stadium roof in 2015. The system was expanded at the start of this year and will now generate enough solar power for the needs of approximately 288 four-person households. Thun Thun is located about 30 kilometers southeast of Bern, where the river Aare flows out of Lake Thun. It has stunning views of the Bernese Alps . There is also a 12th-century castle, with impressive turrets, overlooking the old town. Stadium: Arena Thun is the second smallest of the venues, with a capacity of 8,100. It opened in 2011 and was built on the site of the old stadium. Natural turf will be laid over the existing artificial turf for the three group stage matches it will host during Euro 2025, including world champion Spain against Belgium. Zurich Zurich is the most populous city in Switzerland and lies in the north of the country near the Alps. The Old Town stretches on both sides of the river Limmat, which flows out of Lake Zurich. It is an international hub for banking and insurance and also the home to FIFA . Stadium: Stadion Letzigrund has a capacity of 22,700 and is home to an athletics club and three soccer teams. Concerts have been staged there as well as men's and women's international matches and three group stage games at Euro 2008. It will host five matches at Euro 2025, including two of defending champion England's group games and a quarterfinal and semifinal. In 1960, Armin Hary became the first man to run 100 meters in 10 seconds on the track at the old Letzigrund stadium, which was demolished and rebuilt, reopening in 2007. Many athletes have set world records at the Weltklasse Zürich, a track and field meeting that has been held at the stadium for nearly 100 years. ___ AP soccer:
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Heartfelt tributes to Middlesbrough all-time great with 'beautiful personality'
HEARTFELT tributes have been paid to Middlesbrough legend Alan Peacock, who passed away over the weekend, aged 87. Peacock, a Boro great on the pitch who remained a familiar and hugely popular figure at the Riverside, was diagnosed with vascular dementia in 2018. Advertisement After his diagnosis, Peacock bravely spoke out, saying: 'My family and I are hoping that, by publicly acknowledging my illness, it will raise awareness and encourage further research and support for everyone affected by this terrible, progressive disease." Peacock, a proud Teessider who grew up in North Ormesby, was a prolific striker, scoring 141 goals in 238 games for his hometown club between 1954 and 1964. He is seventh on Boro's all-time top scorer list. Peacock played and scored his way into the England squad and the first of his six caps came in the 1962 World Cup. He scored three times for England, including a brace in a 4-0 win over Wales. Had he not suffered a serious knee injury during the 1965/66 season, Peacock would have almost certainly been named in Sir Alf Ramsey's World Cup winning squad. Advertisement RECOMMENDED READING: Peacock left for Boro for Leeds United, where he helped Don Revie's side win promotion, scoring eight goals in 14 games after moving to Elland Road. He scored 30 goals in 65 games in three further seasons. Peacock was forced to retire at the age of 30 but after his dementia diagnosis, the former striker said: 'Although my career was sadly and devastatingly cut short due to injury, I actually feel lucky. Perhaps if I had carried on playing, I might have been affected at a much younger age." In a tribute after announcing his passing, Boro said: "Alan, 87, was known to many at the Riverside and was a familiar face around the club, always with a smile and a cheeky quip. Advertisement "He was involved with matchday hospitality at the club where he was a popular host. He played an active role within the club's Foundation and he was heavily involved in programmes creating dementia awareness. "The thoughts of everyone at Middlesbrough Football Club are with Alan's family and friends at this sad time." Former Boro player and now BBC Tees pundit Neil Maddison posted on X: "Absolutely devastating news to hear Alan Peacock has passed away. "I've worked with Alan doing the corporate side at the Boro and worked together doing tours around the Riverside. "A true Gentleman with a beautiful personality. Some of the stories he told were amazing. RIP Alan." Advertisement Bernie Slaven posted on X: "Just heard the very sad news that one of Boro's greatest ever strikers Alan Peacock has passed away. "Condolences to his family. Alan was a great guy, a very well groomed and smart man and a very nice human being." Leeds United also paid tribute, saying: "The thoughts of everyone at LUFC are with the friends and family of Alan Peacock, who has sadly passed away at the age of 87. Rest in peace, Alan." In a 2020 interview with Heritage Unlocked, Peacock, reflecting on his career, said: "I just wanted to play football for Middlesbrough. I was a Boro lad." Advertisement He also told of his earliest memories of watching his hometown club as a kid, saying: "I was a schoolboy at the time at junior school and when there was a home game we'd go to Albert Park to kick the ball about. "We'd go at 3pm as Middlesbrough kicked off. We'd kick the ball about until the game was nearly over, then they used to open the gates a quarter of an hour or so before the final whistle. "When they did we were there to run through and we'd watch the game there for the final quarter of an hour!" Boro say Peacock passed away peacefully over the weekend, with his family by his side.
