Rowing: Rowing NZ puts oar in for 2010

Rowing New Zealand yesterday formally lodged its bid to host the 2010 world rowing championships at Lake Karapiro in Waikato but will face stiff competition from rivals in Australia and Slovenia.

RNZ chief executive Craig Ross said bids for Lake Bled in Slovenia and Sydney's Olympic rowing course were tough competition but "it's our turn".

"New Zealand rowing has never been in a stronger position," he said, referring to New Zealand's recent success at last year's world championships in Gifu, Japan.

New Zealand crews picked up four gold medals, and Ross said New Zealand was the most successful rowing nation in the International Rowing Federation (Fisa) in 2005.

The pile of required documents for the official bid were emailed to Fisa in Switzerland yesterday.

Ross said that if the bid were successful, the world championships would attract up to 1500 athletes and management from 50-60 countries, 300-400 accredited journalists, and up to 20,000 international visitors.

In the next seven months RNZ will have to prove that Lake Karapiro offers a fair rowing course and that Hamilton can provide suitable accommodation and transport links to the race venue for the athletes.

Lake Karapiro has history behind it, having previously hosted the world rowing championships.

"The 1978 world champs are regarded by many in the international rowing community as the best ever held," Ross said.

"We think our bid stacks up pretty well."

Funding for the championships would be an obstacle but Ross said RNZ received a "significant boost" from Mighty River Power earlier this week.

"[They] agreed to increase sponsorship to RNZ in support of our world championship bid, and we're now confident we can put together another world-class event."

He estimated it would cost between $5 million and $6 million to host the event, not including changes or additions suggested by Fisa to strengthen the bid.

New Zealand rowing elder statesman and bid patron Don Rowlands said Lake Karapiro offered athletes a world class rowing course, as good as anywhere else in the world.

Rowlands was the mastermind behind the 1978 championships.

He said the Europeans would need some convincing to spend the extra money needed to travel so far from home.

A Fisa delegation will visit Lake Karapiro in March, then a New Zealand delegation will present the bid to Fisa in Munich in May.

The Fisa council will make their recommendation to the Fisa congress just after the world championships in Eton, England, in August this year.

- NZPA