KEY POINTS:
Right now, world champion single sculler Mahe Drysdale is probably not the only prospective Olympics competitor somewhat irked by unexpected competition. The eight riders on the shortlist for the three-day event at Beijing are also looking over their shoulders. The potential destroyer of their Olympic dream is Mark Todd, the winner of back-to-back gold medals at the 1984 and 1988 games, who retired eight years ago and has yet to compete as a combination with his new horse.
For Drysdale, there is the equally daunting prospect of confronting Rob Waddell, a two-time world champion and the winner of gold at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, who has only recently returned to sculling.
It is easy to understand the frustrations of these aspiring Olympians. They have laboured hard to reach this point and can hardly help but look askance at the two johnny-come-latelies. Some will have to redouble their efforts, and some will have to map out new training regimes. All, however, must bite the bullet and recognise that this added competition is good if it means New Zealand will send its strongest possible team to the Olympics.
The issue has crystallised around Drysdale. He could hardly have done more to book a seat for Beijing. The Olympics were to set the seal on his triumphant progress through the last three world championships. He has made clear the importance of winning a gold medal, saying "that will mean everything to me". That sentiment clearly underpinned his criticism this week of rowing administrators for failing to clarify the selection process for the Games.
Drysdale fears the need to stave off the challenge of Waddell for the one single-sculls berth at Beijing, apparently at a best-of-three-races showdown in March, could throw both his and his rival's season into turmoil. His original training programme envisioned a gradual build-up to the Olympics. Now, he will have to peak in a couple of months and then again in August. "If I got the spot and I finished with a silver medal, it's something I could never forgive New Zealand Rowing for because that [trialling with Waddell] is the obvious thing I would look at," he said.
The hands of rowing's administrator are, however, largely tied. The chance to give Drysdale the berth by default, based on his outstanding record, and to direct his rival into another crew, evaporated when Waddell beat him by two lengths at a pre-season regatta in mid-December. This confirmed not only that Waddell was back as a powerful force after two America's Cup campaigns as a grinder, but also that New Zealand possessed probably the world's two best single scullers. A further gauge of the two men's progress will be available this weekend when they compete at the Cambridge Town Cup regatta on Lake Karapiro. Drysdale, in particular, is under unwanted and, in his eyes, unwarranted pressure.
In some ways, it seems unfair that New Zealand is even in this position. Athletics and swimming allow countries to field more than one representative at the Olympics. Rowing pays no such due to the strength of a particular nation, even though it could be argued that single sculling, at least, is an individual pursuit. In that way it is no different to swimming and running.
Be that as it may, this is not a situation that should be regarded as totally negative. The struggle between Drysdale and Waddell and the fact that New Zealand has qualified seven boats for Beijing signify the excellent health of rowing. Other nations can only envy New Zealand's single-sculling depth.
Drysdale must accept wholeheartedly the challenge of the man who was once a powerful inspiration. Stand by for a battle royal.
