This race should be a wild finish with GBR a length ahead with 500 to go, and the
other 5 crews potentially dead even, based on a comparison of their semi-finals times.
Look at the color instant replay for this one to see the moves these crews will be making
down the course. USA has a fast start, and could lead until GBR passes the USA in the 3rd
500. Notice on the replay that both FRA and GBR start moving back on the USA in the 2nd
500, which is where the USA must bear down, if it is going to hope to medal. In the third
500, after GBR takes its lead, AUS, FRA and RSA will all be closing on the USA. The
fireworks for FRA go off in the last 500 when FRA is projected to row GBR down, and win by
0.12 seconds, as it did in the semi-finals. FRA is the defending Worlds silver medalist,
and half the AUS boat was in the Worlds gold medalist boat last year. GBR's boat is
composed of Searle (gold medalist who rowed Abbagnales down in last 500 in Barcelona
Olympics) and Coode, who was in last year's gold medal 4- for GBR. So, this last 500 is
packed with a bunch of men who know what to do with a boat in the end of a race like this
one. JAMCO Pre-play
LANE CREW RELATIVE POSITIONS ELAPSED SPLIT
1500* CREW TIME TIME
---+---+---+---+---+---+
6 RSA <RSA USA 1:33.70 1:33.70
5 YUG <YUG AUS 1:34.00 1:34.00
4 FRA <FRA YUG 1:34.19 1:34.19
3 AUS <AUS GBR 1:35.27 1:35.27
2 GBR <GBR RSA 1:36.50 1:36.50
1 USA <USA FRA 1:37.25 1:37.25
---+---+---+---+---+---+
1000*
---+---+---+---+---+---+
6 RSA <RSA USA 3:13.69 1:39.98
5 YUG <YUG AUS 3:14.41 1:40.41
4 FRA <FRA GBR 3:14.47 1:39.19
3 AUS <AUS YUG 3:14.66 1:40.46
2 GBR <GBR FRA 3:16.38 1:39.13
1 USA <USA RSA 3:17.13 1:40.62
---+---+---+---+---+---+
500 *
---+---+---+---+---+---+
6 RSA <RSA GBR 4:54.07 1:39.60
5 YUG <YUG USA 4:55.54 1:41.84
4 FRA <FRA AUS 4:55.77 1:41.36
3 AUS <AUS FRA 4:56.01 1:39.62
2 GBR <GBR YUG 4:56.04 1:41.38
1 USA <USA RSA 4:56.33 1:39.20
---+---+---+---+---+---+
FINISH*
---+---+---+---+---+---+
6 RSA <RSA FRA 6:30.95 1:34.94
5 YUG <YUG GBR 6:31.07 1:37.00
4 FRA <FRA RSA 6:33.14 1:36.81
3 AUS <AUS AUS 6:34.41 1:38.63
2 GBR <GBR YUG 6:34.92 1:38.88
1 USA <USA USA 6:35.41 1:39.87
---+---+---+---+---+---+
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