Photo by: USRowing
Badgers start strong at the 2018 World Rowing Championships
September 10, 2018 | Men's Rowing, Women's Rowing
All four Badgers make their debut in Bulgaria
PLOVDIV, Bulgaria -- The 2018 World Rowing Championships began on Sunday in Plovdiv, Bulgaria for four Badgers: Vicky Opitz, Dariush Aghai, Michael Knippen, and Maddie Wanamaker.
Vicky Opitz (Middleton, Wisconsin), a 2016 Olympian, will have her hands full as she competes in two events at this world championships, the women's pair and the women's eight.
The first of two events for Opitz resulted in a third-place finish in Heat 1 of the women's pair with a time of 7:13.020, just behind Ireland (7:11.510) and New Zealand (6:56.060). This third place finish advances Opitz and the USA boat straight to the A/B semifinals that will race Thursday, Sept. 13Â at approximately 3 a.m. CT.
In her second event of the world championships, Opitz, sitting in three seat of the women's eight, will race in heat 1 against Netherlands, China, and Canada this Wednesday, Sept. 12 at 3:17 a.m. The winner of the two heats will advance straight to the A final, the rest will race in the repechages.
Dariush ("Tim") Aghai (Skokie, Illinois) stroked the men's four that finished fourth in heat 1 clocking in at 5:55.370. The USA boat will race in the repechages tomorrow, Sept. 11Â at 3:29 a.m. The top two in each rep will advance to A/B semifinals, the rest will race in C/D semifinals.
Ending the first day of competition, Michael Knippen (Germantown, Wisconsin) makes his debut on the international level on Sunday. Knippen and the USA boat raced to a sixth place finish in heat 2. This finish pushes USA to race in the repechages Thursday, Sept. 13, at approximately 5:06 a.m. in hopes of reaching the A/B semifinals.
The only Badger to race Monday, Sept. 10, Maddie Wanamaker (Neenah, Wisconsin) started her world championship off right by winning heat 2 of the women's four with a time of 6:30.220, edging out China by just over a second (6:31.400). The USA boat will head straight to the A/B semifinals on Thursday, Sept. 13, at approximately 4:12 a.m.
As racing is just getting started, tune in to watch all four Badgers and their many races to come.
2018 World Rowing Championships
Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Sept. 9-10, 2018
2000 meters
Women's Pair (Vicky Opitz)
Heat 1 (Places 1-3 to A/B semifinal, rest to repechage)
1. New Zealand, 6:56.060; 2. Ireland, 7:11.510; 3. USA, 7:13.020; 4. Australia, 7:16.100; 5. Ukraine, 7:17.160
Men's Four- (Dariush Aghai)
Heat 1 (Places 1-2 to A/B semifinal, rest to repechage)
1.Netherlands, 5:48.610; 2. South Africa, 5:51.280; 3. Denmark, 5.51.930; 4. USA, 5:55.370; 5. China, 6:08.430
Men's Quadruple Sculls (Michael Knippen)
Heat 2 (Place 1 to A Final, rest to repechage)
1. Poland, 5:39.130; 2. Lithuania, 5:42.580; 3. Germany, 5:44.750; 4. France, 5:47.500; 5. Russia, 5:48.830; 6. USA, 5:51.180
Women's Four- (Maddie Wanamaker)
Heat 2 (Places 1-3 to A/B Semifinal, rest to repechage)
1. USA, 6:30.220; 2. China, 6:31.400; 3. New Zealand, 6:34.990; 4. Great Britain, 6:38.900
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Vicky Opitz (Middleton, Wisconsin), a 2016 Olympian, will have her hands full as she competes in two events at this world championships, the women's pair and the women's eight.
The first of two events for Opitz resulted in a third-place finish in Heat 1 of the women's pair with a time of 7:13.020, just behind Ireland (7:11.510) and New Zealand (6:56.060). This third place finish advances Opitz and the USA boat straight to the A/B semifinals that will race Thursday, Sept. 13Â at approximately 3 a.m. CT.
In her second event of the world championships, Opitz, sitting in three seat of the women's eight, will race in heat 1 against Netherlands, China, and Canada this Wednesday, Sept. 12 at 3:17 a.m. The winner of the two heats will advance straight to the A final, the rest will race in the repechages.
Dariush ("Tim") Aghai (Skokie, Illinois) stroked the men's four that finished fourth in heat 1 clocking in at 5:55.370. The USA boat will race in the repechages tomorrow, Sept. 11Â at 3:29 a.m. The top two in each rep will advance to A/B semifinals, the rest will race in C/D semifinals.
Ending the first day of competition, Michael Knippen (Germantown, Wisconsin) makes his debut on the international level on Sunday. Knippen and the USA boat raced to a sixth place finish in heat 2. This finish pushes USA to race in the repechages Thursday, Sept. 13, at approximately 5:06 a.m. in hopes of reaching the A/B semifinals.
The only Badger to race Monday, Sept. 10, Maddie Wanamaker (Neenah, Wisconsin) started her world championship off right by winning heat 2 of the women's four with a time of 6:30.220, edging out China by just over a second (6:31.400). The USA boat will head straight to the A/B semifinals on Thursday, Sept. 13, at approximately 4:12 a.m.
As racing is just getting started, tune in to watch all four Badgers and their many races to come.
2018 World Rowing Championships
Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Sept. 9-10, 2018
2000 meters
Women's Pair (Vicky Opitz)
Heat 1 (Places 1-3 to A/B semifinal, rest to repechage)
1. New Zealand, 6:56.060; 2. Ireland, 7:11.510; 3. USA, 7:13.020; 4. Australia, 7:16.100; 5. Ukraine, 7:17.160
Men's Four- (Dariush Aghai)
Heat 1 (Places 1-2 to A/B semifinal, rest to repechage)
1.Netherlands, 5:48.610; 2. South Africa, 5:51.280; 3. Denmark, 5.51.930; 4. USA, 5:55.370; 5. China, 6:08.430
Men's Quadruple Sculls (Michael Knippen)
Heat 2 (Place 1 to A Final, rest to repechage)
1. Poland, 5:39.130; 2. Lithuania, 5:42.580; 3. Germany, 5:44.750; 4. France, 5:47.500; 5. Russia, 5:48.830; 6. USA, 5:51.180
Women's Four- (Maddie Wanamaker)
Heat 2 (Places 1-3 to A/B Semifinal, rest to repechage)
1. USA, 6:30.220; 2. China, 6:31.400; 3. New Zealand, 6:34.990; 4. Great Britain, 6:38.900
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Players Mentioned
/ Men's Rowing
/ Women's Rowing
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