Rowing: Evers-Swindell twins split in World Cup

Champion sculling twins Caroline and Georgina Evers-Swindell will be taking on some of the world's best at the World Cup rowing regatta in Munich over the weekend, but they will be racing individually.

The Olympic Games gold medallists will compete against each other and the likes of favourites Ekaterina Karsten (Belarus) and Mirka Knapkova (Czech Republic) in the single sculls which has attracted 20 entries.

Karsten and Knapkova went one-two in the first World Cup of the 2005 series at Eton, England, three weeks ago.

While best known for their combination in a double, the 26-year-old New Zealand sisters also have credentials as single scullers. Caroline has won the national title four times and her sister once. Georgina is the women's world indoor champion.

Rowing New Zealand chief executive Craig Ross said it was a matter of preference for the twins and they would be racing in the double again in the cup series at Lucerne.

The New Zealand team in Munich include the coxless pair of Nathan Twaddle and George Bridgewater, who finished fourth at the Athens Olympics, and a coxless four of Carl Meyer, Eric Murray, Donald Leach and Steven Cottle. Mahe Drysdale will compete in single sculls.

Women's pair of Nicky Coles and Juliette Haigh will also compete in Munich.

A total of 551 rowers (396 men and 155 women) from 36 countries will compete in this second cup series and racing starts tonight.

- NZPA