N.Z. GIRLS ROW GOOD RACE

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33626, 30 August 1974, Page 10

N.Z. GIRLS ROW GOOD RACE

(From JOHN GASPARICH) LUCERNE.

The New Zealand women started the world rowing championships with a third place in their heat of the coxed fours.

They were rowing a new boat competitively for the first time and Marion Horwell (stroke), Elizabeth Cato, Robin Matheson, Lesley Keys and the cox, Vicki Colville, can feel happy with their effort. The winner of the heat, East Germany, and the second placed Dutch crew, filled the major platings in the European championships in Moscow last year. Yesterday the Moscow result was reversed with the East Germans beating the Dutch girls by a good length to go straight through to the [final.

When it became obvious that the East Germans and the Dutch girls were going to beat them the New Zealand girls were content to sit back and take their third place.

At the finish the East Germans were 2.69 seconds ahead of the Dutch and the New Zealanders another 5.06 seconds astern.

For the New Zealand crew it was a big improvement on their competitive

outing at the Duissberg regatta and beating such strong opposition as the Russians. Bulgarians and British will give the girls great heart for the repecage heats to be rowed tomorrow. TENTH FASTEST They took tenth fastest time on the day but they will have benefited from the row. and a place in the final from the repecharge heat is quite possible. Yesterday the New Zealand crew lost all their chances at the start. Their practice start was very good, bitt when it came to the real thing they did not get away well.

“We did not get a vengood start.” Miss Horwell said after the race.

“We had no rhythm until | we were 50 to 60 metres out. jWe were fifth at the 500 m mark. This is where we started to move and go through. “The boat was running well near the finish and the crew should do better in the repechage now that our first international race is over.” IDEAL DAY For the first day of the I championships, Lucerne ■turned on a fine day. The air •temperature was up and the I sun was out and on the water there was just a trace of a i following breeze. The rowing ; conditions were ideal.

The big worry before the repecharge heat will be the effect of yesterday's row on Miss Horwell’s injured ankle tendon.

The injury affects the pressure she can exert on her

feet at the end of the stroke. The coach, Mr R. Robertson, has spent a lot of time adjusting the foot piece (stretcher) to try to ease the angle of Miss Horwell’s feel in the boat. Results:—

Heat I.—East Germany, 3:27.76 1; Netherlands. 3:30.45, 2: New Zealand, 3:35.51, 3; Russia 3:36.97, 4; Bulgaria. 3:37.73, 5. Great Britain, 3:39.13. 6

Heat 2.—France (3:30.65, 1. Rumania. 3:31.95, 2; West Ger many, 3:34.95. 3; Netherlands. 3:35.04, 4; U.S.A., 3:46,43, 5.