Rowing: Drysdale confirmed for World Champs

Mahe Drysdale will be looking to add another medal to his tally. Photo / Getty Images.

Three-time world champion Mahe Drysdale was today confirmed as New Zealand's men's single sculler for the upcoming European campaign.

On Monday, Drysdale beat off the challenge of former Olympic champion Rob Waddell in their sole head-to-head race at this week's national trials at Lake Karapiro in the Waikato.

In the women's double scull, the experienced Paula Twining and Anna Reymer have been picked to succeed retired double Olympic champions Caroline and Georgina Evers-Swindell.

In the men's lightweight single, Duncan Grant will race for a third consecutive world title at Poznan, in Poland, in August.

Meanwhile Matthew Trott is re-united with Nathan Cohen in the men's double sculls.

The partnership was broken up and Trott dropped last year when Waddell, having missed out on the single sculls berth for the Beijing Olympics, was selected instead to row with Cohen in the double.

The women's quadruple scull includes former netballer Sarah Barnes, who took up rowing three years ago.

The New Zealand team also have their first adaptive athlete in Christchurch single sculler Robin Tinga.

Adaptive rowing is a category for competitors with physical disabilities.


New Zealand team:-

Men: single scull, Mahe Drysdale; lightweight single scull, Duncan Grant; adaptive single scull, Robin Tinga; double scull, Matthew Trott, Nathan Cohen; lightweight double scull, Storm Uru, Peter Taylor; coxless pair, Eric Murray, Hamish Bond; lightweight four, Todd Petherick, James Lassche, Richard Beaumont, Graham Oberlin-Brown.

Women: single scull, Emma Twigg; coxless pair, Rebecca Scown, Emma Feathery; double scull, Paula Twining, Anna Reymer; quadruple scull, Harriet Austin, Sarah Barnes, Louise Trappitt, Genevieve Armstrong.

Under-23 team to race in the world championships at Racice, Czech Republic, in July:-

Men: coxless four, Simon Watson, Hamish Burson, Tyson Williams, Jade Uru; coxed four, David Eade, Ian Seymour, Tobias Wehr-Chandler, John Storey; double scull, Joseph Sullivan, Rob Manson.

Women: quadruple scull, Lucy Spoors, Odette Sceats, Alyce Pulford, Leah Stanley; coxless four, Kate Reymer, Jess Loe, Ali Burnside, Regan Barkla; lightweight double scull, Julia Trevetter, Louise Ayling.

- NZPA