Rowing: Sonia Waddell closes on Olympic spot

Sonia Waddell is just one win away from rowing at the Sydney 2000 Olympics.

In the first of three scheduled trials to find New Zealand's single sculls representative at Lake Karapiro yesterday, Waddell, rowing in ideal conditions, scored a comfortable win over sisters Caroline and Georgina Evers-Swindell.

The trio will be back on the lake early tomorrow morning. If Waddell wins again she will earn the right to join her world champion husband Rob as New Zealand's single scullers in Sydney. The third race, if needed, will be held on Friday.

Waddell secured New Zealand's quota spot in the Olympic regatta last year but her selection was not guaranteed. In a similar situation four years ago, Richard Newey won New Zealand's place in the single sculls but subsequently lost to Rob Waddell at the national championships handing the ticket to the Atlanta Olympics to Waddell.

If Sonia Waddell does claim the singles spot in Sydney, the Evers-Swindell sisters will still have a chance of making the Olympics in either the pair oar or double sculls when the New Zealand contingent head to Europe on June 17.

At the national championships earlier this month, Sonia Waddell and Nikki Cross beat the sisters in the double sculls but the Canterbury pair had their revenge when they were members of the winning coxless four.