Press Clippings- The Gallagher Great Race

by Waikato Times on 4 Sep 2006 Waikato Times' coverage of The Gallagher Great Race:

Waikato's powerful start key to big win over Cambridge eight

Waikato University captain Andrew McCowan pronounced it the best Great Race win yet.

And as the only person to row in every one of the five races up the Waikato River, McCowan should know. The Waikato eight blitzed Cambridge University at the start to take a lead they never looked like relinquishing along the 4.9km course, winning by a comfortable four boat lengths on Saturday to go 2-1 up against Cambridge crews.

For Waikato it was sweet revenge after Cambridge became the first and only crew to defeat them in the Harry Mahon Trophy two years ago.

'This is probably the best because Cambridge are the only ones who have beaten us and they brought over a strong crew,' McCowan said.
'It was great.'

For the rest of this story see: www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/waikatotimes/0,2106,3786334a6414,00.html
Waikato Times' coverage of The Gallagher Great Race:

Patrons have a ball at Great Race after-party

The Gallagher Great Race after-party in Hamilton has taken on a life of its own.

Saturday's King Street Great Race Ball sold out weeks in advance as 1800 people flocked to one of the city's premier social occasions. Matt Taylor, one of the organisers, said although the ball had more than tripled in size from four years ago, planning was the key to the continued success.

'From the layout to the flow . . . we looked at all the details,' Mr Taylor said. 'We have not had a debrief yet but as far as I know there were no complaints.'

For the rest of this story see: www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/waikatotimes/0,2106,3786376a6579,00.html

Triumphant return for rowing coach

Ian Wright made a triumphant return to his old stamping ground on Saturday as the Melbourne University women's eight became the first visiting crew to win the Bryan Gould Cup on the Waikato River.

Wright, who coached rowing at St Paul's Collegiate, Waikato Rowing Club and Hamilton Boys' High School, took over as the head coach at Melbourne University last year. On Saturday his women's eight cruised to a six boat-length win over Waikato University to end the locals' stranglehold on the cup.
'I've been around the river for quite a while so it was a bit of an advantage,' Wright said afterwards.

'The cox (Sophie Jamieson) followed the race plan perfectly.'

For the rest of this story see: www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/waikatotimes/0,2106,3786329a6414,00.html