Matt Macdonald, Shaun Kirkham, Phillip Wilson, Dan Williamson, Michael Brake, Tom Murray, Hamish Bond, Tom Mackintosh and Sam Bosworth after winning gold. Photosport
Matt Macdonald, Shaun Kirkham, Phillip Wilson, Dan Williamson, Michael Brake, Tom Murray, Hamish Bond, Tom Mackintosh and Sam Bosworth after winning gold. Photosport
A lack of depth means defending the historic men's rowing eight gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics is falling down Rowing New Zealand's priority list two years out from the Paris campaign.
At last year's Tokyo Games, Tom Mackintosh, Hamish Bond, Tom Murray, Michael Brake, Dan Williamson, Phillip Wilson, ShaunKirkham, Matt Macdonald and coxswain Sam Bosworth recreated the history made by the 1972 eight in Munich, by rowing to Olympic gold in the marquee event.
However, after the retirement of three-time gold medallist Bond in January, the majority of last year's crew have either moved onto different boat classes for this year's World Cup season in Europe, or chosen to sit out the season altogether.
Rowing NZ hasn't included women's or men's eights in its squad for the upcoming overseas campaign ahead of September's world championships in the Czech Republic.
Mackintosh and Macdonald have been selected in the men's pair, while Wilson has switched to the men's quadruple sculls for the World Cup meets in Poland and Switzerland, separated by the Henley Royal Regatta.
Rowing New Zealand chief executive Geoff Barry said it was a seven year journey with the men's eight campaign leading into the Tokyo triumph but the Covid-19 pandemic has delayed the next generation of rowers.
"Quite simply we don't have the depth in the programme at this stage to undertake an eight campaign through the World Cups and probably the World Champs later this year.
"With the depth that we have, there is a relative focus on winning medals and so we reduced the number of athletes we had available, particularly in both men's and women's eights coming down to smaller boats is a natural part of this Olympic cycle.
"Because we haven't had any international tours in our age group program since 2019, we've got big squads travelling to the world champs in under 23, under 21 and under 19 this year. That's where our depth is. Whether that emerges strong enough for a world championships campaign is probably unlikely in 2022. It's possible but unlikely. But it doesn't mean we will not be having a crack at qualifying a boat in 2023."
The men's rowing eight celebrate gold at the Tokyo Olympics. Photosport
Barry said they'll get a clearer idea by the end of the year whether they can set their sights on a new look crew defending the Tokyo title.
"We have aspiration to have an eights campaign, whether it materalises through qualifying for Paris or whether it's a longer term cycle development for Los Angeles, we'll be in a better position for the end of the year to know that."
Gold medallist Wilson said his move to a smaller boat came about as the crew disbanded following the Tokyo campaign.
"A couple of people went into retirement, a couple [went] overseas, which restricted the opportunities on the sweep side, but there was a group of guys in the sculling side of the squad who had set their sights on the quad," Wilson told Newstalk ZB's Wellington All Sport Breakfast.
"So I saw it was building, and thought it was really exciting, and they had a great crew dynamic going, so I wanted to be part of that and be able to add what I could to a crew".
Of the remainder of last year's champion crew, Tom Murray is listed as unavailable for selection, but the rest aren't referenced in the squad list.
Wilson concedes another tilt at the eight for him is largely out of sight, out of mind, for now.
"The sights are definitely set on the quad for this year and leading into the world championships ... so it's kind of where the head is at."
Asked whether there's any desire for a return to the eight between now and the Paris 2024 games, Wilson said: "We'll see how things are going with some of the other athletes we have around going into the 2023 season, but this year it's definitely the quad for me.
"You kind of have to look at things and get an idea of the athletes you have around and what crews will be possible with the pool of athletes you have."
The 25-year-old indicated younger, less experienced rowers may be called on to enter the boat at next year's world championships, which officially kick-start the Olympic qualification process.
"We have some development [rowers] coming through who may be a part of the sweep group this year, but at this stage the eight is not in the line of sight.
"[Olympic] qualification starts next year ... so you've got to have a good idea of what crews you're putting forward for that going into the world championships, and then leading into Paris in 2024."
Wilson said while carrying an extra oar has brought a new challenge, his success in the larger boat has motivated him to strive for success in a new boat.
"It's a change from one oar to two, so you've got an added element of concentration in terms of trying to handle that, but the quad's still a fast boat, the world record's only about 98 or 97 percent of the time of the eight … so the race plan stays the same.
"As much as it would be amazing to go back and repeat the success in the eight, if there's another crew that's looking like it'll be up there in the hunt for the medals, then I'd love to be part of that."
