Lindstrom’s career drawing to a close

Press, 25 March 1980, Page 30

Lindstrom’s career drawing to a close

Failure to make the New Zealand rowing team for the Moscow Olympics has inevitably brought an end to the international career of the dedicated Avon man, David Lindstrom. Lindstrom, now 31, has been a fairly regular member of national crews since 1972, when he made the coxed four which came sixth at the Munich Olympics. His most notable achivements have been a silver medal in the coxless fours at the 1977 world championships (Amsterdam) and a bronze in the eights at the 1978 regatta (Lake Karapiro). The Avon oarsman said yesterday that last week’s intensive national trials at

Wanganui represented his “last sort of fling for overseas rowing.” His intention was to be picked for the eight — “I would have loved to have made No. 2 seat” —- and lie made it known to the selectors that he was not prepared to be in a crew that would be scraping to make the final. “I couldn’t train all that time just to get sixth,” said Lindstrom, in reference to his placing at Munich. In Lindstrom’s opinion he had a reasonable trial, but! the convener of the national selectors (Mr Fred Strachan) said: “Other chaps rowed better and impressed more. Dave’s had a good innings.”

Nevertheless, a very strong crew has been picked for Moscow. “It’s a boomer of an eight,” said the man who could not quite get back into the big boat. “If this one can’t win it’ll be a long rime before we do again.” Lindstrom said that the “straight” four at Amsterdam was “by far the most experienced and solid (New Zealand) crew” he had rowed in. “It was a good four at Montreal Olympics (placed fourth), too, and we could have got the silver if things had gone right,” he said. His rejection from the national team, after making the short list of trialists, disappointed Lindstrom, but there was plenty of reason for satisfac-

tion in the Avon eight’s victory on Saturday. The crew of Duncan Holland (stroke), Tony Brook, David Lindstrom, Mark Meates, Ross Lindstrom. George Keys, Mark

Gebbie, and Steve Donaldson benefited from a crab caught by Waikato and won quite convincingly. But Lindstrom believes Avon would have won by half a length anyway. This win represented Lindstrom’s ninth. “red coat” national title — a total exceeded only by 12 ethers (almost all inactive now), notably Wybo Veldman (21), and Murray Watkinson (19). Lindstrom has now won four eights titles — two with Whakatane (1970 and 1971) and two with Avon (1976 and 1980) — and the only New Zealand oarsmen to beat this tally were the Ashby brothers, Kerrv and Murray, who had five victories with the powerful West End club

between 1949 and 1963. Winning a red coat is a familiar feeling for Lindstrom; not so for two other members of the Avon eight, Gebbie and Meates. It was the first red coat for the two Marks, Gebbie’s one after years of trying and several “last seasons.” Lindstrom is “playing it by ear” as regards the next club season.

It seems, though, that he might appear at Lake Karapiro for the 1981 nationals in a quadruple sculling boat. His old club-mate, Ivan Sutherland (now doing great things with Wairau), is also thinking about sculling when he returns from the Olympics. He has made No. 7 seat in the eight.