Promising start for kiwi rowers
The kiwis had a promising start at the World Rowing Cup on Lucerne's Rotsee course on Friday. Of the 11 New Zealand crews racing, four crews moved into semi-finals, two head to repechages and two qualified directly to the finals while the men’s and women’s eight automatically head to the final due to limited entries.
Rebecca Scown and Genevieve Behrent kicked off the racing for the kiwi contingent on day one, they came out of the blocks in fourth place but quickly made their way into second behind the fast starting crew from the USA. Scown and Behrent held their composure to finish in second place and secure their berth in the semi finals. Reserves Olivia Loe and Holly Greenslade finished a credible fourth in heat three of the women’s pair. In the afternoon repechage the pair finished fifth meaning they will contest the C final.
With 26 entries in the men’s single scull, Mahe Drysdale raced both a heat and quarter final on day one of the World Cup regatta. The heat saw Drysdale start conservatively sitting in second behind Verhoeven Thibut of France before coming through to win in a time of 7:02.79 and progress comfortably. In the quarter final later in the day Drysdale outpaced Angel Rodriguez of Cuba to win and will progress to the semi finals. Drysdale’s great rival Onrej Synek also progressed comfortably through the heat and quarter finals to secure a place in the semi finals.
Double World Champions Sophie Mackenzie and Julia Edward worked their way into the lead by halfway and were calm under pressure as they crossed the line in first place. The double held off a challenge from Ireland leaving Germany to battle it out for third with Russia. Mackenzie and Edward are through to the semi finals.
Olympic champions Hamish Bond and Eric Murray needed a top two finish to qualify for the semi finals. While South Africa remained hot on their tail until late into the third quarter the kiwi pair were too strong and powered ahead to finish five seconds clear with both crews claiming places in the semi finals.
The World Champion duo of Zoe Stevenson and Eve Macfarlane were among a high class field and after a slow start could only manage third place behind Lithuania and Australia meaning they head to the repechage on Saturday.
Robbie Manson and Chris Harris needed to finish in first place in the men’s double to proceed to the final. The kiwis gave it a good shot and were in the lead through halfway but gradually slipped back to finish in third behind Germany and Great Britain meaning they head to the repechage on Saturday.
Requiring a top two finish to proceed to the A final of the men’s lightweight four, James Hunter, Alistair Bond, Matt Dunham and James Lassche delivered under pressure, successfully holding off the Swiss World Champions to win and book their place in the final.
The women’s eight raced in an exhibition race and finished third behind the Unites States and Great Britain.
Due to limited entried the men’s eight also raced an exhibition race crossing the line fourth behind the Netherlands, Germany and Great Britain.
Zoe McBride claimed the lead in heat three of the women’s lightweight single by the halfway mark to win comfortably by nearly five seconds ahead of the sculler from the Netherlands. McBride secured her place in the semi finals.
New Zealand Rowers have won 161 World Cup medals since Rob Waddell won the first bronze at the Lucerne World Cup in 1997. Overall 89 of those medals were Gold, 47 Silver and 25 Bronze medals at World Cup events.
Racing will continue on Saturday with repechages and semifinals while finals will be raced on Sunday 29 May. There will be live coverage of the finals of the World Rowing Cup II in Lucerne on SKY Sport on Sunday 29 May at 8:00pm on SKY Sport 7.
Results will be available on World Rowing: http://www.worldrowing.com/events/2016-world-rowing-cup-ii/
New Zealand Rowing Team to compete at World Rowing Cup II - Lucerne, Switzerland
Women’s Double Scull
Zoe Stevenson
Eve Macfarlane
Dick Tonks – Coach
Women’s Lightweight Double Scull
Julia Edward
Sophie Mackenzie
Gary Hay – Coach
Women’s Coxless Pair
Rebecca Scown
Genevieve Behrent
Dave Thompson – Coach
Women’s Eight
Rebecca Scown
Genevieve Behrent
Kerri Gowler
Grace Prendergast
Kelsey Bevan
Ruby Tew
Emma Dyke
Kayla Pratt
Francie Turner (cox)
Dave Thompson – Coach
Men’s Single Scull
Mahe Drysdale
Dick Tonks – Coach
Men’s Double Scull
Chris Harris
Robbie Manson
Calvin Ferguson – Coach
Men’s Coxless Pair
Hamish Bond
Eric Murray
Noel Donaldson – Coach
Lightweight Men’s Coxless Four
James Hunter
Alistair Bond
Matt Dunham (Reserve)
James Lassche
Gary Hay – Coach
Men’s Eight
Stephen Jones
Brook Robertson
Alex Kennedy
Joe Wright
Isaac Grainger
Shaun Kirkham
Michael Brake
Tom Murray
Caleb Shepherd (cox)
Noel Donaldson – Coach
Women’s Coxless Pair (Reserves)
Holly Greenslade
Olivia Loe
Dave Thompson – Coach
Women’s Lightweight Single Scull (Reserve)
Zoe McBride
Gary Hay – Coach