Rowing: Drysdale renews rivalry with single minded scullers

Mahe Drysdale rekindles his rivalry with Olympic champion Olaf Tufte when New Zealand contest rowing's World Cup circuit for the first time this season in Germany.

While a post-Olympic year is generally one of transition as athletes retire or reassess their goals, there is a familiar look to the men's single sculls line-up for the Cup's second regatta at the Olympic course in Munich starting late Friday (NZT).

An ill Drysdale's bronze medal row - and subsequent collapse - at Shunyi last August was one of the enduring images of the Games.

Ten months on, he returns to international rowing for the first time having seen off the challenge of Rob Waddell in a one-off selection trial at Lake Karapiro in March.

With Waddell no longer a threat Drysdale's attention falls on the Norwegian Tufte - a long-standing rival on the world stage.

Though Drysdale has triumphed at world championship level, Tufte won the biggest race in the four-year cycle in China, the New Zealander's illness thwarting his challenge.

Ondrej Synek of the Czech Republic took the silver; he also lines for the first time this campaign in Munich.

Briton Alan Campbell, winner at the opening Cup regatta in Spain last month, is also a strong contender in a class weakened by the decision of several top scullers to join crews.

Germany's Marcel Hacker will race in a quad while Tim Maeyens (Belgium) and Swiss Andre Vonarburg are switching to a double scull.

New Zealand's Beijing contingent are also branching out in new directions.

Hamish Bond and Eric Murray are the new men's pair, having parted ways with world championship coxless four teammates Carl Meyer and James Dallinger.

The Bond/Murray combination succeed George Bridgewater and Nathan Twaddle, who won bronze in Beijing.

There is also a new look to the women's coxless pair where Rebecca Scown and Emma Featherly replace the retired Nicky Coles and Juliette Haigh, who is on her OE.

Matthew Trott is reunited with Nathan Cohen in the men's double, the crew Waddell muscled into last year at Trott's expense.

The 22-strong squad also features a new combination in the women's double - Paula Twining and Anna Reymer fill the void left by Olympic champions Caroline and Georgina Evers-Swindell.

The twins' absence will be keenly felt and leaves Drysdale and lightweight single sculls world champion Duncan Grant as the major medal hopes in the tour that culminates with the world champs in Poznan, Poland, in late August.

Reymer admitted the Evers-Swindells were a hard act to follow, but she was determined to make an impact.

"We want to be making A finals and medalling if we can," she said.

"This is the year where crews go out and stamp their mark on the world. We don't want to be left behind in that first year of the four-year cycle (to the London Olympics)."

Despite losing some quality athletes, Rowing New Zealand head coach Dick Tonks was satisfied with the squad's progress.

"All the crews are quite competitive. They're all working together, every one knows they have a good chance of doing well," he said.

"Some big names have gone but there's still a phenomenal amount of talent there, the young ones coming up seem to fit in," Trott added.

"It's like a cog - it just keeps going round and round."

- NZPA