Rowing Olympic Updates: Wolverines Conclude Competition in B Finals
7/27/2021 8:24:00 PM | Rowing, Olympics
Wednesday, July 28
Women's Quad Sculls (4x) B Final
Wolverine alumna Ellen Tomek concluded her third Olympic experience on Wednesday morning (July 28) local time at the Seaforest Waterway in Tokyo, Japan. The quad sculls (4x) B final included the United States with Tomek and teammates Cicely Madden (Brown), Meghan O'Leary (Virginia) and Alie Rusher (Stanford) competing against New Zealand, France and Great Britain in a race that was delayed a day by adverse weather conditions.
Tomek stroked the boat to a fourth-place finish in the race and 10th place overall in Tokyo. The crew from Great Britain grabbed the first lead of the race with the U.S. and New Zealand just over a second behind at 500 meters. Near the halfway point, the Brits were up 2.5 seconds on the field and the Americans were less than a quarter-second behind New Zealand, pacing for third. In the final half of the race, the Kiwis moved comfortably into second, finishing 3.86 seconds behind Great Britain (6:25.14). France (6:29.70) nipped the Americans (6:30.03) at the line for third place.
Tomek ends her time in Tokyo without a medal, but she still ranks among the most decorated U-M alumnae in Olympic history. She and Tiffany (Ofili) Porter (track and field) are the Wolverines' first female three-time Olympians.
Women's Four (4-) B Final
One-time Wolverine Grace Luczak completed her trip to Tokyo by stroking her boat to a rebound performance in the women's four (4-) B final. Luczak and teammates Kendall Chase (California), Claire Collins (Princeton) and Madeleine Wanamaker (Wisconsin) rowed against crews from Romania, Denmark and Canada. After a struggle in qualifying heats and a last-place finish in the repechage, it was the Americans' day in Tokyo. The Romanians took the first lead of the race, but it was gone by the 500-meter mark as the U.S. took control. The U.S. boat grew a healthy lead before Romania began to take back strokes and the Canadians pushed for third. The Americans took a lead of more than a second into the final 500 meters and held off all challengers to win the race and finish the trip to Tokyo in seventh place overall. The winning time was 6:33.65, with Romania (6:34.72) in second and Denmark (6:35.12) in third, Canada barely behind (6:35.13) in fourth. This was Luczak's second Olympic experience representing Team USA.
• Ellen Tomek (quad sculls): 4th, B final (6:30.03) -- 10th overall
• Grace Luczak (women's four): 1st, B final (6:33.65) -- 7th overall
• Results and Video: Quad Sculls | Women's Four (NBCOlympics.com)
Sunday, July 25
Women's Quad Sculls (4x) Repechage
The rowing events continued with additional qualifying, including repechages, on Sunday morning (July 25) local time at the SeaForest Waterway in Tokyo, Japan. The quad sculls (4x) repechage featured former Wolverine Ellen Tomek with spots in the A final on the line. Tomek and teammates Cicely Madden (Brown), Meghan O'Leary (Virginia) and Alie Rusher (Stanford) were unable to secure the top-two finish needed to advance to the A final, placing sixth in 6:50.74. The advancing boats were Australia (6:36.67) and Italy (6:37.44). The USA boat will row in the B final, which has been rescheduled for 8 p.m. EDT Tuesday, July 27 (9 a.m. Wednesday in Tokyo).
Women's Four (4-) Repechage
The rowing schedule in Tokyo continued into the afternoon local time on Sunday (July 25) at the SeaForest Waterway. The continued heats and repechages included the women's four (4-) and Grace Luczak competing in the repechage, seeking a bid to the A final. Luczak and teammates Kendall Chase (California), Claire Collins (Princeton) and Madeleine Wanamaker (Wisconsin) needed a top-two finish to advance to the A final. The U.S. team ended up placing fifth in 6:53.26. The winner was Great Britain (6:46.20), followed by Poland (6:46.57). Romania, Canada, and Denmark will join the U.S. in the B final, set for 7:30 p.m. EDT Tuesday, July 27 (8:30 a.m. Wednesday in Tokyo).
• Ellen Tomek (quad sculls): 6th, repechage (6:50.74) -- to B final
• Grace Luczak (women's four): 5th, repechage (6:53.26) -- to B final
• Results and Video: Quad Sculls | Women's Four (NBCOlympics.com)
Saturday, July 24
Women's Four (4-) Heats
The second day of rowing events in Tokyo on Saturday morning (July 24) at the SeaForest Waterway featured the women's four (4-) heats and Grace Luczak. Luczak, who went on to graduate from Stanford, and USA teammates Kendall Chase (California), Claire Collins (Princeton) and Madeleine Wanamaker (Wisconsin) placed fourth in the second of two heats, timing 6:43.80 behind winner Australia (6:28.76). The repechage will be conducted at 1 p.m. Tokyo time on Sunday, July 25 (midnight EDT Sunday) with two spots available in the A final.
• Grace Luczak (women's four): 4th, heat 2 (6:43.80) -- to repechage
• Results and Video (NBCOlympics.com)
Friday, July 23
Women's Quad Sculls (4x) Heats
The rowing events began with heats Friday morning (July 23) at the SeaForest Waterway in Tokyo, Japan. The women's quad sculls (4x) event featuring former Wolverine Ellen Tomek included two heats, with the top two boats in each heat advancing to the A final and the bottom three boats moving to the repechage. Tomek and USA teammates Cicely Madden (Brown), Meghan O'Leary (Virginia), and Alie Rusher (Stanford) placed fifth in the first heat, timing 6:34.36 behind winners Germany (6:18.22) and second-place Netherlands (6:19.36). The U.S. will row in the repechage for the chance to compete for two available spots in the A final. The repechage will be conducted at 9:50 p.m. EDT on Saturday, July 24 (10:50 a.m. on Sunday, July 25, in Tokyo).
• Ellen Tomek (quad sculls): 5th, heat 1 (6:34.36) -- to repechage
• Results and Video (NBCOlympics.com)
