Lightweight coach full of enthusiasm

Press, 17 March 1987, Page 52

Lightweight coach full of enthusiasm

By

TIM DUNBAR

After coaching the New Zealand lightweight four to a place in the final at the world rowing championships in Nottingham last year Avon’s Doug Burrowes is enthusiastic about taking charge of an eight-oared crew. The first New Zealand lightweight eight ever boated is having a week’s training at Kerrs Reach, Christchurch, before crossing the Tasman for the Australian championships at Lake Barrington, Tasmania, from April 1 to 4.

“I’ve always had a bit of a passion for eights; they offer a challenge,” said Mr Burrowes. The crew will have little time to strike up a racing combination, but it is important it performs well with the possibility of New Zealand sending an eight to the world lightweight championships in

Montreal next year. “That’s certainly the carrot,” Mr Burrowes said.

Making up the stern four in the eight are the members of the Waikato crew which won the New Zealand championship lightweight coxless fours title at Lake Ruataniwha 11 days ago. Two of those rowers, Simon Koller and Martin Eade, along with Avon’s Gary Hay were in the New Zealand lightweight four which made the final at Nottingham after finishing fourth in the Edin-' burgh Commonwealth Games.

Mr Burrowes has previously coached most other members of the eight and is confident they know what is required at the international level. He said that miracles could not be achieved in a fortnight and the New Zealand crew would be rowing in a borrowed

boat but he received assurances from Australia last evening that it would be of a good standard. The eight had “a couple of encouraging rows” on Sunday and while it did not fare so well yesterday Mr Burrowes is by no means alarmed. "I feel the material is there to produce some sort of result over there,” he said.

The New Zealand eight, which is taking its own blades to Tasmania, will compete as the Waikiri club at the Australian nationals. The rules preclude it rowing in national colours.

The crew assembled in Christchurch last Friday and will leave for Tasmania on Saturday. Mr Burrowes is looking forward to evaluating the course at Lake Barrington, designated as the venue for the 1990 world championships.