A compulsively competitive nature is the main factor that keeps Rotorua 75-year-old Bryan Walford rowing.
The former New Zealand rower returned to the sport he loves five years ago, after a 40-year break, and will compete at his first World Masters Games when it starts this week.
The biggest multisportevent on earth will see more athletes compete than in the Olympics - almost 25,000 participants from 100 countries will descend on New Zealand for the 10 days of the Games, including more than 10,000 Kiwi competitors. In total, 104 Rotorua athletes are entered.
Walford, a retired Scion worker, will participate in an impressive eight rowing events, over five days starting on Monday , including the single, double and quad in the 75-80 age group and the coxless four, eight and mixed eight in the lower age group of 65-70 because of the average age of Walford's fellow crew members.
The veteran rower, who has competed in four New Zealand Masters Games and won more than 20 medals, said his best chance to podium was in the single category.
"Rowing - it's a bit like learning to ride a bike - it's not easy to unlearn it so when I came back to the sport everything just came flooding back," he said.
"I've really got to win the singles in my age group. That's my best chance because being at the lower end of that age group means I'll be one of the most competitive. At this stage things deteriorate quite rapidly - if I plotted a graph the performances are exponentially going downwards.
"I'm doing a lot of events but I will have enough time to recover and then get out there again so I want to do them all."
Former New Zealand rower Bryan Walford, 75, is competing in the World Masters Games for the first time. Photo/Ben Fraser
Walford, who rowed for his country as part of the New Zealand 1965 tour in Australia, will be pushed all the way in the singles by Waikato's Alec Auld, also 75, who then doubles up as Walford's pairs partner - the only duo entered in the 75-80 age group.
"We've got a definite chance in the pair because we're the only ones entered," Walford said, followed by loud laughter. "We'll be rowing against ourselves. I'm rowing with my competition in the singles as a doubles partner - it's a bit like that saying - if I can't beat him I'll join him."
Walford is the second oldest competitor from Rotorua, behind fellow rower - Keith Fraser, 86. They will be teammates for two events and both Rotorua Rowing Club members have no plans to put away their oars anytime soon.
"I'm going to keep going as long as the local club will have me," said Fraser.
Walford added: "When you get to 70-odd the competition starts to fall by the wayside. We had a reunion for rowers who'd competed in the '60s for New Zealand not long ago and there were only two of us that were still active - the rest have had back problems or other things.
"But by no means is this my final row - while I can I will. I'll keep going, companionship becomes the most important thing and it's good to keep fit - that's a real incentive.
Beginning in 1985, the Games are held every four years, and this year's version - the ninth edition, will encompass 28 sports being contested at 48 venues across Auckland and Waikato.
The last event was held in Turin, Italy, in 2013 and before that, Sydney in 2009. The next Games will be held in Kansai, Japan, in 2021.
Each of the 28 sports will offer both men's and women's competitions and age is the sole entry criteria competitors have to meet for most events.
Reaching "masters" age is different for each sport. Swimmers are considered masters at 25, but for most sports, it is 35. Three-quarters of a century separates the youngest athlete - 25 - from the eldest - 101-year-old Man Kaur from India, who has entered the 100m, 200m, javelin and shot put.
The games start with an opening ceremony at Eden Park on Friday and will include the largest laser light show seen in New Zealand, but the ceremony is not open to the public and will be attended by athletes only.
The World Masters Games in numbers:
24,905 competitors from 100 countries; more than 10,000 Kiwis; 104 Rotorua athletes.
3800-strong team of volunteers - 700 of them coming from overseas to take part.
