Kelowna’s Scott Frandsen and partner Dave Calder of Victoria look to be in fine form as they prepare for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
The Canadian duo stroked their way to a silver medal on Sunday at the Samsung World Rowing Cup in Lucerne, Switzerland.
The favoured New Zealanders won in 6:24.04, overtaking Frandsen and Calder—the Beijing silver medalists in 2008—who led for half of the race and finished in 6:26.77.
Greece finished with the bronze medal in 6:30.04.
“We had a good solid race today,” Frandsen said Sunday following the race. “We kind of stayed within our boat for the first 12 to 15 and got into a good solid pace, and we were right there.
“And then we wanted to step on towards the end, we held with them for good portion of that, and then they pushed away at the end.”
Fransden said the latest medal performance showed the Canadian pair is a legitimate threat to be in the mix at this summer’s Olympic Games.
“A good step in the right in the right direction to come into this weekend wanting to be prove that we’re contenders and I think we did that,” he said. “I think all the pressure is still definitely on New Zealand, everyone thinks they’re easily the and favourites but we’re fine with that. We want to be contenders, prove it over the next two months and see what happens.”
Canada has seven boats qualified for the London 2012 Olympics. Most of the Canadian team, including Frandsen and Calder, will now head home to train, while the women’s eight will stay to train and compete in Europe.
