Rowing: Mahe Drysdale feared Dick Tonks split could happen

Mahe Drysdale. Photo / File

Mahe Drysdale feared the split between Dick Tonks and Rowing New Zealand would occur, but never believed so soon before the Rio Olympics.

The 2012 Olympic gold medallist has a long working relationship with Tonks and said the five-time gold medal winning coach always had the potential to eventually end his fractured relationship with Rowing New Zealand.

However, Drysdale didn't expect the two sides to come to loggerheads just eight months away from the 37 year-old's likely final chance for another gold medal. The impasse happened after Rowing NZ questioned Tonks' involvement with a Chinese crew on Lake Karapiro, the same waters used by the New Zealand squad.

"It's a big blow," Drysdale told Newstalk ZB. "I've worked with him for nine out of the past 11 years. Yes, I could still win gold if it doesn't work out and I don't have Dick as my coach, but there's a big risk involved."

Drysdale is hoping he won't have to take that risk, with negotiations expected to see a resolution to the issue which will see Tonks continue coaching Drysdale and the women's double without working for Rowing New Zealand.

The two camps have been in mediation since the argument became public on Tuesday night when Tonks said he was "finished" with Rowing NZ.

"I think we've got a good chance at sorting this out," Drysdale said. "It's a pretty unique situation. I think Rowing New Zealand realise that and they want to resolve this in the best interests of the women's double and myself."

Rowing NZ chief executive Simon Peterson said there was plenty of detail to work through before a resolution could be found, including wages and logistics for a coach outside the national programme.

"There is an enormous amount of detail to work through," Peterson said. "If someone is working outside your programme, how does that work when you get to Europe? Who's covering transportation, whose covering logistics? When you get to the Rio Olympics, how is that all covered? Does it affect the 72 other people who are on the campaign to have someone come in and coach three athletes from the outside? The other five coaches in our programme, who have done a superb job and who have medalled this year at world championships, are looking at us very closely on this one.

"I don't want to put a timeline on it but we will be looking at the detail on Monday and whether it takes into Tuesday or not... I will sit down with Mahe any time of the day or night to make this work for him."

Drysdale is optimistic of a positive outcome.

"We're still filing the proposal and they want details of how everything's going to work, so that's eight months of planning and we've got to come up with solutions which work for all parties," he said. "The ideal situation is to not have to find a way around it, to continue that relationship and keep working together.

"That's the goal here - we can get to Rio and everyone can walk away with their heads held high."