Mahé's Mailbag- Another changeable day in Amsterdam

by Mahé Drysdale on 23 Jun 2007 It was another changeable day in Amsterdam with sunshine through to torrential rain. Similar to some of the kiwi results.

Since arriving in Europe on Sunday, jetlag hasn't been a problem with normal sleeping patterns, training going great and the body feeling pretty much normal. That all caught up yesterday when my alarm went off and I could barely drag myself out of bed.

After a morning row I was starting to feel alive again and it was into the heat and my first international race of the season. I drew the Olympic Bronze medallist and after a storming first 250m was in front by a length and then just did enough to stay there. There was a 100M burst to finish to cement the win.

I returned to the hotel with the exciting news that we have an addition to the family and I am now an uncle. My sister Eloisa gave birth to a tall and healthy baby girl around 5:30pm aussie time (we are promised it will be like me and switch alliances to NZ when it starts rowing).

This year they have introduced quarter finals for events with 24-36 entries.
In my opinion they are a complete waste of time. It makes the heats meaningless for any crew in about the top 15 and gives no incentive to do well in the heat with the top 4 qualifying and a second race in the afternoon.

So it was off to the Quarter Final and somehow I managed to draw Synek and Karonen making it the toughest Quarter. As we sat in the start blocks spits of rain started, just after we started the heavens opened and we were in the heaviest down poor I have been in, with the rain hurting as it hit. You could barely see and I was trying to stop laughing as was quite amusing.

I got out in front slightly ahead and settled into a comfortable rhythm.
Karonen had other ideas and after 500 took off like a cut cat. There was no reason for concern until the last 500M when he was still a length and a half clear. It was this point I decided it wasn't worth chasing him down and instead save myself for the semi. Then about 400M to go I was making in roads so had a go and came up 0.5Seconds short at the end but got through to the Semi with Karonen (1st) and Synek (3rd).

Today is semi day and I am at least feeling fresher than yesterday. I have once again got the tougher race with Tufte from Norway, Campbell from GB, Hamburger from Nederland's, Fernandez from Argentina and a Cuban I don't know. There are some glimpses of my form starting to come back but this will certainly be a big test.

Most of the other kiwi crews went well yesterday. The 2 Lightweight means singles, the means four and Woman's double won their heats and go through to Semi. The means and woman's pairs both finished second to qualify directly for semi. Both the eights, the means double and Lightweight double went to repechage. The means double won through to the semi, the lightweight double were passed in the last 250m and head for the C final and both eights race today.

Will be back later to give you the results of the semis. Also apologies to those that received the last update multiple times, hopefully we have fixed the problems but if not I will try and make sure this time you only receive it a maximum of twice.

Cheers!

Mahé