Ukrainian Team Wins Gold in Rowing

Kyiv, May 7, 2012. Ukrainian women’s rowing team took gold in the first stage of the 2012 Samsung World Rowing Cup in Belgrade, Serbia. The women’s national team composed of Kateryna Tarasenko, Olena Buriak, Anastasia Kozhenkova, and Yana Dementieve proved to be the fastest at the European Championship level.

Ukrainian athletes managed to beat their strongest competitors – the German team, who finished with a silver medal, and the favorite of the championship – Great Britain, who finished with bronze. Ukrainian sportswomen showed a remarkable result of 6.20, 37. The team started strong and kept their pace up until the end of the race. The German team attempted to catch up with the winners at the finish; however, failed to shorten the distance between them.

In 2010, Ukrainian national women’s rowing team brought home silver, beating their opponents at the World Rowing Championships. Nonetheless, in 2012 their superiority was recognized with a surprise, since the team managed to leave behind the reigning World Champions – Germany. Finishing with gold in Belgrade is a valuable warm-up before the main rowing event of the year – the 2012 Olympic Rowing Regatta.

The UK topped the rankings at the first stage of the 2012 Samsung World Rowing Cup, claiming medals in 12 of the 14 Olympic boat classes in Belgrade, Serbia. Great Britain took gold in the women’s pair (Helen Glover and Heather Stanning), and women’s double sculls (Katherine Grainger and Anna Watkins). The top duo was followed by Germany’s Annekatrin Thiele and Britta Oppelt (silver) and Czech sisters Jitka and Lenka Antosova (bronze).

Great Britain also became first in men’s four (including former pair Pete Reed and Andrew Triggs-Hodge) and lightweight men’s double sculls (multi World Champions Zac Purchase and Mark Hunter). The men’s pair, on the other hand, was topped by the team from Germany followed by the UK. Gkountoulas brothers from Greece took bronze.

On July 28, 2012, athletes will take to the water at Eton Dorney for the start of the London 2012 Rowing competition, reads the official Web site of the London Olympics. The competition will be held over eight days and feature 14 medal events featuring men’s and women’s events. All entries for Rowing will be confirmed following the sport entries deadline on July 9, 2012.