Rowing-Fans upbeat in rain as sculls heats begin

PARIS : The rain that drenched the spectacular Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony on Friday evening was still very much in evidence as fans streamed in to watch the rowing competitions at the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium on Saturday.

Despite grey drizzly skies, spectators waved their national flags enthusiastically as the first heats in the men's and women's single sculls were completed in calm but very damp conditions. 

With the top three in each heat qualifying for the quarter-finals and the rest going into the repechage, reigning Olympic champion Stefanos Ntsoukos of Greece cruised home in second place behind New Zealand's Thomas Mackintosh to get the proceedings underway. 

The fastest time was set by Dutchman Simon van Dorp, who won the third heat in 6:49.93, with Giedrius Bieliauskas of Lithuania celebrating his birthday with a third-placed finish in the second heat.

In the women's competition, Australia's Tara Rigney put down an early marker in the first heat, completing the 2,000-metre course in 7:30.71, and current world champion Karolien Florijn also made it safely through to the quarter-finals.

Tokyo gold medallist Emma Twigg of New Zealand coasted to victory in her heat as she became the first Kiwi rower to feature at five Olympics.

Elis Ozbay of Turkey and Slovenia's Nina Kostanjsek also made history as the first women's boats for their respective nations at the Olympics.

The double and quadruple sculls heats take place later on Saturday.