Rowing: Northland team face tough tests

There's no rest for the talented as Northland's most successful rowers return to the water to prepare for nationals next week.

The 14-strong Whangarei Rowing Club team returned from the North Island Championships with four gold medals and two bronze, making them the most decorated bunch our region has seen.

But, there's no time for the rowers to reflect on last weekend's success as club coach Nigel Baddeley has his team looking ahead to next week's New Zealand nationals in Twizel.

Baddeley said the results from North Island nationals weren't unexpected and one of the bronze medals should have been silver.

"We'd sort of hoped to get to first and second to be honest," said Baddeley of the men's novice quads race, where two Whangarei teams made podium finishes.

"[But] they [the third-placed Whangarei boat] were just pipped. The Adam [McKernan, Sam Beazley, Alistair Clark and Josh Ackers] boat was quite far ahead. We put in a lot of hard work and expected to be there, and that's not arrogance, it was hard work."

Baddeley said from there the quads teams were split into teams of twos for the double sculls, with Beazley and McKernan dominating the novice's race by about three boat lengths.

"The other boys came in just out the medals in fourth, fifth and sixth respectively. One of the big problems is we had some boys racing four races on Saturday, and with the heat they were absolutely shot.

"In the last race, the under-19 doubles girls [Crystal Monaghan, Grace Miller], took out the gold in what was a battle all the way."

Baddeley said the Northland rowers' performances were that good they had attracted the attention of talent scouts, in particular McKernan and Beazley.

"[Auckland Regional Performance Centre manager] Murray Earl said he wants them in RPC training squads in a year's time. [But], obviously they've got to work through this year, they're quite capable boys."

Baddeley said the team heading to the nationals, which start next Tuesday, will be relatively the same, minus a couple of newer rowers.

He expected to see some medal-winning results from the Northland rowers.