Twigg qualifies for Rio
New Zealand women’s single sculler, Emma Twigg today realised her dream of qualifying for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games at the Final Olympic Qualification Regatta in Lucerne, Switzerland.
After a year out of international competition World Champion single sculler Emma Twigg once again demonstrated her form, this time under the pressure of Olympic qualification. Twigg climbed into the lead at the halfway mark and showed her superior boat speed to win comfortably in a time of 7:21.87 ahead of Ireland, Belarus and Denmark who also qualified for the Rio Olympic Games.
Adam Ling and Toby Cunliffe-Steel laid it all on the line in the men’s lightweight double but were unable to handle the quick pace and after a tough row, finished in sixth place and outside of the top two they needed to qualify a spot for the Rio Olympic Games.
The New Zealand men’s four combination of Anthony Allen, Patrick McInnes, Axel Dickinson and Drikus Conradie worked their way from the back of the field in a gallant effort finishing third and one place short of the top two needed to qualify.
Brooke Donoghue, Lucy Spoors, Georgia Perry and Sarah Gray gave it everything in the women’s quad but were outclassed by Ukraine and China who took the top two spots needed to get to the Rio Olympic Games.
John Storey, George Bridgewater, Nathan Flannery and Jade Uru moved from fourth to third chasing frontrunners Russia and Canada. While they challenged Canada in the final quarter of the race they were unable to match their speed in the final sprint and finished third, missing Olympic qualification.
The Final Olympic Qualification Regatta was initiated in 1996 and prior to 2016, only three New Zealand crews have successfully qualified for the Olympic Games through this regatta: men’s lightweight double, Robbie Hamill and Mike Rodger (Atlanta 1996), women’s pair, Nicola Coles and Juliette Haigh (Athens 2004) and men’s lightweight double, Peter Taylor and Storm Uru (Beijing 2008).
New Zealand has already qualified 31 athletes across 33 seats in nine boat classes for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the 2015 World Rowing Championships.
Twigg should be added to this 31 strong team with the official New Zealand Olympic rowing team selection to be finalised later in the week by the New Zealand Olympic Committee.
At the London Olympic Games New Zealand fielded a rowing team of 26 athletes across eleven boat classes.
The New Zealand Rowing team will race at World Cup II in Lucerne, Switzerland between 27 - 29 May with finals of the World Rowing Cup II in Lucerne to be televised live on SKY Sport on Sunday 29 May at 8:00pm on SKY Sport 7.
New Zealand Rowing Team to attend Olympic Qualification Regatta
Lucerne, Switzerland
Women’s Single Scull
Emma Twigg
Gary Hay – Coach
Women’s Quad
Brooke Donoghue
Georgia Perry
Lucy Spoors
Sarah Gray
James Coote – Coach
Lightweight Men’s Double Scull
Toby Cunliffe-Steel
Adam Ling
Calvin Ferguson – Coach
Men’s Quad
Jade Uru
Nathan Flannery
George Bridgewater
John Storey
Mike Rodger – Coach
Men’s Coxless Four
Drikus Conradie
Axel Dickinson
Patrick McInnes
Anthony Allen
Gary Roberts – Coach