Still light winds and a manual start without the clogs to hold the bows after the false start failure of equipment earlier.

Quarter Final 1 – Iran, Paraguay, New Zealand, Australia, Germany, Mexico

Australia, New Zealand and Germany inch out in front early on – some comparison of athlete weights here as the strapping Antipodean lasses are compared to the others.  Australia’s Kim  Crow has three quarters of a length over Emma Twigg of New Zealand. Germany alone in third with clear water back to the others.  1000m Australia 1.5 lengths to NZ and 2 lengths to Germany encouraged by the commentator – her boat’s named after her dog!  Lat 300m Australia and NZ 1.5 lengths apart and then 50 meters back to Germany and behind her 40 meters to MExico and the back of the field.

Quarter Final 2: El Salvador, Ireland, Sweden, Czech Republic, USA, Cuba

Early leader is current world champion of Czech Republic chased by Sweden Ireland and Cuba following.  Czech leads with clear water over Sweden at half way, USA third, Ireland fourth and Cuba fifth.   Great length out at the catch from the Czech girl – pulling ahead of the field with 2 lengths over Frida Svensson of Sweden.   Sweden and USA now nearly equal chasing for second place about 3 lengths behind Czech.  Stone of USA sprints and is matched by Sweden and USA comes second.

Quarter Final 3: Thailand, Lithuania, China, Russia, Zimbabwe, Argentina  

China leads out to clear water quite fast and by 500m she has 1.5 lengths over Russia and Lithuania side by side.  Zimbabwe working hard in fourth and well ahead of Thailand and Argentina.   Half way China has three lengths over Russia who has half a length over Lithuania.   China still rowing at 26-28 strokes a minute allows Russia and Lithuania to close on her but is untroubled to the line.

Quarter Final 4: Korea, Japan, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Denmark, Brazil  

 Early leaders is Denmark with Belarus second half a length between them.  Karsten of Belarus is the oldest ‘non-coxing’ competitor and the Korean at 19 is the youngest!  These two pull quietly ahead of the rest of the field matching each other’s stroke rate with Azerbaijan in third.   After 1000m Denmark still leads Belarus by half a length and this is a canvas at 1500m.  Denmark takes up her rate and moves to half a length lead.  in Kast 250 Denmark takes up the rate and extends to clear water over Belarus both of these 50 meters in front of Azerbaijan.