Rowing Four Have Chance

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30562, 3 October 1964, Page 11

Rowing Four Have Chance

"MEW Zealand rowing followers are keenly anticipating the rowing events at Tokyo, especially the eight-oar races. Not since the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles has a New Zealand eights crew been in competition against the world. Since then, in common with many other sports, times have become ever faster. Today times for eights over 2000 metres are under six minutes. The New Zealand crew at the Perth Empire Games recorded smin 54sec in being beaten by a foot by Australia. The Olympic crew has broken the six minute barrier in training. It is considered faster and stronger than the Empire Games crew and has produced more consistently fast times during training.

However, it lacks one vitally important factor—competition in international events. Whether the crew’s morale will be high enough to overcome its nervousness on the water against topranking crews from Germany, Australia and Russia Is anyone’s guess. One thing is certain: it is a crew determined to give its utmost. If the eight lacks competitive experience, the four does not Here is a wellseasoned crew and one of the strongest to leave New Zealand. The crew competed at Henley and has gone from strength to strength. It won at the last New Zealand championship stroking about 40 a minute. The crew won Olympic nomination as number one. It is expected that the four will do well even against strong competition from European countries and America. The final competitor is the sculler, M. P. Watkinson, who has also competed at Henley and the European Games. Unfortunately he has had a major setback: his racing shell arrived in a shattered condition. If he can accustom himself to his new boat he can be expected to put up a very good performance.