Rowing: Team to go it alone

SYDNEY - New Zealand rowing yesterday became the first sport to confirm that its team will not stay at the athletes' village during the Olympic Games.

Rowing New Zealand executive director Mike Stanley and Games team manager Mike Hartley yesterday finalised accommodation details at private housing at Penrith in Sydney's outer west.

"We've been planning for that for the past couple of years and our rowers will all stay there during the regatta," Stanley said.

There are several reasons why single-sculling gold medal hopeful Rob Waddell and his team-mates were keen to stay away from the village. The main one was travel, he said.

"It's 45 minutes by road from the athletes' village in Homebush to the regatta course on a good journey. The regatta is scheduled to start at 8 am each day or even earlier and it is common for the crews to warm up well before their events and then get off the water at least half an hour before their race for a rest.

"So it would make for a very early start in the village if we stayed there," Stanley said.

Some other New Zealand sports are also considering staying away from the village but have yet to confirm alternative accommodation.

- NZPA

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