Latz wins gold at 2015 World Rowing Championships
September 04, 2015 | Women's Rowing
Grace Latz (center left) celebrates gold in the women's four.
Sept. 4, 2015
AIGUEBELETTE, France - To be the best in the world at something is a dream for many people, but for former Badger rower Grace Latz, that is now a reality. Latz and the United States women's four without coxswain made that official on Friday, capturing the crown at the 2015 World Rowing Championships.
The boat led from start to finish, winning by over six seconds with a time of 6:25.220 over 2000 meters. Great Britain was a distant second in 6:31.520. China grabbed bronze in 6:35.560.
"We all stepped up to the plate and came together in the last couple of weeks and really I think had one of our best performances today," Latz said to row2k.com. "It's really rewarding to have a good win and have it be good racing and good fun."
A bronze medalist in her first world championships last year in the women's quadruple sculls, Latz also owns a part of Wisconsin's 2010 Big Ten title, the school's lone conference championship to date.
The Jackson, Michigan, native helped Team USA to its first gold medal of the 2015 World Championships with the victory, and now all Badger rowing eyes look towards Sunday's women's eight final.
Middleton, Wisconsin, native Vicky Opitz goes for her third consecutive world championships gold in the women's eight, looking to extend Team USA's streak to 10 consecutive world championships in the event.
A pair of Badger men also still race in B finals, with Tim Aghai and the men's pair racing on Saturday, and Grant James and the men's eight hitting the water on Sunday.
2015 World Rowing Championships
Aiguebelette, France
Sept. 4, 2015
2,000 meters
Women's Four
Final
1. USA, 6:25.220; 2. Great Britain, 6:31.520; 3. China, 6:35.560; 4. Germany, 6:36.700; 5. Ireland, 6:43.490
