Olympic rower Mahe Drysdale content with start of comeback campaign

Seven-time Olympic gold medallist Mahe Drysdale declares comeback campaign is right on track. Photo / Getty

Olympic champion Mahe Drysdale is back on the waters of competitive rowing as he produced a modest first-up result during the weekends Karapiro Club Regatta.

Following a year-long break since the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, the 39-year-old finished fourth in the single sculls finals, more than nine seconds behind double sculls world champion John Storey.

Earlier in the day Drysdale placed third for his heat, 10 seconds behind Storey.

Drysdale was also beaten by training partners Jordan Parry and Cameron Crampton clocking in at 7:23.28 in the 2000m Karapiro final.

The five-time world champion had immediately announced he would need to lose 7kg to gain speed, as he continues his comeback campaign that he hopes will win him his third Olympic gold medal.

"It was quite exciting going into the race with a bit of the unknown of how I would go after such a big break," he said on Facebook. "I loved being back competing."

"Overall I was very pleased with my progress and I'm probably ahead of where I expected I might be. There is still plenty of work to do, plus another 7kg to shed, but a positive weekend overall and looking forward to some more great battles over the coming weeks in training and regattas."

Just last week Drysdale finished fifth at the Billy Webb Challenge and in November finished 13th at an endurance event in Italy.