Australia betters New Zealand in rowing clash

Australia’s Gold Coast skyscrapers formed the backdrop for an eights race between some of the best New Zealand rowers against a similar Australian line-up. In a publicity enhanced race format, the two crews raced on the urban waterways of the tourist resort of Surfers Paradise in the Trans-Tasman Challenge.

Racing on the winding Nerang River course, the two eights went head-to-head for 2000m. New Zealand had to work back from an early deficit and then the two crews played cat and mouse with the leading advantage changing depending on the curves of the river.

As a helicopter buzzed overhead recording race footage for television audiences, the Australians crossed the line just a canvas ahead of New Zealand. The final time difference was just 0.45 of a second.

This is the first year of the Trans-Tasman Challenge which has been added to the schedule of the annual Griffith University Paradise Regatta. Olympic gold medallist and Australian crew member, Duncan Free said afterwards that he hoped the race would become an annual event.

The Australian crew also included the Beijing Olympic silver medal four of Francis Hegerty, Cameron McKenzie-McHarg, James Marburg and Matt Ryan. The line-up was rounded off with Beijing Olympian Sam Conrad plus 2009 world silver medallists from the quad, Nick Hudson and Jared Bidwell. Olympian Michael Toon coxed the crew.

New Zealand’s crew was coxed by under-23 World Champion Matt Cameron and stroked by 2009 World Champion in the pair Hamish Bond. Under-23 World Champions for 2009, Tobias Wehr-Candler, Tyson Williams, Jade Uru, Hamish Burson and Simon Watson filled out the body of the boat. The crew also featured the comeback of 2008 Olympic bronze medallist Nathan Twaddle and 2009 World Champion in the single, Mahe Drysdale.

Drysdale will continue on his sweep rowing ways with his next engagement being at Boston’s Head of the Charles this coming weekend where he will be racing in the championship eights race as a member of the Great8. Drysdale is World Rowing’s Athlete in Focus for October.

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