U.S. Boats Will Get Another Opportunity

The word is repechage, which for John Mooney of Eugene, Ore., and Peter Newton of Bellevue, Wash., means change tactics for a must-win second-chance race on Tuesday.

Mooney and Newton won their repechage in the 1,000-meter kayak and qualified for Thursday’s semifinal in the flatwater canoe and kayak competition.

“This morning we were chopping up water trying to get down the water,” Mooney said. “This afternoon it was a little more ‘OK, let’s think about the race here.’ ”

Of five U.S. boats racing Tuesday morning, three moved right into the semifinals, including the four-man kayak team in the 1,000 kayak and Joseph Harper of Ventura in the 1,000 canoe.

Like Mooney and Newton, Mike Harbold of Honolulu needed the repechage to qualify for the 1,000 canoe semifinal, finishing second in the second-chance race.

The U.S. four-woman kayak team also is in the semifinals after finishing sixth out of eight crews.