The A and B finals of the inaugural Paralympic Games Rowing regatta will be decided on Thursday at the Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park.

Competition for the medals in all four boat classes is expected to be intense after two days of intriguing qualification rowing with China and Great Britain sensationally qualifying crews in every A-final.

Women's Single Sculls - Arms

2006 world champion and world-best timesetter Helene Raynsford (Great Britain) and USA 2007 National Paralympic Games champion Laura Schwanger booked their berths in the Women's Single Sculls - Arms A-final on Monday after commanding heat wins. They'll start Thursday's A-final as co-favourites.

Luidmila Vauchok (Belarus) rowed exceptionally well in her repechage on Wednesday to stake her claim to a medal while China's Zhang Jinhong was equally impressive in winning her repechage.

World champion Claudia Santos (Brazil) and 2008 World Cup (Poznan, Poland) champion have plenty of work to do to match the favourites, but a medal is certainly not out of their grasp.

Men's Single Sculls - Arms

Great Britain's 2007 world champion and world-best timesetter Tom Aggar will start in the A-final of the Men's Single Sculls - Arms as an almost unbackable favourite to take the gold medal.

Despite his favouritism, Aggar will be wary of Ukraine's Oleksandr Petrenko who had a massive 15.70 second victory in his heat on Tuesday and seems to have hit top form at precisely the right time.

China's Tan Yeteng had a great battle on Wednesday to score a narrow repechage victory over Ronald Harvey (United States). Both will benefit from the workout and are definite medal possibilities.

Israel's Eli Nawi is also a medal chance while Australia's former world champion Dominic Moneypenny will need to find several seconds over the 1000m journey to medal in this event.

Mixed Double Sculls - Trunk and Arms

China scored a popular win in their heat of the Mixed Double Sculls - TA on Tuesday when they took the spoils from Australia and Ukraine in the fastest heat time of 4:14:67.

Shan Zilong (CHN) and Zhou Yanjing won by a boatlength and a half, booking a date to meet Heat 2 winners, the powerful Brazilian combination of Josiane Lima and Elton Santana, in Thursday's A-final.

Australia and Great Britain had a great repechage race on Wednesday to qualify for the medal race and both should feature in the final dash to the line.

Italy and Poland also had a valuable repechage race on Wednesday and both have done nothing to suggest they won't challenge for a medal.

Mixed Coxed Four - Legs, Trunk and Arms

Italy proved too good for the more fancied Great Britain crew in their heat of the Mixed Coxed Fours - LTA on Tuesday and must be considered a serious gold medal contender.

China also go into this event as top medal prospects after a stylish performance in their heat. The Li Ming-stroked combination rowed a technically perfect race on Tuesday to account for pre-regatta favourites Germany and Brazil.

Bouncing back from their heat defeat against Italy, 2008 World Cup champions Great Britain hit top form in their repechage on Wednesday and could well be among the medals.

The United States appear to be improving as the week progresses and a strong repechage win on Wednesday suggests they'll also be a medal challenger.

Canada and out-of-form world champions Germany also qualified, but may find the pace of the final difficult to match given their heat and repechage performances.

Four B-finals to determine the seventh - 12th positions in all boat classes will also be contested on Thursday's final day of Rowing competition.

(BOCOG September 10, 2008)