Rowing: New Zealand crews warm to their task

Mahe Drysdale won his fourth world title last night. Photo / Getty Images

Last year, Poznan hosted the United Nations Climate Change Conference.

The world's leaders tried to work out a way to slow global warming. The signs aren't good.

Last night, back in the Polish city, New Zealand's hot form at the world rowing championships continued.

It has been an extraordinary four years for the small band of rowers who call Lake Karapiro their home.

What started as four golds in 45 minutes in Gifu, Japan, in 2005 and followed with 11 more medals in 2006 and 2007 continued with another three medals last night, including two golds.

There's a good chance New Zealand will add to that tally tonight with Duncan Grant favourite to win his third-straight title in the non-Olympic lightweight single and Storm Uru and Peter Taylor racing in the lightweight double sculls.

Rowing New Zealand take great delight in hanging portraits of their champions at their base at Lake Karapiro but the results of the past four years might mean they will soon need some more wall space.

Even without the now retired Evers-Swindell twins, who won three world and two Olympic titles, and George Bridgewater and Nathan Twaddle, who are taking a year off, there is no shortage of talented rowers.

Last night, Eric Murray and Hamish Bond, admittedly former world champions in the men's coxless four, won the men's pair only six months after forming as a combination.

They have dominated the event this year, winning gold at the two World Cup regattas in Munich and Lucerne over the past two months, and looked unbeatable last night.

Although Bridgewater and Twaddle might want the seats back for London, it would take a brave - some might say stupid - decision to break up Murray and Bond in this sort of form.

Mahe Drysdale is another desperate for Olympic success. Last night, he claimed his fourth world title in a world's best time (6m 33.35s) but London is the goal.

There are few athletes as determined and focused as he is - he showed that with a bronze at last year's Olympics despite suffering terribly with illness - so even though the Olympics are three years away, it would be crazy to bet against him.

Although New Zealand's medal haul might not have been as lofty as many might have hoped for, the future is as encouraging as the present.

Emma Feathery and Rebecca Scown - cousin of former Olympic single sculler Sonia Waddell - claimed bronze in their first world championships together.

They might have been disappointed their medals didn't have a shinier lustre but they are a promising crew and have seamlessly taken over from former world champions Juliette Haigh and Nicky Coles.

Emma Twigg is another who is immensely promising. At just 22, the former junior and under-23 world champion will only get stronger.

She finished just outside the medals last night in only her second major final and could be a contender at Lake Karapiro.

And Matthew Trott and Nathan Cohen will be kicking themselves for not launching their finish a little earlier.

New Zealand can rightfully call themselves a rowing powerhouse, particularly in the smaller boats.

They aren't likely to cool off at Lake Karapiro. Not at home.