Nikki-Lee on top of rowing world

ROWING: Wanganui rower Nikki-Lee Crawford had little expectation of making even the Zealand under-23 rowing squad when she attended the national trials this week.
To her astonishment ? "and it hasn't started to sink in yet" ? Crawford found herself in the national women's elite eight going to the world championships.
Described by her former Wanganui Girls' College coach Grant Ryder as "a real tough nut ? she just gets in the boat and does everything you ask her to do without question, never argues, a real hard slogger" ? Crawford was a member of the Central RPC squad at the nationals at Karapiro, picking up a silver with the under-21 eight and a bronze in the four.
That's hardly glittering recommendation, but her potential had clearly been noticed. She was invited to the trials as a member of the under-23 squad, but halfway through the week she was transferred to the elite women's eight.
From all accounts Crawford produced a 6min 54.9sec erg test (indoor rowing) last weekend which raised a few eyebrows. But that's not her best ? she's did 6.53 around the time of the nationals at Karapiro.
However it all followed from there.
"I was going up there for the experience, really," Crawford said. "I wanted to see what it was like, to trial, experience new things ? I wasn't expecting anything.
"So I went there open-minded and worked hard." So when she was switched from the under-23 boat to the elite eight, Crawford received a shock.
"I didn't know what was happening. I was thinking, 'what are they doing with me?' One minute I was in the under-23s, the next I was in the other."
This was halfway through the week of trials. No-one said why she was being switched.
Ryder just hopes Crawford can handle the situation, because of her relatively tender years.
"A lot of the other women are in their mid-20s. It's a lot for an 18-year-old to grab hold of."
Union's senior coach Calvin Ferguson has overseen Crawford's recent development.
Crawford, who turns 19 in May, took up rowing in 2000 when she decided she needed a change from swimming. She had been a competitive, one accomplished at all strokes.
But there still had to be water in the alternative ? and rowing was it. "I had enough of swimming, and I wanted to try a new thing, and it was water again?.I couldn't get away from the water." Crawford does not know, at this point, which seat she will end up in for the national eight.
"They moved me around ? I don't know what the plan is at this stage."
The women will be coached by Dick Tonks, the crew also including Union's Rebecca Scown and the Aramoho-based Darnelle Timbs and Bess Halley.
The elite New Zealand team races in World Cups in Poland and Switzerland in June and July before competing in the world championships at Eton In England.