U.S. Boats Race in First Final at Gavirate International Para Rowing Regatta

Two U.S. boats raced in the first set of finals Saturday at the 17th Gavirate International Para Rowing Regatta in Gavirate, Italy.

In the first final of the PR2 mixed double sculls, Russell Gernaat (Redwood City, Calif./Lake Casitas Rowing Club) and Madison Eberhard (Buffalo, N.Y./ West Side Rowing Club) finished fifth in a 9:10.60. Ukraine's Svitlana Bohuslavaska and Iaroslav Koiuda won the race in an 8:33.20, with Poland finishing less than three seconds behind in an 8:26.10. Israel placed third, two seconds behind the Polish crew.

In the first final of the PR1 men's single sculls, Andrew Mangan (Buffalo, N.Y./Stanford University/West Side Rowing Club) finished sixth in a 10:37.09. Italy's Giacomo Perini won the race over Ukraine's Roman Polianskyi by nearly 13 seconds, clocking a 9:10.08 to earn the victory. Polianskyi, the two-time defending Paralympic champion in the event, crossed the line in a 9:23.06. Uzbekistan's Kholmurod Egamberdiev finished third, about 16 seconds behind Polianskyi.

Both U.S. boats came back in the afternoon for the second round of racing. Racing in the first heat of the PR1 men's single, Mangan finish third behind Perini and Polianskyi. Perini clocked a 9:48.09 to win the race by nearly six seconds over Polianskyi. Mangan finished with a time of 10:06.04. Gernaat and Eberhard finished fourth in their second-round exhibition race. Israel won the race in an 8:34.09. Italy finished second, with Mexico in third. Gernaat and Eberhard finished with a time of 9:00.05.

For today's complete results, click here.

The Gavirate International Para Rowing Regatta gives boats the chance to have multiple races down the course with a heat on Friday, a final on Saturday, a second heat on Saturday afternoon, and then a second final on Sunday.

The 2023 World Rowing Championships are scheduled for September 3-10 in Belgrade, Serbia.