Glint of gold for N.Z. rowing eight

Press, 26 August 1982, Page 38

Glint of gold for N.Z. rowing eight

NZPA Lucerne, Switzerland David Rodger, the most experienced member of the 1982 New- Zealand rowing eight, has the glint of gold in his eyes for the first time in six years. “For the first time since the 1976 Montreal Games, I really feel we are within striking distance of the gold medal,” said the Waikato rower yesterday after the Kiwi eight had demolished a strong heat field at the world rowing championships on Lucerne’s Rotsee course. Rodger’s participation in national eights dates back to 1974 when, also at Lucerne, he won the first of his five world medals (four bronze and one silver). > ; • ; if

“I fell from 1974 through to 1976 that we could win gold, but since Montreal it’s always seemed rather a struggle. Now I’ve got the gold feeling back,” he said yesterday. - The New Zealand eight did manage a bronze at Karapito in 1978 and a silver at Bled the following year but they were fairly convincingly outclassed by the allconquering East German crews. The performance reached a low at Munich last year when the eight, for which Rodger stroked, failed to carry New Zealand into the final six for the first time in a decade,. The superb display by the eight yesterday in winning

their way directly to Sunday’s final has ensured that their first bridge has been crossed: “We set out to make the final but now we have the chance of a big bonus,” Rodger said. The Waikato veteran, who has given up the stroke seat to Mike Stanley and is now in the No. 6 seat, said that the 1982 crew was undoubtedly more compatible than its immediate predecessor, “We are a lot happier together and seem to be able to discuss things a lot more.” For the Avon newcomers, George Keys and Les "’Connell, along with the 18-year-old North Shore cox, Andrew Hay, - yesterday’s stunning

victory was a memorable introduction to top-flight rowing. The New Zealanders carried out a pre-race plan to perfection as they suddenly surged clear of a compact set of crewes near the 1000 metre point. Within 20 to 30 strokes, they had threequarters of a length on the reigning world champions, the Soviet Union, and France and Czechoslovakia also found they could not match the New Zealanders. The Kiwis powered away to Win by almost three boat lengths in a time of five minutes 44.53 seconds—over seven seconds clear of the Soviet eight who narrowly nudged out France. Rodger said: “We all felt - v. .

very relaxed and the more relaxed we are, the faster we can make the boat go. The win certainly felt very convincing out on the water.” East Germany was the other crew to go direct to the final, and the way it dominated its heat served as a warning to the New Zealanders that the final will be nothing less then the toughest of battles. The young East Germans recorded a marginally quicker 5:44.18, with West Germany also impressing as it came home less then two seconds behind}. Rodger said it was now important for New Zealand’s chances that, the eight kept

their feet firmly planted on the ground; “Harry Mahon (the coach) has got to work us solidly to remind us that the final certainly won’t be so easy. “There doesn’t seem to be anything drastically .wrong but we’ve got to consolidate our race plan and try to settle a bit earlier,” he said. New Zealand interest today will centre on the North Shore novice sculler, Barry Mabbott, who competes in a repechage of the single sculls after finishing fourth in his heat yesterday. The 7:27.12 time recorded by Mabbott, the reserve for the eight, indicates that he should be able to move through the repechages into tomorrow’s semi-finals.