Action begun today at the 2017 World Rowing Junior Championships in Lithuanian city Trakai ©Detlev Seyb/World Rowing

The United States’ Clark Dean was the fastest qualifier for the quarter-finals of the men’s singles sculls event as competition got underway today at the 2017 World Rowing Junior Championships on Lake Galvė in Lithuanian city Trakai.

Competing in heat one of eight, Dean clocked a time of 7 min 0.680sec to beat nearest challenger Moritz Wolff of Germany by a margin of 2.77sec.

The top two boats from each heat went straight through to the quarter-finals with all the others having to compete in repechage.

Wolff was also the second fastest overall, while heat six winner Tiago Figueiredo Silva of Portugal was third quickest in 7:06.980.

In the women’s single sculls, the top four finishers in each of the five heats earned a direct path through to the quarter-finals.

The fastest time came in heat three as South Africa’s Megan Hancock posted an unrivalled 7:53.400.

Germany’s Lisa Gutfleisch was the next across the line in 7:58.030.

She was followed by the US’ Claire Campbell in 8:05.990 and Lithuania’s Egle Bezzubovaite in 8:11.940.

The Netherlands’ Isabel Van Opzeeland was the second fastest overall, winning heat two in 7:53.850.

France’s Margaux Bailleul was the third quickest thanks to a winning time of 7:54.960 in heat four. 

Lake Galvė is playing host to the event ©World Rowing/Twitter
Lake Galvė is playing host to the event ©World Rowing/Twitter

The strongest qualifier for the quarter-finals in the men’s double sculls were Australia’s Cormac Kennedy-Leverett and Fergus Hamilton, who won the first of five heats in 6:32.280.

Completing the qualifiers from that heat were Italy’s Lorenzo Gaione and Francesco Molinari in 6:37.300, Spain’s Andres Alvarez and Manel Balastegui in 6:39.560, and Denmark’s Mikkel Knudsen and Adrian Flarup Johansen in 6:40.950.

Belarus’ Artsem Laputsin and Yauheni Zalaty were the second fastest qualifiers having won heat two in 6:35.500.

Heat four winners Alexandru Masnic and Ivan Corsunov were the third fastest in 6:37.190 of Moldova. 

In the women's double sculls, the two fastest times came in heat two with Great Britain's Holly Dunford and Zoe Adamson winning in 7:08.820 and Germany's Maren Voelz and Nora Peuser coming second in 7:12.300.

Ireland's Aoife Casey and Margaret Cremen came third in the heat in 7:16.580, followed by Ukraine's Svitlana Frolova and Mariia Vashchuk in 7:18.060.

The third quickest overall were heat four winners Silvia Crosio and Giulia Mignemi of Italy in 7:13.910. 

Action in Trakai is due to continue tomorrow.