Rowing: Women rowers miss out on qualifying

LUCERNE - The New Zealand women's eight and double sculls rowing crews have missed out on qualifying for the Olympics.

Georgina and Caroline Evers-Swindell finished third in the final of the European Olympic qualifying regatta at Lucerne, Switzerland, yesterday while the New Zealand eight were fourth.

The crews had to finish in the first two to clinch selection for the Games.

Coach Steve Gunn said the women were terribly disappointed.

"They probably feel like burying their heads in a bucket of cement.

"The Swindell sisters felt they didn't row as well as they could, which was frustrating," he said.

"It probably comes down to experience. The sisters have only been rowing together at this level for the last few months.

"It's a very tense situation when it comes down to Olympic qualifying finals and there are more experienced scullers here."

The Swindell sisters are only 21 and have years of top rowing ahead, but that was of little consolation for them yesterday.

Like the eights, they were highly disappointed they were unable to improve on their position at the world championships last year.

"I feel really sorry for them. They didn't row their best and that's annoying for them," Gunn said.

The New Zealanders were third all the way. They were half-a-second behind the United States at the 1000m mark, and finished 6s behind the Americans, who clocked 7m 12s, a second behind the winners, Romania.

The eights were fourth and last in their qualifying final.

They hung on fairly well, but the other crews got away from them at the end.

The New Zealand men's coxless pair of Steve Westlake and Bryce Mael missed out on their Olympic bid on Wednesday, which leaves just three New Zealand boats for Sydney - the men's and women's single scullers and men's coxless four.

All three boats will compete in the third World Cup regatta at Lucerne this weekend.

- NZPA

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