There is also the World Equestrian Games which have started in Normandy. This includes non Olympic events such as Prince Philip's favourite sport of Carriage Driving but all 3 Olympic disciplines of Showjumping, Dressage & Eventing are contested along with Para Dressage.
The following article includes details of BBC transmissions (mostly on Red Button but 2 highlight shows on the next 2 Sundays.)
Heats, repechages, semis etc during the week are not being transmitted, BBC and Eurosport will have the finals on Saturday and Sunday. GBR's initial target will be to get as many boats as possible into the finals - we managed 13/14 at London 2012. Paralympic events are also being run..
In fact, Eurosport have live coverage from Thursday, which includes the paralympic finals, and the non-Olympic events. BBC coverage at the weekend will be the main Olympic disciplines.
There is also the World Equestrian Games which have started in Normandy. This includes non Olympic events such as Prince Philip's favourite sport of Carriage Driving but all 3 Olympic disciplines of Showjumping, Dressage & Eventing are contested along with Para Dressage.
The following article includes details of BBC transmissions (mostly on Red Button but 2 highlight shows on the next 2 Sundays.)
Carol Dujardin and horse Valegro won GOLD in Dressage Grand Prix Special at the World Equestrian Games. Sadly Valegro was left red-faced after a moment of controversy mid-routine.
"Their score in Wednesday's special was the highest ever achieved by a horse and rider in that event at a World Equestrian Games - despite a bowel movement from Valegro mid-routine."
A shock in the WRC - Copeland and Walsh (seen as a realistic title prospect) finished fourth in their LW2x semi-final and will not take part in the A final.
What a race it was - Australia took it out hard, then GB and Italy appeared to be gaining ground. In the last quarter, Canada came from behind to win the semi, and Australia held off Italy for second.
So apart from the Rowing, Equestrian and Badminton World Champs going on this weekend, there is also the finale of Triathlon World Series competition from Edmonton, Canada.
The big interest will be in the men's where Johnnie Brownlee has the chance to overhaul championship leader Javier Gomez, who was ill last weekend in Stockholm. The women's championships are almost sure to go to Gwen Jorgenson USA, but there will be a battle for second between the Commonwealth gold medalist Jodie Stimpson and USA's Sarah Groff.
Women's race 19:00 Saturday BBC Red Button
Men's race 19:00 Sunday BBC Red Button
Gomez need only finish fourth in Edmonton to guarantee a fourth world title; if he's healthy, that won't be a problem. Even if he has a mare, his compatriot Mola is close enough to Jonathan to win overall if he pips him like Gomez did in London last year.
Jodie can guarantee a podium if she finishes third, though she might be OK with a slightly lower position in the Grand Final because Jorgensen will likely beat Hewitt (well, everyone) if she stays on her bike/feet.
From those, the M2+ and LM2- are not Olympic events. They also won a couple of 'adaptive' event medals - gold in the para-rowing mixed coxed four (LTAMix4+) and silver in the men's arms only single scull (ASM1x). All results are shown in full on the World Rowing website.
From the races I watched today, the most enthralling was the M4x - Ukraine started fast and had a tussle with GB that went all the way to the line; the difference at the finish was only 9 hundredths of a second.
The conditions have led many of the 2014 world champions to produce world best times, including the W2-.
I reckon the triathlon course in Edmonton is the most scenic of this year's series. They even get to start on the beach.
As this year's GF host, the Canadian city also does the various age-group World Championship races (junior/U23/etc). A couple of Brits (Marc Austin and Gordon Benson) won silver and bronze in the U23 men's race.
Jorgensen becomes World Champion with a victory in the Grand Final, as expected - even with a deficit of just over a minute at the second transition. She has won 5 of the 8 WTS races this season - incredible.
Groff finished fourth in the race to seal silver; Hewitt finished second (and crucially, more than a few positions ahead of Jodie) to nick bronze.
After her fabulous start to the season (and a great victory in Glasgow), Jodie has to settle for fourth overall. Her lack of pace during the swim (rather unlike earlier this season) made her overall position vulnerable - a frustrating end to her season, but I reckon Commonwealth gold would mean more to her than silver/bronze in the WTS anyhow. Next year is all about the WTS and Olympic qualification.
Jorgensen becomes World Champion with a victory in the Grand Final, as expected - even with a deficit of just over a minute at the second transition. She has won 5 of the 8 WTS races this season - incredible.
Groff finished fourth in the race to seal silver; Hewitt finished second (and crucially, more than a few positions ahead of Jodie) to nick bronze.
After her fabulous start to the season (and a great victory in Glasgow), Jodie has to settle for fourth overall. Her lack of pace during the swim (rather unlike earlier this season) made her overall position vulnerable - a frustrating end to her season, but I reckon Commonwealth gold would mean more to her than silver/bronze in the WTS anyhow. Next year is all about the WTS and Olympic qualification.
Jodie did indeed say in an interview on BBC last week that Glasgow had been her main goal this year.
At the World Equestrian Games William Fox Pitt is in Gold medal position in the Eventing after the Cross Country stage, with Team GB in silver. Coverage of the Show Jumping is live today on the red Button at 1:30 with highlights on BBC2 at 4.
GB also won bronze in the lightweight men's coxless four (LM4-). Today's pair of medals were won in Olympic classes, which is good news.
Their final medal tally in the 2014 WRC is as follows; Olympic classes are in bold, adaptive classes are in italics.
4 Gold: LTAMix4+M4- M8+ W2-
4 Silver: ASM1x M2+ M2- M4x
2 Bronze: LM2- LM4-
Despite the occasional below-par performance (namely the lightweight women's double sculls (LW2x) and women's coxed eight (W8+)), the British squad have done better than they did in the 2013 WRC.
New Zealand have performed superbly throughout these champs, having won 4 Olympic classes and 2 non-adaptive classes this weekend. It's their best collective performance of the 21st century thus far.
Brits ended up finishing with silver in the Team Eventing behind Germany & securing their qualification for Rio to boot. William Fox-Pitt dropped to bronze in the individual after knocking down a fence in the showjumping whilst his closest rivals went clear.
Now watching the Men's race in the Triathlon World Series Final
Was wondering if Alistair would run for Jonathan Brownlee, but once Jonathon fell behind on the swim there wasn't much he could do to help him, because the Spaniards would just cover any break the 2 brothers tried to make in the cycle stage.
Gomez finishes third in the Grand Final to seal his fourth world title - an achievement matched only by Simon Lessing. In terms of race wins, it has been among his best ever seasons (4 out of 8 in the post-2008 WTS format).
Mola finishes second (and two places ahead of Jonathan) to finish second overall, one place better than last year. Jonathan came fourth and ends up third in the overall standings, and Alistair instigated a timely breakaway on the bike to win the Grand Final - no overall podium for him, but his Commonwealth title still made it a worthwhile season.
Emma Pooley, recently retired from a very successful career in cycling, becomes world champion in duathlon (ie run/cycle/run). She's hoping to move into long-distance triathlon, eventually Iron Man.
Comments
The following article includes details of BBC transmissions (mostly on Red Button but 2 highlight shows on the next 2 Sundays.)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/equestrian/28884978
More details & streaming info on the official site as well - http://www.normandy2014.com/
The world judo champs are also on this week - http://www.worldjudo2014.ru/en/championship No details of any TV coverage of this.
In fact, Eurosport have live coverage from Thursday, which includes the paralympic finals, and the non-Olympic events. BBC coverage at the weekend will be the main Olympic disciplines.
World Equestrian Games is also an Olympic Qualification Event
http://www.teamgb.com/news/world-silver-and-rio-2016-qualification-gb-normandy
"Their score in Wednesday's special was the highest ever achieved by a horse and rider in that event at a World Equestrian Games - despite a bowel movement from Valegro mid-routine."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/equestrian/28956323
Next event is the Freestyle on Friday, which is the event where the horses have to dance.
What a race it was - Australia took it out hard, then GB and Italy appeared to be gaining ground. In the last quarter, Canada came from behind to win the semi, and Australia held off Italy for second.
The big interest will be in the men's where Johnnie Brownlee has the chance to overhaul championship leader Javier Gomez, who was ill last weekend in Stockholm. The women's championships are almost sure to go to Gwen Jorgenson USA, but there will be a battle for second between the Commonwealth gold medalist Jodie Stimpson and USA's Sarah Groff.
Women's race 19:00 Saturday BBC Red Button
Men's race 19:00 Sunday BBC Red Button
Jodie can guarantee a podium if she finishes third, though she might be OK with a slightly lower position in the Grand Final because Jorgensen will likely beat Hewitt (well, everyone) if she stays on her bike/feet.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/equestrian/28989150
Gold: Women's coxless pair (W2-), men's coxless four (M4-)
Silver: Men's coxed pair (M2+), men's coxless pair (M2-), men's quadruple sculls (M4x)
Bronze: Lightweight men's coxless pair (LM2-)
From those, the M2+ and LM2- are not Olympic events. They also won a couple of 'adaptive' event medals - gold in the para-rowing mixed coxed four (LTAMix4+) and silver in the men's arms only single scull (ASM1x). All results are shown in full on the World Rowing website.
From the races I watched today, the most enthralling was the M4x - Ukraine started fast and had a tussle with GB that went all the way to the line; the difference at the finish was only 9 hundredths of a second.
The conditions have led many of the 2014 world champions to produce world best times, including the W2-.
As this year's GF host, the Canadian city also does the various age-group World Championship races (junior/U23/etc). A couple of Brits (Marc Austin and Gordon Benson) won silver and bronze in the U23 men's race.
Groff finished fourth in the race to seal silver; Hewitt finished second (and crucially, more than a few positions ahead of Jodie) to nick bronze.
After her fabulous start to the season (and a great victory in Glasgow), Jodie has to settle for fourth overall. Her lack of pace during the swim (rather unlike earlier this season) made her overall position vulnerable - a frustrating end to her season, but I reckon Commonwealth gold would mean more to her than silver/bronze in the WTS anyhow. Next year is all about the WTS and Olympic qualification.
Jodie did indeed say in an interview on BBC last week that Glasgow had been her main goal this year.
Considering the best rowers were moved from last year's M8+ to this year's M4-, that is bloody impressive!
GB also won bronze in the lightweight men's coxless four (LM4-). Today's pair of medals were won in Olympic classes, which is good news.
Their final medal tally in the 2014 WRC is as follows; Olympic classes are in bold, adaptive classes are in italics.
4 Gold: LTAMix4+ M4- M8+ W2-
4 Silver: ASM1x M2+ M2- M4x
2 Bronze: LM2- LM4-
Despite the occasional below-par performance (namely the lightweight women's double sculls (LW2x) and women's coxed eight (W8+)), the British squad have done better than they did in the 2013 WRC.
New Zealand have performed superbly throughout these champs, having won 4 Olympic classes and 2 non-adaptive classes this weekend. It's their best collective performance of the 21st century thus far.
Now watching the Men's race in the Triathlon World Series Final
Gomez finishes third in the Grand Final to seal his fourth world title - an achievement matched only by Simon Lessing. In terms of race wins, it has been among his best ever seasons (4 out of 8 in the post-2008 WTS format).
Mola finishes second (and two places ahead of Jonathan) to finish second overall, one place better than last year. Jonathan came fourth and ends up third in the overall standings, and Alistair instigated a timely breakaway on the bike to win the Grand Final - no overall podium for him, but his Commonwealth title still made it a worthwhile season.
4th British lady to take the title.
Fantastic, good for her. I've been so frustrated at the non-coverage of this great sport all season. Will catch up on you tube tomorrow.
I always find it interesting that the British women consistently perform so much better than the men
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/get-inspired/28800884
The World Championships start in the Bay of Biscay this weekend - first chance to qualify for Rio!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/sailing/29112365