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The First Supersprint Rowing Grand Prix
London, 11 September 1999

The first Supersprint Rowing Grand Prix was held in London, supported by Nortel Networks and with many of the world's top rowers competing.

The Nortel Networks International Supersprint Challenge was contested between Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Holland, Russia and the United States. Russia and Germany raced brilliantly but were edged out of the Final by Denmark, Great Britain, Holland and the United States.

The Final produced high speeds, drama and excitement. First the men's sculls were won by Holland with Denmark second. In the women's doubles, Great Britain finished just ahead of Holland and the United States. The men's pairs were then won by Great Britain with Holland second and the United States in third place.

The overall winners were now to be decided by the final relay. The Dutch sculler started very fast and handed over a lead of nearly a length to the women's double. Behind him the United States, Denmark and Great Britain were very close together with Great Britain edging less than a metre ahead of the USA in the last seconds. In the women's doubles Holland held on to their lead, but with the British double gaining, ahead of the USA and Denmark. Handover to the last rowers, the men's pair, saw Holland start with a lead of 2.5 seconds over Britain. With Olympic Gold Medallists in the Dutch and British boats, the power and pressure were intense. The British pair (Redgrave and Cracknell) started to close the gap and in the last 50 metres the two boats were level. Just 2 seconds from the line, either team could win. In the last strokes, as they crossed the line, Britain was ahead of Holland by a metre, with the USA and Denmark close behind.

As expected, the Supersprints format produced a sensational finish, with some of the fastest and closest races ever seen, and with the outcome in doubt until the last second.

The Sunday Telegraph - Lombard Universities Supersprint Challenge was fought out between Oxford, Cambridge and London. The Cambridge team included recent graduates, notably the current Great Britain international Sarah Winkless in the women's double sculls with current Women's President Amy Di Marco. Oxford included their current President Nick Robinson in the men's pair, while London was represented by a combined team from the University of London and Imperial College. Oxford won the men's sculls and men's pairs while Cambridge won the women's doubles. The relay produced a dramatic change of lead, with Oxford starting very fast but losing the lead as their women's double faced one of the main challenges of Supersprint Rowing - the changeover in which rowers have only one minute to get onto the start. This confounded Oxford's women and a lead from the men's sculls was lost, letting Cambridge through to win, with London second.

The Sunday Telegraph Schools Supersprint Challenge saw Westminster School win the men's sculls and the men's pairs, while Lady Eleanor Holles (entered jointly with Hampton School) scored an impressive win in the women's double sculls. A breakdown of radio links caused the judges to discount the relay, leaving Westminster with 2 points and Hampton-Lady Eleanor Holles with 1 point. St Paul's School won second place in the men's sculls.

In The Elite Supersprint Challenge the individual events were won by Kingston Rowing Club (men's sculls and women's double sculls) and Nottingham County (men's pairs). Proving that the Supersprint format allows upsets at any stage, however, the relay was won by Tideway Scullers. Thus every Elite team left with a victory.

A short video introducing Supersprint Rowing and showing the final can be purchased from Supersprint Rowing,PO Box 1040, Marlow, SL7 1FY, UK, price £8. A 1.5 hour video as shown on Sky Sports 2, covering most of the races, is available for £15 from the same address.

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