Rowing: Omens good for Americans

The University of Washington rowing eight have history on their side going in to tomorrow's Great Race in Hamilton.

The Americans laid down the gauntlet to their Waikato counterparts after a sizzling performance indoors at SkyCity Casino here last night.

Traditionally, the team who win the ergometer (rowing machine) racing go on to take out the Gallagher Great Race on the Waikato River and the Washington crew, split into fours, triumphed in both fours, led by a world-class performance from their stern section.

"They are a slick outfit," co-organiser Rob Hamill said today.

"But it says a lot about our crew that they were right up there, too, so it's going to be a hell of a race tomorrow."

The Washington stern four clocked a time of two minutes 4.8 seconds over the simulated 750m course, 1.5sec faster than the Waikato stern four.

They even pipped the highly rated Australian men's stern four, including rowing legend Drew Ginn, by 0.1sec.

In the race between the two university bow fours the Americans triumphed again but by just 0.5sec in a time of 2min 10.3sec.

Tomorrow's Boathouse Eights also include races between the New Zealand and Australian men's eights and the international-studded Waikato University women's eight and the world champion Australian women's eight.

- nzpa