Rowers leave for the world championships

New Zealand's top rowers are on their way to Japan to begin their final preparations for the world championships at the end of the month.

Each of the five boats had a positive dress rehearsal on Tuesday on Lake Karapiro to check their pace against the best in the world.

Head coach Dick Tonks is quietly confident with the results, after handicapping them against world record times.

Men's single sculler Mahe Drysdale says his performance has given him a big boost, racing six seconds faster over the two kilometre course than he has ever done before.

The team heads away for three weeks, and Tonks says he wants to return to their regular routine as quickly as possible.

He says he wants to rig the boats on Thursday and train in them twice a day from then on.

The world championships get underway on August 28.

- NEWSTALK ZB