KEY POINTS:
Forget Marcel Hacker. The man who could create the most problems for world champion single sculler Mahe Drysdale in future might well be one of his own.
In last year's thrilling world final at Eton, the German pushed Drysdale to within an inch of his title. On Lake Karapiro, every day, 21-year-old Nathan Cohen gives Drysdale a similar hurry up.
The two are destined to meet in the final of the single sculls at the national champs on Saturday. Drysdale, fresh from his Halberg Awards triumph on Thursday night, will start raging hot favourite, but...
"It's definitely a big ask," Southlander Cohen says. "Maybe if he has an off day.
"I've got a lot of respect for Mahe being the world champion and world record holder, but anything can happen on the day."
As it turns out, every day is like a national champs. At least that's the way Cohen approaches it. It almost sounds as if he is desperate for respect from his senior colleague. By all accounts he's got it, with Drysdale describing him as a "hard bugger who never gives up".
"I like to think that I give him a bit of a hurry up in training," Cohen says. "Every day I go out there and try to beat him."
He medalled at the world under-23 champs last year and, although he can race another couple of years at that level, Cohen already wants to make a jump up to the big boys.
"The goal is definitely to get to senior world champs. You've got to aim high," he says. "You want to move up a notch each year and if I get to senior world champs that gives me a foot in the door for Beijing [2008]."
Beijing would just be a stepping stone as well. Cohen wants to be "right up there with the best" at London 2012.
Cohen grew up in Invercargill and started in the squad with another of New Zealand rowing's great hopes for the future, Storm Uru.
In his seventh-form year, when he was selected for a tilt at the world juniors, Cohen decided rowing was going to be "it", and has happily let it take over his life.
As well as Drysdale and Cohen, expect a big impression from Wairau sculler Joseph Sutherland. If there's a tailwind the lightweights, Uru and Duncan Grant, will be in the mix too.
In other news, the Evers-Swindell twins Georgina and Caroline will revert to their Olympic gold medal-winning positioning in the boat, with Caroline in the stroke seat and Georgina in the bow.
Last year they changed but managed only a disappointing third at the world championships.
- HERALD ON SUNDAY
