Intro:

Frankfurt RG Germania win the men's final of the inaugural Rowing Champions League, whilst Crefelder RC take the women's title in Berlin on Saturday (20th September).

Script:

Less than a month after the World Rowing Championship in Amsterdam, the finals of the first ever rowing Champions League in Berlin took place.

The 350m sprint distance along the East Side Galleryin the trendy Friedrichshain district was the perfect stage to decide the fastest rower in Europe.

In the third/fourth place final,there was joy for the hosts as the Berliner Roller secured victory over the Poland Lotto Bydgostia by two tenths, taking home the bronze medal in the process.

In the men's final itself, the Frankfurt RG Germania won in dramatic fashion by beating their main rivals Crefelder RC by just a canvas.

Crefelder RC were in fact the German champions but on the Spree, the Hessiens took their revenge.

Nevertheless, there was still joy for Crefelder RC thanks to the women's final where they triumphed by a boat length ahead of Queen Havel Berlin in the world premiere of the Champions League.

It was the second title of Crefelder RC after they won the rudder-Bundesliga a few days earlier.