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The Germany eight with helmsman Martin Sauer in training, March 2021
Photo:
Bernd Thissen / dpa
The German rowers are already in medal form around two months before the Olympic Games.
After the bitter EM disappointment at the traditional World Cup in Lucerne, the Germany eight was much improved in second place, ultimately only three hundredths missing from the European champions Great Britain in the photo finish.
Meanwhile, one-world champion Oliver Zeidler underpinned his role as a favorite for Tokyo with another demonstration of power.
The Germany eight fought a head-to-head race with Great Britain with several changes in leadership, only in the last few meters did the arch-rival push the tip of the boat forward by centimeters.
“I would have liked to have won the race, it's very annoying,” said Richard Schmidt: “But the important thing is that we are back and on a par with the British.
It depends on Tokyo, not now.
That is where the accounts are settled. "
The European Championship third from the Netherlands, who had relegated the German flagship to fourth place at the European Championship, rowed to the finish line in third place, seven seconds behind.
"It was a super combative performance," said national coach Uwe Bender: "I can still see room for improvement, but it was a step forward."
Zeidler's racing plan works
The performances of the crew around batsman Hannes Ocik in Lucerne were a statement at the right time in the fight for Olympic gold, as it was the last real endurance test before the games.
The supposedly worst opponents did not register for the last World Cup in Sabaudia, Italy.
Zeidler also presented himself extremely well in his third big race of the year.
The 24-year-old pulled away from the rest of the field on the second 1000 meters and won with almost two seconds ahead of European Championship runner-up Sverri Nielsen (Denmark) and almost six seconds ahead of third-placed Norwegian Kjetil Borch.
"I'm happy with the result, my race plan went off pretty well," said Zeidler.
The Ingolstadt native had already won significantly at the European Championships and the first World Cup in Zagreb.
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