Beechey suffers more Munich misery

8:21pm Sunday 11th May 2008

MATT Beechey suffered Munich misery for the second time in eight months after finishing fifth again on the German Olympic lake.

The Worcester Rowing Club man finished two places off the medals at the 2007 world championships after medalling throughout the World Cup season.

He had to settle for the same place again in his GB lightweight pair at the first World Cup regatta of the season after victory in the heats had promised more.

Racing with new partner Rob Williams into a stiff headwind that added nearly a minute to normal times, the 32-year-old was in the medal frame going through the first 500-metre mark, lying third a boat's length behind Italy and Denmark.

But France and the Italian B' and C' boats all squeezed past in the next 500m, with half-a-length covering the back four at the 1,000m half-way mark.

Beechey and his world sculling medal partner pushed back past the Italians' C' boat and went through the 1,500m mark level with Italy B', but the French duo now had clear water in third.

And GB's challenge faded as Italy's C' boat came flying past in the run-in for fourth, though Beechey's boat passed the B' boat again late on. Denmark's Kasper Winther and Morten Joergesen won in seven minutes 18.87 seconds, with Italy's Andrew Caianiello and Armando Dell'Aquila second in 7.21.49 and France third in 7.27.46. Beechey's boat came home in 7.36.55.

Evesham Rowing Club's Alex Gregory's hopes of making Beijing were boosted by finishing 10th on the lake where he failed to win an Olympic qualifying slot last year.

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