Rowers Lindsay Jennerich and Patricia Obee of Canada celebrate after winning silver in lightweight women’s double sculls.PHIL WALTER/Getty Images
Canadian rowers Lindsay Jennerich and Patricia Obee have won a silver medal in the women's lightweight double sculls at the Rio Olympics.
The Victoria duo raced to a time of seven minutes 5.88 seconds at Lagoa Stadium.
Ilse Paulis and Maaike Head of the Netherlands won gold in 7:04.73 while China's Huang Wenyi and Pan Feihong were third in 7:06.49.
The Canadians showed off their impressive finishing power. They were fifth at the 1,000-metre mark, three seconds off the pace. Entering the final 500, they had shaved the deficit to 1.63 seconds to sit third. A powerful kick down the stretch propelled them to second.
Canadian Olympic Committee president Tricia Smith, a former rower, presented the women with their medals, giving them each a warm embrace.
Jennerich and Obee were left devastated after flaming out in the semifinals four years ago at the London Games, finishing a disappointing seventh overall.
The pair were fourth at last year's world championships after placing second in 2014, but they found their groove in the lead-up to Brazil, winning their final World Cup race in May.
Canada had another chance at a podium result later Friday when Will Crothers of Kingston, Ont., Kai Langerfeld of North Vancouver, B.C., Conlin McCabe of Brockville, Ont., and Tim Schrijver of Thedford, Ont., raced in the men's four final, but they were never in contention.
In Friday's early race involving a Canadian, Carling Zeeman of Cambridge, Ont., finished fourth in her women's single sculls semi, just missing out on a spot in the final. She will race in Satuday's consolation race.
Canada's women's eight will take part in Saturday's final.
The Olympic regatta was plagued by weather issues from the start of competition. Two Serbian rowers were dumped out of their boat and into the venue's polluted water on Saturday because of high winds and the resulting whitecapped waves, while Sunday and Wednedsay's schedules were completed whipped out.
The wind continued for most of the week, but organizers weren't forced to cancel any races.