Rowing: Waddell qualifies for Athens

At least one half of New Zealand rowing's royal couple will compete at next year's Olympic Games after Sonia Waddell won her B final at the world championships last night.

The Waikato single sculler needed a top-three finish to qualify for Athens and it was never in doubt. She powered to the lead from the start of the race at Milan, Italy and pulled away to win by more than seven seconds.

It capped a superb return to top-level rowing for Waddell, after an 18-month absence following the birth of daughter Sophie.

The question now surrounds whether Waddell's husband, men's Olympic single sculls champion Rob Waddell, will race at Athens.

He is still deciding whether to return to rowing after joining Team New Zealand for their unsuccessful America's Cup yachting campaign after the Sydney games.

Sonia Waddell won easily in 7m 30.42s, with her closest rival Spain's Nuria Dominguez Asensio three lengths back.

Olympic qualifying at this regatta only means the country will be represented at Athens, not necessarily the rower.

However, Waddell should face few geniune challengers for a seat in a New Zealand single sculls boat.

Several other New Zealand crews were to race for Olympic qualifying in other B finals overnight.

Despite their unbeaten run so far the Evers-Swindell twins are still weary of their opposition heading into tonight's world championship double sculls final.

As the defending world champions and world record holders, the New Zealanders go into the race as favourites having blitzed their main rivals Germany in Thursday night's semifinal.

By the halfway stage their lead was such they were able to ease off and conserve their energy.

The win secured them a place in the A final and qualified New Zealand a spot in the event in next year's Athens Olympics.

- NZPA