2025 World Rowing Cup Lucerne - Women’s Eight (W8+) - Final.

China, Germany, the USA, Romania, Australia and Poland are the six nations contesting the final of the women's eights. And lane two, Germany, their ever-improving crew just getting on to the start. So you can probably tell a bit of a delay. There are the Chinese and stroked by Lucy, a 17-year-old, just 17, hey? The German boat have had to change their GPS. In the stroke seat, 26 years of age from the Arcona Berlin club. And the GPS is the tracker on the bow. It sits on the bows of the boat. And it basically tells us what speed they're moving and what position they are and what time they're doing. So it's really crucial. Well, Etta Carpenter, she stroked the four to a gold medal. Her and her crew are back in this USA women's eight in a center lane. Kate Nifton, who was in the pair stroking the boat with Till Cohen, her pair's partner. Romania, Amelia Berej in the stroke seat, the 27-year-old Romanian power pack crew, going to be very difficult to beat this Australian eight. And we do have a substitution in the Australian eight, Sarah. Yes, we understand that Sophie Houston is out due to medical reasons and replaced by Jamie Ford. The swimmer and basketball player she's raced in the final of the pairs today. And then on this outside lane, lane six, great to see a Polish crew here in the final. Barbara Stepien in the stroke seat, just 19 years of age from Krakow in the south of Poland. And impressed here with their form, as have the Germans, so important to get, you know, Germany and Poland up to the standard of these other nations here. Romania, Australia, Poland, attention. With this US women's four, what will they do with a pair? What have they been doing in between their pairs races and the fours races, Sarah? Gosh, hopefully recovering, but we saw a blast out there from the Romanians. We're used to seeing them absolutely blasting out of the blocks and certainly nothing different here. 49 strokes per minute, they're the fastest rating boat on the course. And of course, we saw them in the Paris Olympics rating 50 in the back end of that final and still looking every bit as classy technically as they do right now. So they are the ones to watch. We see the Aussies here closest to us on the screen, just the other side of them, the Poles. But I think they're going to find the heat a little bit hard to handle, I imagine, as this race tracks on. Yeah, it's the Americans in second place, those tied legs still doing the business in the first quarter. Poland, what are you doing up in third place? So if you look down in the middle of that eight, if you wonder where Simona Radice's partner is, that's Kuta Bodnar, the 26-year-old from Sukiyama. She is the big five-one in the middle of the eight. She's swapped her two blades for one and she's helping power the eight out to the 500 meters. Let's look at the split through the first 500. Not quite sub 130. World's best time 129.28. And it's just a touch off of that. Stroke seat of the Australian eight, cap eastern, the Michigan Oarswoman now representing Melbourne University Boat Club. Just getting their bows. It's a great little race between Australia and Poland on the right side of the screen, Sarah. They're really pushing themselves on. Yeah, really those three boats locked together. Australia, Poland, Germany. Australia just edging their bow up into potentially that bronze medal position, but really three boats locked together. They're fighting out for the bronze. No doubt about the race leaders, they're still the highest rating boat on the course. Romania, USA getting themselves into a comfortable silver medal position, but it's going to be a fight, I think, for this bronze medal as we come into the 1000 meter mark. Well, if you are Poland, if you are Germany, if you are Australia, you've got to say these Aussie, these US women have got tired legs. Can we pick them off in the third quarter, Sarah? I mean, the coaches must have said something to them about that, and they must be motivated to really dig in now as we come into the last part of this first half of the race, nearly at the 1000 meters. At the last World Cup, we doubled up in the Australian boat, the four and the pair into the eight, whereas this time there's a standalone boat, so it's an entirely different lineup. At this World Cup to the previous one to see how that boat goes without that top four in it, but coming through with about two thirds of a length lead is the Romanians. The US just clear of those three trailing boats, fighting it out for the bronze medal. It is Germany just ever so slightly ahead of Australia, as we look now down into the Romanian boat, and they might have tired legs on board, but I think the American boat is starting to work back through the Romanians. Camille van der Meer from Princeton, Alexandra Valenzi-Martinson, we've seen these women race already today, they should not be in this position. Look at the German cox, oh she's both on. Florian Cox, the 24-year-old, inspired by Martin Zauer, the Olympic champion Cox, now trying to get his German women onto the medal podium, but Australia just had that metre lead, Sarah. The Aussies desperate to get themselves up into this bronze medal position, they are just eking out on the Germans, rating 39 strokes per minute, as are the Romanians. All of these boats starting to wind, the Aussies starting to wind now, with about 600 metres to go, they're in bronze medal position. The Americans though, the fastest moving boat on the course, they have nine metres between them and the Romanians. Can they start to work themselves up towards that gold medal, or can the Roms hold them off? Amalia Beres, the stroker of the Romanian eight, can't believe what she's seeing. Victoria Petronella, the 22-year-old Cox, she is always Cox, the victorious Romanian eight. Will today be different? Will the Americans drag those tired bodies, those aching legs? The minds of razor sharp Australia are in bronze medal position ahead of Germany. What can Germany find in the last quarter? Romania, we're flying with our drone, in case you want to know, just under six metres a second speed that drone is flying as these eights move through the water. Anything could happen here in the last 350 metres. Romania in the lead, Australia just with a narrow margin over the Germans. If the Germans mount a sprint, the Aussies are going to have to respond, but Romania still leading, 42 strokes per minute. They've held the margin at eight, nine metres to the Americans. Do the Americans have another gear? It's a tough day after doubling up in those, in the pair and the four. You can see the pain on their faces. Do they have somewhere to go in the last 250 metres? Whatever happened, it is an amazing race from the American women. Jesse Foglia will be absolutely proud of his charges, but Romania have found something extra. That gap has gone from eight metres to 10 metres. It is Romania who are now in pole position, 11 metres. The Americans are failing. The Australians, they have two metres over the Germans who are sprinting. I think Australia will just do it, but it is Romania. Cristina Druga, the 23-year-old, she will be first across the line for Romania in the women's eight. A gold medal to them, a sensational silver from America, and Germany and Australia are going for the bronze. It is a photo finish. I would say that it was just Australia, but I didn't see. So close, hand in front of your mouth, Sarah. Yes, yet another race with my heart, my mouth on that one, but the Australians just getting over the Germans to pick up the bronze medal. Wow, what a close finish we had there. So Germany have to settle for fourth. Great row from them. Just couldn't find the sprint. They will look to build on that performance. But what about those Americans? Second race of the day for these women, and they have delivered a fantastic performance. Australia smiles in the stroke seat. I guess success for them was a medal. Cath Easton, the 22-year-old. Hayley Verbuntz, inspired by Kendall Brody, the coxswain, kept cool, kept calm while the Germans charged the 22-year-old Australian coxswain. As we ride with our drone shot, the Romanians. Not totally, totally convincing, given what the Americans have done, but, you know, gold medal in the World Cup. Well, they couldn't get in front of Romania. Tina Druga, Roxana Ankel, silver and gold medals in the Paris Olympics. Yuliana Belyuka, the 22-year-old, under-23 champion. Jelena Juchinariu, the 24-year-old. And Kyuta Bodnar, Olympic champion in Tokyo and Paris. Maria Lahaci, we've seen her brother race today, comes from Bukovina. Adriana Adam, Avelia Beres, Anna Coxson, Victoria Stefan-Petrione. And thanks to the Dom, the great Noel Donaldson, the Australian coach.