Canada's rowing teams win 2 silver, 1 bronze at World Cup

Canada's women's eight and men's pair teams each won silver at the World Rowing Cup on Sunday in  Lucerne, Switzerland, while the men's eight took bronze.

The women's eight team were just .03 out of a gold medal after being edged by the United States, which won in five minutes 59.26 seconds.

Canada's team of Lesley Thompson-Willie and Ashley Brzozowicz, both of London, Ont., Darcy Marquardt of Richmond, B.C., Lauren Wilkinson of North Vancouver, B.C., Andreanne Morin of Montreal, Regina's Rachelle Viinberg, Krista Guloien of Port Moody, B.C., Cristy Nurse of Georgetown, Ont., and Natalie Mastracci of Thorold, Ont., clocked a time of 5:59.29.

The Netherlands (6:03.20) finished third.

"It was a good race, but we would have liked to have had a different result," said Marquardt. "This definitely fuels the fires for London."

In the men's pairs race, Victoria's David Calder and Scott Frandsen of Kelowna, B.C., were second in 6:26.77 after leading for half of the race.

New Zealand won in 6:24.04, while Greece took bronze in 6:30.04.

"Our training and hard work has proved that you can teach an old dog new tricks," said Calder, a three-time Olympian. "We're pretty pumped and have got the countdown to London in our heads right now."

Canada also won bronze in the men's eight.

The crew of coxswain Brian Price of Belleville, Ont., Will Crothers of Kingston, Ont., Jeremiah Brown of Cobourg, Ont., Andrew Byrnes of Toronto, Victoria's Malcolm Howard, Conlin McCabe of Brockville, Ont., Rob Gibson of Kingston, Doug Csima of Oakville, Ont., and Gabe Bergen of 100 Mile House, B.C., finished in 5:29.62.

Germany won gold in 5:27.47, while Great Britain finished in 5:28.64 for silver.