KEY POINTS:
Former Olympic champion Rob Waddell beat triple world champion Mahe Drysdale again in the Cambridge Town Cup rowing regatta single sculls final at Lake Karapiro today.
However, the winning margin this time was only a second - a significant improvement on the four-second gap between the two in their first encounter in late December.
Drysdale took the early initiative in the 2000m race, moving out from the field with Waddell and lightweight Peter Taylor, who then led at the 1000m with Drysdale a length back and Waddell a further length or so behind.
In the third quarter Drysdale and Waddell moved up a gear and cleared Taylor, with Drysdale holding a slight lead. Increasing his workrate, Waddell drew alongside Drysdale with 500m to go.
With 300m to go Waddell had established clear water, but Drysdale dug deep and fought back, chasing Waddell right to the line in an exciting finish that had the crowd roaring.
In the top women's single sculls event, the Evers-Swindell twins ruled the roost, with Caroline beating Georgina and Emma Twigg a close-up third.
Nathan Twaddle and George Bridgewater won the coxless pairs in the Canterbury championships at Twizel.
They controlled their final from the start and finished ahead of Hamish Bond and Carl Meyer, with Eric Murray and James Dallinger third.
- NZPA
