Both parties have discussed the matter but compromise was limited.
Twigg argued the flexibility of single sculling meant she could train around study commitments. RNZ were not convinced, suggesting she defer entry until the year after the Olympics when they would be prepared to offer a sabbatical similar to Mahe Drysdale's after London. Twigg declined that offer.
The governing body argued 2015, Olympic qualifying year, was too important to have someone training away from the team. They were also concerned it would create an awkward precedent, especially with no shortage of athletes, such as double sculling world champions Fiona Bourke and Zoe Stevenson, capable of staking their own claim to the boat. Nine single sculling spots can be qualified at the 2015 world championships in France.
"Emma's got every right to do this but we don't see it as the best timing," RNZ chief executive Simon Peterson said. "We've offered Emma access to her coach Gary Hay and physiologist Dan Plews, but it's not like being monitored against other athletes every day."
Twigg knew the chances of her plan being accepted were limited as she embarks on a journey which, at best, will see her a pioneer or, at worst, a martyr.
"I respect the decision. They have a centralised programme that's working but it's frustrating because I've produced numerous medals and am trying to further myself academically. There doesn't seem to be a wider view of asking, 'how can we get you to Rio in the right physical and mental shape?'
"It's a risk for me, but an exciting one. I'll always have access to my boat, my bike, an erg[ometer] and the gym, just like athletes the world over who train either side of jobs or study. There will be no lack of motivation to get out of bed at 5.30am.
"Even an Olympic champion like Mahe had to work to get his sabbatical, but he took a complete break. I don't intend doing that. I'm not even taking a full month off [after the world championships].
"I put forward a proposal for my ideal scenario with funding and goals that could be set but, as it stands, I'll be re-entering the summer squad in late 2015."
In 2013, Twigg was coaxed back into the single after making some training tradeoffs, such as more cycling and high-intensity work to create variety in her regime.
She hopes her training data will provide RNZ with a compelling reason to select her to qualify the Olympic boat at next year's worlds.
The more realistic option is that someone else will qualify the boat before trialling against Twigg the following March in a re-enactment of the 2008 Drysdale-Rob Waddell duel before the Beijing Games.
Twigg doesn't want to contemplate the worst-case scenario.
"If no one qualified the seat, that'd be crazy. Going to the 'regatta of death' [the last qualifying option before the Olympics] should be unnecessary."
School sports
Other New Zealand rowers of the last generation selected for elite study courses:
George Bridgewater
Went to Oxford University to study for an MBA after earning bronze in the men's pair at the 2008 Olympics. Was part of the 2009 crew who won the Boat Race. Worked as an equity trader in Hong Kong and Singapore for five years but has returned home in an attempt to qualify for Rio.
Storm Uru
Awarded a Woolf Fisher Scholarship valued at $100,000 to pursue an MBA at Oxford this year. The London Olympics lightweight double sculls bronze medallist was bowman in this year's victorious eight. Works under the Bridgewater mantra: "Don't sleep during the term, there's always the holidays."
Sam O'Connor
After finishing his engineering degree at Harvard, the 26-year-old is completing his masters at Oxford. Featured in the winning Boat Race eight of the past two years. Uru said he invited their crew to his college, Christ Church, to show off the location which doubled as Hogwarts in the Harry Potter films.
James O'Connor
Like his brother, the 24-year-old competed for Harvard and, before that, New Zealand at the junior world championships where he was part of the eight who took silver in 2008. The psychology student also helped his Ivy League university win the eights at the Head of the Charles regatta.
