After a week of intensive trials in wet conditions at Lake Karapiro, Rowing New Zealand has announced a large team of 18 boats and 55 athletes - including both a men's eight and women's eight - for its attack on the medals at the forthcoming World Rowing Championships, which will, of course, be held on the team's home water between October 31st and November 7th.
The world champion men's pair of Eric Murray and Hamish Bond, the lightweight world champion double scull of Peter Taylor and Storm Uru, the women's pair of Rebecca Scown and Juliette Haigh, the heavyweight double scull of Nathan Cohen and Joseph Sullivan all remain unchanged and the single sculling group of Mahe Drysdale (heavyweight world champion), Duncan Grant (lightweight world champion) and Emma Twigg are joined for the world championships by lightweight single sculler Louise Ayling and adaptive athlete Danny McBride from Tirau, who recorded a personal best this week in trials over the 1,000 metre distance for adaptive athletes. With Anna Reymer out of the running with injury, Fi Paterson is joined by Emma Feathery, who won a bronze medal with Rebecca Scown in the rowing pair in 2009. A women's lightweight double scull of Julia Edward and Lucy Strack will also compete - this crew jumping up to elites after securing an impressive silver in the Under-23 world championships.
Much of the trial has been focussed on deciding the most appropriate boats for the up and coming athletes in the men's and women's squads - who have excelled this year in international sweep oar rowing. Second and fourth for the men's fours in Lucerne and a silver medal for the women's Under 23 group at the Under 23 world championships a fortnight ago gave the selectors a challenge to find the best boats, and after a week of exhausting trials they have opted for a men's four, a men's eight, a women's four and a women's eight. This group includes the very experienced Paula Twining (in the eight) but is otherwise made up entirely of athletes who will form the basis of the New Zealand rowing teams of future seasons.
There is one change to the men's four which finished second in Lucerne, with Sean O'Neill being replaced by Simon Watson, who was one of the top performers in the sweep oar development group but who was unable to travel to Europe for the World Cup season as he was rehabilitating from a hip operation. His recovery and training in New Zealand resulted in a superb series of performances in an exceptionally tightly packed and competitive group.
O'Neill moves to the men's eight, along with Ben Hammond, Ian Seymour, Tyson Williams and Chris Harris from the crew which finished fourth in the four in Lucerne, and they are joined by the impressive spare man from Europe Michael Arms, and two of the crew from the Under 23 coxed four, Tobias Wehr-Candler and Adam Tripp. The cox of the crew for Karapiro is still to be determined.
A women's four has also been announced. This will be made up of Laura Fischer, Harriet Austin, Genevieve Behrent and Robyn Munro, the latter another former spare who excelled in the trials this week.
The men's quad has one change - with Robbie Manson knocking out Paul Gerritsen to line up with Matthew Trott, Olympic bronze medallist Nathan Twaddle and John Storey. After a disappointing season in Europe, the women's quad is entirely new and is another crew of young and up and coming talent, with Sarah Gray, Fiona Bourke, Genevieve Armstrong and Linda Matthews from Star Club in Wellington surprising everyone by jumping up the rankings from Under 23 non-travelling reserve to making a seat in one of the top elite crews.
Completing the team are experienced lightweight athletes Graham Oberlin Brown, a twice world champion in Under 23s, and James Lassche, will race the lightweight pair at Karapiro.
2010 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS TEAM
Women's Single Scull
Women's Double Scull
Women's Coxless Pair
Women's Quad Scull
Women's Coxless Four
Women's Eight
Women's Lightweight Single Scull
Women's Lightweight Double Scull
Reserves
Men's Single Scull
Men's Adaptive Single Scull
Men's Coxless Pair
Men's Double Scull
Men's Lightweight Single Scull
Men's Lightweight Double Scull
Men's Lightweight Coxless Pair
Men's Coxless Four
Men's Quad
Men's Eight
Reserves
Team Manager