World Cup II - Day 1

Men's Double - John Graves and Ben Dann (USRowing)

Men's Single - Willy Cowles (USRowing)

Last Updated: 19.Jun.2015

Both Green Racing Project boats overseas moved on to the A/B Semifinals at World Cup II earlier Friday in Varese Italy.

The day started off with the Men's 2x of John Graves and Ben Dann. They finished second in their heat with a time of 6:17.1, behind Italy's 6:16.5. Also in their heat was Bulgaria, Italy and China. With this second place finish Graves and Dann avoided the repechage in the afternoon and moved straight into the semis.

Willy Cowles began his two-race day with a third place finish in his heat with a time of 7:01.1. He placed behind 2014 World Championship Bronze Medalist Angel Fournier Rodriguez, from Cuba, and Germany's Lars Hartig. In his heat were also the single scullers from Israel and Peru.

Later in the day Cowles faced a difficult field in his quarterfinal, placing third to move on to the semifinal. Pulling 6:44.62, Cowles was behind 2014 World Championship Silver Medalist and Olympic Champion Mahe Drysdale and Belarus's Stanislau Shcharbachenia. The quarterfinal also sported competition from Brazil, Israel and another American single sculler.

The Green Racing Project will be back in action Saturday in the semifinals. The Graves-Dann double races at 8:15 a.m, 2:15 p.m. Italian time, against doubles from Denmark, Croatia, Germany, Norway and Poland. They must place top three to earn a birth in the A Final. Cowles will race his semifinal at 8:45, 2:45 in Varese. He will have to place top three to place in the A final. His competition will be single scullers from Finland, Belarus, Croatia, Czech Republic and Bulgaria.

Saturday's racing action can be tracked live at WorldRowing.com, with Sunday's A finals being live-streamed.