Under 23's Take Centre Stage

by Rowing World on 20 Jul 2006 Thursday 20th July

Tonight, NZ time, the Rowing NZ under 23 team take centre stage for the FISA world Championships in this class. The event is being staged at New Zealand’s usual European training centre, Hazewinkel in Belgium. As a result of this regatta the Elites are training at Racice in the Czech Republic.

The Under 23’s are regarded as a stepping stone to the Senior World Championships and as a result FISA is reporting a 23% increase in the number of entries at this regatta. Some of this increase can be attributed to the FISA programme for introducing rowing in developing nations. This regatta will have the first Kenyan rower racing at an International event.

For the New Zealand team this is an event that it has regularly attended with some moderate success. The team of 20 rowers and one cox will be up against some tough competition.

For the Men’s coxed Four of Dane Boswell, Paul Gerritsen, James Dallinger, Steven Cottle and Daniel Quigley (cox) this will be the first of two International Regattas they will attend, as they will also row at the Eton World Senior Championships. Dane Boswell must be pinching himself as it was only in 2004 that he won his novices. With his dad as an ex-international rower and having been trained by Bob Bridge in Kerikeri on the ergo, it is hardly a surprise that he is in this position. Those that have watched his progress since the age of 13 can now say ‘I told you so…’. Steve Cottle is no stranger to international competition and will provide the experience in this team, having rowed at Elite level before.

The Women’s double scull crew of Emma Feathery and Jaime Nielsen look strong and have plenty of experience, Emma having competed in the single as a junior.

The women’s quad of Roslyn Knox, Hannah Burns, Tamsin Gilbert and Trudy Stuart have some big puddles to fill. There is a mixture of experience and newcomers in the crew. Rosslyn was part of the illfated junior eight in Athens in 2003 and while the others are new to the international scene, they all know how to win, in particular Trudy with wins in the Under 21 single and double at this years National Championships. This is the event that the Ian Weenik coached crew won gold in 2004. They were unable to defend the title last year so no doubt this crew will want to set the records straight. Marion Horwell is the coach of the women’s sculling group.

Lightweights have always had to fight to keep their crews on the radar at a National level, so it is good to see a strong representation in this team with a single, Storm Uru and a double scull combination of Peter Taylor and Graeme Oberlin-Brown. With the advent of the Regional Performance Programmes this must be the first time a rower from the Te Awamatu Rowing club has been selected at this level, while still representing the club on the National scene. Storm in no stranger to success at this level returning with a bronze medal to his Waihopai club. Calvin Ferguson, himself a former lightweight representative will coach these crews.

Taking the heavy single berth is Nathan Cohen. Nathan has twice won a silver medal at Junior level and has certainly shown great promise on home waters when racing against Mahe Drysdale. Mahe described Nathan once as ‘tough little b….’. All in the best possible taste!

The Mens coxless four of Simon Watson, Graeme Hill, Carl Finlay and Cameron Corkill shows how the ladder of representation is starting to work in the HP programme. Simon, Graeme and Carl were all part of the strong junior programme from the last couple of years and now have their chance to continue their development at this level.

Racing can be followed on: www.worldrowing.com

NZ Results and related links will be on: www.rowinginfo.info