High winds delay Rio's Rotorua rower

Rotorua Rower Julia Edward has had her rowing heat at the Rio Olympics delayed by a day due to high winds. Photo/file

One of Rotorua's athletes representing in Rio is likely to have her heat delayed after high winds have forced the whole Olympic rowing programmed to be postponed.

Lightweight women's double scullers Julia Edward and rowing partner Sophie Mackenzie have had their races pushed back one day as official set about re-jigging the schedule.

A day after rowers vented frustration at competing in rough water and strong crosswinds on Rodrigo de Freitas lagoon, organisers wasted little time in abandoning racing today.

With winds strengthening and heavy chop obvious on the water, which almost gave a zigzag effect to some of the lanes in parts of the course, the cancellation was announced just before 10.30am local time.

The high winds have also affected play in the tennis tournament with matches on the outside courts delayed.

Two New Zealand crews were to contest their first round heats - the women's pair of Rebecca Scown and Genevieve Behrent, plus Edward and Mackenzie.

The Daily Mail has reported organisers may now have to look at cancelling some races altogether - most likely the repechage events - or pulling some classes forward to try and find a window, with the forecast suggesting relatively strong winds until the middle of this week.

Any condensing of the schedule could have a major impact on Scown and Behrent in particular, with the women's pair already faced with an extremely tough challenge doubling up in the women's eight.

Numerous rowers had been unhappy with the conditions on the opening day of racing, which are especially bad in the middle kilometre of the 2,000 metre course.

Emma Twigg and Mahe Drysdale yesterday blasted officials for not calling off the rowing when the wind picked up on the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon, turning the regatta into a test of "survival rather than skill".

The choppy conditions saw one crew - Serbian pair Milos Vasic and Nenad Benik - capsize in the bacteria infested waters of the venue.

Despite comfortably winning her heat in the women's single sculls and advancing directly through to the quarterfinals, Twigg protested after crossing the finish line.

"After the race I put my hand up and protested, because I simply don't believe we should be racing in an Olympic Games conditions like that," said Twigg.

"It was very tricky, today it was more about surviving and not falling out, which is a shame when you come to the Olympics and your first heat is about staying in the boat as opposed to putting it all on the line."

Rowing New Zealand officials later lodged an official complaint with the world rowing body for continuing the regatta in what were deemed "unrowable" conditions.