Twins Dominate New Zealand Nationals

The Evers-Swindell twins of New Zealand racing in the double sculls at Athens 2004

The wave of Olympic success for New Zealand Rowing paid off in a strong showing by Olympians at the New Zealand National Championships at Lake Ruataniwha in the middle of New Zealand’s South Island.

New Zealand qualified five boats for the Athens Olympics and in one of their most successful Olympics ever for New Zealand, all five boats made it to the final with Caroline and Georgina Evers-Swindell leading the way by winning gold in the women’s double. Last week at their home country nationals the Evers-Swindell twins demonstrated their Olympic class by joining with team mates from the Hamilton Rowing Club to achieve a clean sweep of all six of the women premier events at the Championships.

Georgina and Caroline entered five events each and in the space of five hours managed to completely dominate all other New Zealand club crews. This was even more impressive as the threat of high winds caused organisers to condense the timetable so that sometimes there was only 40 minutes between some of the twins’ 2,000 metre races.

New Zealand’s head coach Dick Tonks said that at times the racing schedule was so tight that Caroline and Georgina had to be driven back to the start line to make it in time for their next race.

The most impressive win came in the women’s pair when the Evers-Swindells beat Olympic finalists Nicky Coles and Juliette Haigh in an event that the twins had not competed in for five years.

The Evers-Swindells recently won New Zealand’s top sports award for team of the year while coach Tonks picked up the coach of the year honour. The twins are currently working towards the 2005 World Rowing Championships in August in Japan where they hope to make a step towards beating New Zealand’s record of four world titles for an individual.

In the men’s premier single Mahe Drysdale, who competed in Athens finishing fifth in the four, won over 19-year-old Nathan Cohen. Drysdale was pushed by two-time junior silver medalist, Cohen who will move on this season to under-23 status. Drysdale aims to make his mark internationally in the single.

At the end of the championships results were used by selectors to invite athletes to national team trials. Of the five crews that raced at Athens last year only one member is not continuing on this season. Women’s single sculler Sonia Waddell, who finished fifth at Athens, is currently pregnant with her second child.

New Zealand trials will determine athletes for the World Rowing Championship crew as well as the under 23 squad and the trials begin March 12th continuing for a week of racing to a prognostic standard.

For a full list of results please visit: www.rowingnz.com

The World Rowing team values feedback.