Lightweight Men's Double Sculls (LM2X)Pre-Race AnalysisPreliminary HeatsAll Winners to semi-finals. Others to repechage. Heat 1ARG (Lane 1), SWE, USA, POL SUI (Lane 5) The USA and Sui should have a great race here, with the winner advancing to the semi-finals. SUI was 4th and the USA 6th at the 1999 Worlds, which favors SUI. SUI has raced well in two of its three World Cup appearances this summer, placing 3rd in both Munich and Vienna in June. However, at the Lucerne World Cup in July, SUI dropped badly to 10th. If SUI's Lucerne performance was just a "bad day", SUI should win this race and advance to the semi-finals. However, if SUI has slipped since its early season success, then the USA should win and advance to the semi-finals, based on its 6th place finish in the FA final at Lucerne. This one is too tough to call, but we usually go with the most recent performance, which gives the betting edge to USA for this one, but a very flimsy edge indeed. Stay tuned. Heat 2CUB (Lane 1), RUS, AUS, GER,PAK (Lane 5) AUS is the 1999 silver medalist at Worlds, but has faltered in World Cup competition this year, placing 6th and 8th in Vienna and Lucerne. By contrast, GER, the 1999 Worlds bronze medalist, has maintained its relative World position by placing 4th at the Vienna World Cup and 3rd at the Lucerne World Cup this year. Unless AUS has regained its 1999 form since Lucerne, GER will win and advance to the semi-finals. In their only meeting this year at the World Cup in Vienna, GER finished 4th, 4.4 seconds ahead of 6th place AUS in the FA final. At this point, it looks like GER should win this race. Heat 3GBR (Lane 1),ESP, NED, FRA,HKG (Lane 5) FRA placed 5th at the 1999 Worlds and 2nd to ITA, the gold medal favorite, at the Lucerne World Cup. FRA is in a very good position to win this race and advance to the semi-finals. FRA's only competition in this race may come from NED, 8th at the 1999 Worlds, but with no appearances at this year's World Cup to guage its current progress. The other crews in this race are not threats to FRA. Heat 4JPN (Lane 1), ITA, GRE, MEX (Lane 4) ITA is the overwhelming favorite to win this race, advance to the semi-finals, and win the gold medal. ITA is the 1999 World Champion, but Elia Luini is new to the Olympic boat. This substition has not slowed ITA at all, as it recovered from a loss to another ITA double at the Vienna World Cup with a decisive later 1st place victory over the field at the Lucerne World Cup in July. JPN finished 7th in Lucerne, but is not expected to challenge ITA. Copyright 2000. Kent Mitchell.
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