Rowing: Olympic prospects hope to make a splash

By JULIE ASH

The world championships in Milan, Italy are an Olympic qualifying event. To qualify in the men's coxless pair, coxless four and lightweight double sculls crews have to finish in the top 11. In the women's single sculls combinations have to finish in the top nine. In the women's pairs and double sculls it is the top eight and in the women's quadruple sculls the top seven.

If the crews do not qualify in this year's world championships event they have one last chance at next year's event just before the Olympics. However there are only a few spots available.

If New Zealand wins an Olympic spot just the boat qualifies not the crew, which means crew members can be changed right up until the Olympics.

New Zealand sent five crews to last year's world championships - a men's and women's coxless four, a women's coxless pair, a women's double scull and women's single sculler. The Evers-Swindells were the best performed of the New Zealand crews, winning the double scull and breaking the world record.

Six rowers represented New Zealand at the 2000 Olympics: gold medal winner Rob and his wife Sonia Waddell in the single sculls and a men's coxless four.

Body1: NATIONAL coach Brett Crow is confident a men's coxless pair and four can qualify for the Olympics at next month's world championships in Italy.

Five New Zealand crews leave tomorrow for Switzerland, where they will compete in the final World Cup event before heading to Milan for the world championships from August 24-31, which double as an Olympic qualifying event.

World champions and world record-holders Caroline and Georgina Evers-Swindell are almost certain to win an Olympic spot at Athens next year in the double sculls.

Crow said the men's pairing of Rob Hellstrom and Nathan Twaddle and the coxless four crew of Donald Leach, Mahe Drysdale, Ian Smallman and Carl Meyer also stood a good chance.

"We are pretty confident both crews can make the final. I believe we are around about on the pace."

The top 11 boats in the coxless pair and four qualify for the Olympics.

Crow's coxless four crew placed seventh in last year's world championships but since then three of the crew-members have changed. Hellstrom has moved into the pair, Sam Earl is out injured and Dave Waddell has retired, leaving just Smallman.

"It is a bit frustrating that we have had three changes," Crow said. "We have got three guys in the team who have never been to a world championship before.

"But what they lack in experience they certainly make up with enthusiasm.

"It is the first time we have had a pair for four or five years and they are improving all the time."

Crow said the month between the World Cup and world championships would give the crews plenty of time to smooth out any rough edges.

"The crews that we expect to be the fastest haven't changed their crews in the last two years. So we are going to race crews that have been together for a while, whereas we are a new combination and it is going to take some time to really get a feel for each other and the speed of the boat."

Joining the coxless pair and four in the men's events will be Duncan Grant and Nathan Terrey in the lightweight double sculls.

In the women's classes, the Evers-Swindells will defend their title in the double sculls and join Paula Twining and Jo Byrne in the quadruple sculls. The other women's crew is Kate Robinson and Jackie Abraham in the coxless pair.

Lightweight single sculler Caroline Steel will compete in the World Cup event but not the world championships. Fellow single sculler Sonia Waddell will compete in the world championship event only.

Apart from the men's coxless pair and four, the remaining crews are coached by Richard Tonks.

In the 2000 Olympics at Sydney, New Zealand had six rowers - Sonia and gold medal-winner Rob Waddell in the single sculls, and a men's coxless four.

But Crow believes a bigger New Zealand team will be at Athens.

"The standard has definitely improved since last year.

"We have done a lot of work with the squads over the summer ... A lot of good strength work has been done and if we can keep the crews together for a long time we should see some good results."

Ticket to Athens:

The world championships in Milan, Italy, are an Olympic qualifying event.

To qualify in the men's coxless pair, coxless four and lightweight double sculls, crews have to finish in the top 11.

In the women's single sculls, a top-nine finish is required. In the women's pairs and double sculls, it is the top eight, and in the women's quadruple sculls, the top seven.

If the crews do not qualify in this year's world championships they have one last chance at next year's event just before the Olympics. But only a few spots will be available.

Just the boat qualifies for an Olympic spot, not the crew, so crew-members can be changed right up until the Games.

New Zealand sent five crews to last year's world championships: a men's and women's coxless four, a women's coxless pair, a women's double scull and women's single sculler.

The Evers-Swindells were the best of the New Zealanders, winning the double scull and breaking the world record.

Six rowers represented New Zealand at the 2000 Olympics.