Rowing: Nervous parents await final outcome

Caroline and Georgina Evers-Swindell's parents Hornby and Fran will watch tonight's final with family at their home in Hastings.

"It is exciting but we are extremely nervous as well," Mr Evers-Swindell said.

"It is a very long week between the heats and the final. They are very uptight and nervous as we are here. We are trying to go about our daily chores without thinking about it too much but we will be happy when it is over. "

"We have been going to (international) regattas for nine years with the girls but it will be even harder this time because normally in regattas we don't see the first 1500m we only see the last 500m... but on TV we have to watch the whole bloody thing."

Throughout the Games the twins have continued their ritual of phoning their parents twice a week. "They usually talk to me about rowing and their mother about everything other than rowing," Mr Evers-Swindell said.

Their last phone call home was on Wednesday night where Mr Evers-Swindell said his daughters were understandably nervous despite their three year unbeaten run in the double sculls event.

"They have never ever in their lives felt confident. They never feel confident going into regattas in New Zealand let alone overseas. I think that is how they operate....they know there is all sorts of things that can upset the apple cart.

"We cringe when we hear people say they are going to get the gold medal and win by 10 seconds. I know they have been dominant but you just can't trust anybody.

"I think you will find that will be (coach) Richard Tonk's last words to them as they row out, don't trust anybody, that has always been there motto."

With three world championship gold medals to their name the Rudolf Steiner-educated Evers-Swindell sisters (25) are without a doubt the force in the gruelling double sculls event.

Their father, however, admits he is still a little baffled as to where his daughters' rowing prowess comes from.

"I rowed very socially but it was just to get out of doing something else at school," he said.

"They are the ones who have driven themselves into sport. This is a very proud moment for us but whatever they do it will be good. That is thing when your children are involved in any sport, you have to support them you don't just go down to the pontoon when they win you have got to go down there when they lose as well.

"It is quite nerve-racking ...sometimes you wonder if it is all worth it but off course it is worth it when you get a result at the other end."

Centrebet now have the Evers-Swindells at $1.35 (down from an opening $2) to win the gold medal. The biggest bet is the $35,000 placed by an Aucklander at $1.60.