Hard labour for silver medal

Press, 29 September 1979, Page 20

Hard labour for silver medal

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TIM DUNBAR

Any man grumbling at !■ taking up the oars of a I dinghy this summer might p spare a thought for the I New Zealand rowing eight ! which won a silver medal in the world championi ships at Bled. i While many people , were thinking about wiri- |! ter sports such as ski-ing, ’ the eight was on the way h to clocking up a colossal II figure of more than 3000 km in training. The new coach, Tom Reid, had access to the ■ 1972 training diary of I Wybo Veldman, seventh man in the great Munich II Olympic gold medalPst eight. And this showed 11 that the 1979 eight had ; certainly done more than li the 1972 crew — if not I more than any previous h national eight. I According to Tony Brook, the Avon man who I filled Veldman’s old seat at Bled, the seemingly invincible East Germans did this sort of mileage and it I had worked well for the I New Zealand crew. All this training boosted I confidence when the crew i. could “cruise along at | three-quarter pressure and it’s (still) easy,” Brook I said. ' New Zealand's silver medal-winning effort at Bled earlier this month was the best by a national eight since Munich and followed a succession of four bronzes at world championships and Olympic Games. This was although only two members survived from the Harry Mahoncoached eight which won j a bronze in last year's

world championships at Lake Karapiro. Among the absentees were such highly, regarded oarsmen as David Lindstrom and Ivan Sutherland (both unavailable) and David Rodger, a regular member of New Zealand eights since 1974. “Maybe we weren’t given a chance with all these guys missing. It was a relatively untried combination,” said Brook, at ■B4kg the lightest member of the crew. A medal certainly did not look too hopeful after New Zealand finished only third in its semi-final, behind Australia and Russia, and especially when the crew went through the 500 m mark in the final more than 4s behind the East Germans and back in fifth place. Contrary to reports received at the time from Yugoslavia the eight had “never planned to come out slower — it just worked that way.” Brook said that the crew’s starts had “gone off a little’! in the previous two days. With 50m to go, Brock said, the eight was still in fourth position. ‘We hadn’t used up a great deal of energy and had been struggling to find that racing beat." The rating was wound up to 41 but it was only in the last 30 strokes that .New Zealand passed the young Russian crew. At the end the Kiwis had “a little bit too much energy left.” even after that dynamic final 500 m. “That's not good, you

should be really hanging in,” Brook said. Next year the New Zealand eight will be striving to win the gold at the Moscow Olympics and end East Germany’s unbelievable string of international successes (1975, 1976. 1977, 1978, 1979). As yet, though, there is little sign of the “Easties” being vulnerable. “It must hava been a hell of an easy win for

the East Germans — no pressure, a length out,” Brook mused. “It would be a different story perhaps if you could put pressure on them.” East Germany seems to have such rowing depth that it can continually change the composition of

its eights and keep on winning. This time there were four new crew members — “all 20-year-olds.” Brook says that the East Germans were all about Bcm taller than his own crew. “They were 6ft sin (1.96 m right through, no up-and-down like New Zealand crews.” There is apparently a great respect between New Zealanders and the East Germans. -“Their

whole eight came down to our pub after the final and drank beer with us all night,” Brook said.

Such camaraderie was not quite so evident with the Russians, who apparently had singlets the New Zealanders coveted. Brook, back on shore after the race, went to swap singlets, only for his Russian to stolidly turn his back, probably upset with getting third. Brook attributed NewZealand’s silver medal to the attitude of both the Crew and the coach.

“There was something about the crew right from the time we started training at Whakatane. The guys in it were incredibly determined and didn’t like being beaten. They knew we were there to do a job” Tom Reid, he said, seemed to mould everyone in the eight together in spite of the different styles and emphasised a smooth, quick catch. Brook, who was once coached by the renowned

Rusty Robertson as a member of the 1975 national colts eight, said that the former Oamaru builder had an incredible personality. -“Tom’s approach was a lot quieter — but effective.”

Mr Reid apparently explained what he wanted and would work quietly on an oarsman’s fault, which could be clearly seen on video afterwards if the crew member was disbelieving. “He wanted a definite result (from his criticism) — he wanted to see a change.” Everything was aimed at getting the crew to flow together with a lively beat.

Mr Reid and the whole crew deserved another chance at Moscow, Brook said, although there would be a lot of pressure for places from those experienced oarsmen who stayed at home this year. “It won’t be easy for them to get back,” he said. “If we had performed poorly it would be a different story.” Last year Brook, who had made an inspired move north to Christchurch from Dunedin about three and a half years ago, competed in the New Zealand coxless four which won the petite final at Karapiro for seventh place in the world. Making the eight for the first time was a much bigger thrill. “If that’s the priority crew more guys like to be in it. You’re conscious of the reputation it’s got of always winning medals and feel you’re m with a chance.” He paid tribute to the

efforts of both the stroke, Grant McAuley, “who sets a tremendous beat,” and the youngster in the fifth seat, Greg Johnston. “I couldn’t speak more highly of Greg. He’s only 20 but is the equal of Athol Earl in strength and probably a little smoother.”

Brook, a teacher at Linwood Intermediate, is grateful for the support of his headmaster, Wally Wilkinson, a former international rugby league referee and New Zealand bowls representative. “He loves his sport and is a mighty guy.’’ Although criticised down south for moving to Avon, Brook had no regrets about his change of clubs. “I was stagnating, and joining Avon was the only way I could see to get ahead . . . you have to be a little selfish.” While in Christchurch Brook said he “learned what rowing is all about and what really moves a boat” with strokes such as Sam Le Compte and Dave Lindstrom.

With Moscow still 10 months away the 1.89 m Avon man is intent on “trying to bowl those Waikato guys” in the eights at the nationals.

He wants to put on weight and stay out of the club eight until the regatta with the New Zealand and Australian colts at Picton on October 6. “It’s good just not having to row” ♦ — an understandable sentiment after all those training kilometres in New Zealand and Europe.