WORLD ROWING CHAMPIONSHIPS (WRC) 2009: Adam Freeman-Pask has become the 8th wonder of the world despite a successful sabotage attempt on his boat the day before the opening heat of the LM1x. Club mate Ole Tietz (representing Germany), raced in the lightweight 8+ (LM8+) and now ranks 6th in the world.  In the lightweight pairs (LM2-) IC student Oli Mahony claimed fifth position with pair’s partner Ross Hunter. Ex-IC rower Ro Bradbury also progressed to the finals finishing fifth in the world. In the final medal standings GB and GER shared first position with nine medals ahead of the USA who took home 7.

 

 

 

Adam Freeman-Pask (IC/GB): 8th LM1x in the World

Ole Tietz (IC/GER): 6th LM8+ in the World

Oli Mahony (IC student/LRC/GB): 5th LM2- in the World

Ro Bradbury (Ex-IC/WES/GB): 5th W4x in the World

Steve Trapmore (IC/GB): 5th LM2- and 8th LM1x coach in the World. 

Stuart Whitelaw (IC/GB): BEST LTAMix4+ COACH IN THE WORLD. 

After a very successful World Cup season for Freeman-Pask (who claimed two bronze medals and a fourth place position), there was great expectation for the World Championships. However on the morning of August 23rd (less than 24 hours before his first race), Freeman-Pask was witness to a German squad boatman “accidentally” cycling through his boat; which was resting bows on the ground. The bow was taken clean off. The boat was sent to emergency intensive care, placed on an IV drip and repaired, but was a source of worry for the lightweight sculler. The German saboteur is now on the run after making outrageous claims about GB Coach Steve Trapmore trying to de-rig the GER heavyweight men’s 8+ the night before the final, in which they later won.

German press has suggested coaches were unwilling to take a chance on Freeman-Pask becoming a distraction for IC’s Ole Tietz before the race; it is thought Tietz was consumed with making headlines on the club website and receiving more hits than Freeman-Pask articles had previously recorded. Freeman-Pask finished second in the first two opening rounds (07:13.14, 07:36.23), behind the Netherlands and Iraq respectively. Freeman-Pask was unable to make a top three position in the semifinal to qualify for the A final, but finished second in the B final. This takes his world ranking from last years 13th place to 8th. 

In the opening heat of the men’s lightweight 8+ Germany (Tietz) mirrored Freeman-Pask’s opening round and took second place. With fewer competitors than the single sculls event this directly qualified the eight into the A final. With tough competition the Germans struggled to get into medal contention and finished 6th in 05:43.40; ten seconds behind the Italian winners. A few weeks before the Championships the Italians (having just beaten the German crew) recorded a rap song while on training camp and uploaded it onto youtube: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIf2fR0HW0M). Sadly POD doesn’t speak Italian but IC’s training camp host Aristide Bonomelli reliably informs her it’s funny. 

Despite the GB-GER tensions between Freeman-Pask and Tietz, both countries ended up top of the medals table allowing ill feelings between the IC lightweights to dissipate. [Note: Since publication of this article POD has been made aware of the fact that although equal on medal count Germany took the FISA team trophy AHEAD of Great Britain. The source of this information must remain anonymous for legal reasons, suffice to say dissipation of ill feelings may have been a premature statement.] 

Imperial boasted two representatives on the GB coaching team: Steve Trapmore and Stuart Whitelaw. Both did a great job with their clients with special mention to Stuart Whitelaw who coached the mixed adaptive coxed four to gold and clocked a new world record. An injured POD had spotted this talent earlier in the year during her arms & body 2 km test when Whitelaw’s keen eye for detail allowed her to post a PB. More critically he was one of the few to not laugh (in her face) as she was sent to the corner with her erg out of view of other testers who may be distracted. Word quickly spread and when the original LTAMix4+ coach fell ill, Whitelaw was called into action. 

The crew (Vicki Hansford/James Roe/Dave Smith/Naomi Riches/Rhiannon Jones) claimed victory over the 1000 metre course in 3:25.33; over three seconds ahead of second placed Italy. They posted a new world record making this the second world record Whitelaw has been involved in this year. Well done Stuart and congratulations to all athletes!

 

Christina Duffy

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