WOMEN ROWERS TO TOUR

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33539, 21 May 1974, Page 26

WOMEN ROWERS TO TOUR

The national women’s coxed four will be allowed to compete in the world rowing championships at Lucerne in September. The emergency committee of the Rowing Association council last evening approved the recommendation by the national selectors that the crew should tour Europe.

The decision means that Misses M. Horwell and R. Matheson (Porirua) and Misses E. Cato and L. Keys (Auckland) form the first female crew to be sent overseas by the association. Previously women rowers have competed overseas privately, or by sanction of the national women’s association.

The convener, Mr F. Strachan (Christchurch), said the selectors considered that the Crew could reach the Olympic Association’s standard and it would have a good chance of reaching the semifinal or final at the world championships. “We made our decision on the basis of rowing — not on the basis of gender,” he said. HARD WORK Mr Strachan said that the crew had worked hard and made the necessary improvement. After a break of five days, the women will begin another eight weeks training at the Reach today and will leave New Zealand on July 20 with the eight-oared crew, the coxless four, and the quadruple sculling combination.

The coxed four will also have a new coxswain. The selectors will be calling for nominations within the next few days — but at this stage they are uncertain whether the coxswain should be male or female.

During the preliminary training, the women were coxed by the coxswain of the New Zealand eight, D. Simmons (Christchurch). But Simmons is above the maximum weight of 71 Stone for a women’s crew. A ruling is being awaited from the secretary of the international association about whether a male or female coxswain is needed for the women’s events.

The emergency committee also accepted recommendations that an emergency was not needed for the women’s crew and neither was a chaperone. The New Zealand touring party is now boosted to 26 people — 22 rowers, the team manager, Mr W. Wrothall (Auckland), the coaches, Mr R. Robertson and Mr T. R. Reid (Whakatane), and the team doctor, Dr B. Heyward (Christchurch).