Rowing: Another gold for NZ

Nathan Cohen (L) and Joseph Sullivan of New Zealand celebrate their victory in the Men's Double Sculls. Photo / Getty Images

New Zealand have ended the world rowing championships with three gold medals after the men's double sculls combination of Nathan Cohen and Joseph Sullivan stormed to victory at Lake Karapiro near Cambridge today.

The duo hid the fact this was their first year together by rowing a cohesive race, overtaking the Great British pair of Matthew Wells and Marcus Bateman in the final stages before surging away to win by nearly a boatlength.

It had been a two-boat race until the last 250m, but New Zealand were spurred to victory by another bumper crowd on the shores of Lake Karapiro, joining the men's and women's pairs, who won their finals yesterday, as world champions.

France (Cedric Berrest and Julien Bahain) were third, six seconds behind the New Zealanders.

An hour earlier, Louise Ayling also produced a powerful finish to claim a silver in the first final on the last day of championships.

Ayling was fourth at the three-quarter mark in the women's lightweight single sculls final, but she leapt past Italian Laura Milani and Brazilian Fabiana Beltrame in the final stages.

The Southlander was unwanted by the national selectors for World Cup regattas in Europe this year, but put her head down in training and was eventually selected as New Zealand's representative in the women's lightweight single sculls at Lake Karapiro.

She more than justified that selection today, finishing two boatlengths behind the winner, crack German Marie-Louise Draeger. Milani pipped Beltrame for third.

But the young New Zealand men's eight missed out on a medal in the final race of the regatta, finishing fifth - and nearly 5sec obehing winners Germany - despite rowing a strong race.

Great Britain claimed the silver medal and Australia bronze.

New Zealand won 10 medals in total - three gold, three silver and four bronze.


- NZPA