Symon wins trial

Press, 9 March 1982, Page 36

Symon wins trial

By

TIM DUNBAR

Don Symon, almost certainly the biggest oarsman in New Zealand,, has won his first national rowing final. The 203 cm Symon is one of six Avon men among a list of 18 oarsmen and two coxswains to attend a national trial for the New Zealand team to contest the world championships at Lucerne, Switzerland, later this year. Symon, who was a double Colts international in rowing and rugby last year, is probably better known for his sculling at national regattas, having won the novice singles in 1980 and the intermediate singles in 1981. But over the last few

months he has been wielding one oar rather than two as a member of the New Zealand Colts eight and now as N0..4 man in the Avon premier eight. The Avon trialists are all members of the coxed four of Steve Donaldson (stroke), Les O’Connell, George Keys, Mark Meates and Andrew Graham (coxswain) which was narrowly beaten by North Shore in the first event on the champion programme. Another feature of the list is the inclusion of Wairau’s Tony Brook, a member of the 1979 New Zealand world championship silver medallist eight, back from a lengthy working holiday in Europe.

Brook was a member of the Wairau coxless four which won a “red Coat” title on Saturday and another crew member, Mark Stallard, also gets a trial. Something of a surprise, though, is the exclusion of the big Ross Lindstrom, a member of the national eight last year. The full list of trialists who will attend a three-day session in Wanganui from March 19 to 21, is: Kevin Lawton, Shane O’Brien, Bruce Holden (West End); Alan Horan, David Rodger, Andrew (“Herb") Stevenson, Chris, White (Waikato); Barry Mabbott. Mike Stanley, Roger White-Parsons (North Shore); Keith Trask (Hawke’s Bay); Brook, Stallard (Wairau); Donaldson. Meates, O’Connell, Keys. Symon (Avon). Coxswains; Richard Palmer (Waikato). Graham (Avon).