Final push before Rio

DOUBLE DUTY: Rebecca Scown and women's pair partner Genevieve Behrent will race in their boat and the women's eight in Poland this weekend.PHOTO/FILE

Whanganui products front up to world’s elite in Poland

THE LAPPING shores of Lake Malta in the heart of the Polish town of Poznan is where Whanganui's standout rowers will have their final push on the international scene this weekend, before stepping out on Rio's Olympic stage in August.

The entire New Zealand Elite Rowing team is competing at World Rowing Cup III in Poznan, after having spent the last few weeks based in various locations for training and racing since the final Rio qualifications at the World Cup II regatta in Lucerne at the end of May.

Union BC's export and Olympic bronze medallist Rebecca Scown will feature with Genevieve Behrent in the women's pair, alongside New Zealand's reserve team of Olivia Loe and Holly Greenslade.

Silver winners at Lucerne, Scown and Behrent now face the tough Great Britain team of Heather Stanning and Helen Glover, who withdrew from Lucerne because of illness.

The women's pair will then rejoin the women's eight crew, which includes Aramoho Wanganui RC's Kerri Gowler, who will be in a tight battle with four crews entered.

At Lucerne, the NZ boat of Scown, Behrent, Gowler, Grace Prendergast, Kelsey Bevan, Ruby Tew, Emma Dyke, Kayla Pratt and coxswain Francie Turner finished third.

AWRC's Chris Harris and men's double sculls partner Robbie Manson will be in a 17-boat field but really their full focus is on pegging back those standout Croatian brothers - world champion and best world time holders Valent and Martin Sinkovic.

In Lucerne, Harris and Manson led the final at the halfway mark before being beaten by the Sinkovics by 1.54s.

New Zealand sit third in the overall World Rowing Cup Series, behind The Netherlands and Great Britain, although having only contested one of the two regattas so far.

Racing began last night at 8.50pm (NZ time) and moves onto the international finals today, followed by the Olympic boat class finals tomorrow.

Live coverage of the finals will be available on Sky TV channel five on at 8pm tomorrow.