N.Z. eight prepares

Press, 15 July 1982, Page 32

N.Z. eight prepares

One further small change has been made to the boating order of the New Zealand rowing eight which will this week attempt to race over the 2000 m Lake Karapiro course in smin 45s or better. The edach, Mr Harry Mahon, has shifted Wairau’s Tony Brook, one of the neatest oarsmen in the boat, back into the bow-seat while Avon’s Les O'Connell has. . moved into the N 0.3 seat so as his "raw power” can be used more effectively. The New Zealand elite eight, which will compete in the world championships at Lucerne, Switzerland, late next month has only two weeks left in a 10-week training programme. Already the “big boat” has rowed the 2000 m at Karapiro under 6min on three occasions, all at a little less than racing pace. Barry Mabbott, the spare man for. the eight, has borrowed the boat which the West German, Peter-Michael Kolbe, used to win his gold' medal at Karapiro during the 1978 ’world champion- . ships. He will attempt to better 7min 15s and- force his. way into the men’s single sculls for the world championships. -> Meanwhile, the New Zea- . land Amateur Rowing Association is still about $50,000 short of its $lOO,OOO r target to send the team to I Lucerne- and the $5O raffle ticket sponsorships are still | desperately needed. ,