The students of Charles University put two crews in the final and the first one was especially respectable thanks to the reinforcements from Dukla. However, the men's university eight worked hard for the victory, missing the second Czech Technical University by a mere second. A few slower tempos would have been enough and the cup would have moved to Dejvice.
The final between the female students was already clear in the shadow of the railway bridge. In the finishing straight the winners were fighting for first place, but with their second university crew. Charles University thus had the first two places on the imaginary podium. Nine seconds behind the winners was the crew of the Czech University of Agriculture.
The CTU crew consisted of Jan Hájek, Tomáš Šišma, Jiří Kopáč, Tomáš Zobal, Jan Chlebovský, Jonáš Friedrich, Jan Šimkovský, Albert Caban and helmsman Ludvík Kopáč.
"I am very pleased that this year, during the 11th annual University Eights race, we were able to put together a crew that set the pace and fought for victory. During the race, we were in a tug of war with the UK crew for first place, but they had more power at the very end, making them the winning eight of this year's event. Nevertheless, I believe we contributed to the thrilling battle that the spectators enjoyed on the Prague Embankment. At the same time, I am glad that the second eight of the CTU was also presented in the final and that the university women's eight was able to pass. Thus we showed that there are not only quality rowers at CTU, but also female rowers. I hope that in the next years there will be even more university eights from CTU," says Jan Hajek from the silver crew of CTU.
In the second men's crew of CTU were: Martin Vajner, Marek Novotný, David Mikulík, Jakub Novák, Adam Čupita, Vojtěch Kovář, Radim Hladík, Tomáš Mráz and helmsman Jan Šmolík. Tereza Čechová, Diana Hoffmanová, Tereza Kalousová, Kateřina Pivková, Veronika Selucká, Ellen Michaeli, Tereza Šoukalová, Lucie Košková and helmsman Matyáš Babka.
The University Eights is the youngest race in the Primátorky championship programme and, as the name suggests, it is a competition for academic crews. Since 2011, they have catered for the pre-programme of the entire weekend. Originally they were intended for Prague universities, but after great interest from other Czech and foreign universities they were opened to all crews. Compared to the Primátorky, the race is run on a half-kilometre course without the Vyšehrad turn.
In addition to the dramatic races of the university crews, the spectators on the Rašínovo nábřeží embankment could also cheer on the crew of the visually impaired from the Leontinka Foundation, which every year proves that disability is no obstacle. Their race was followed by duels on the water of the youngest rowers, in the pairs of younger pupils in the race "For the Mayor's Prize of Prague 2". The first final was won by VK Lysá nad Labem, the second one was dominated by young rowers from ČVK Pardubice.
Photography, courtesy of: Raul s.r.o.
