Cop robbed of Thames title by super Chalupa

Vaclav Chalupa, a Czech army officer, put up a masterful display to win the invitation Thames World Sculling Challenge from the Slovenian world champion Istok Cop, who inevitably is a policeman.

The women's event went to the Olympic champion Ekaterina Karsten of Belarus, who won commandingly from Katrin Rutschow and the American lightweight Sarah Garner. The race was close as far as Hammersmith but the German went soft near the bridge.

The four contestants in the men's race started for Mortlake in calm water at Putney and Chalupa and Cop were level at the mile. The American Aquil Abdullah was up with them but the Czech lightweight Michal Vabrousek gradually fell back.

Chalupa dug in to lead between the mile-post and Hammersmith bridge, which he shot about two lengths ahead. The scullers soon hit rough water and Chalupa emerged from the bad patch at Barnes bridge with a comfortable lead.

But Cop, the holder, kept up his challenge as he and Chalupa steered well on a course unfamiliar to Chalupa and tested only once by Cop. Abdullah, favourite for the American Olympic nomination, grew erratic after the mile to finish third and Vabrousek at least had the satisfaction of not yielding to waves that challenged him.