Rowing team has van stolen

The New Zealand rowing team has suffered a major disruption in Poland with the team van having been stolen.

Manager John Howard made the discovery at the hotel situated on the shores of the regatta course in Poland.

The van did not have a great deal of the team's personal belongings or rowing kit, but there was a lot of back-up material in it as the team heads into the business end of the first World Cup phase to its 2006 campaign.

Howard spent a difficult day of tedious translation with Polish police and hotel staff, but no progress has been made as yet.

Fortunately the vehicle is insured.

He says his biggest fear is it could already be in one of Poland's seven bordering countries or perhaps being shipped across the Baltic.

- NEWSTALK ZB