19-year-old Zoe McBride from Dunedin tonight backed up her world under 23 title of last year by repeating it, winning the lightweight double scull crown with Jackie Kiddle in Bulgaria.

Mahe Drysdale has his second wind. For his supporters, the performances at Lucerne to win last week's World Cup were inspirational; for his competitors, they must have been demoralising.

New Zealand rowers have their first shot at Olympic qualification next month - and things are looking bright.

The steps towards world domination continue for Rowing New Zealand.

Rowers Grace Prendergast and Kerri Gowler picked up New Zealand's first medal in the Olympic class boats at the World Cup in Lucerne and the pair are eager to push further.

For taxpayers who value sporting pride as much as business profit, Rowing New Zealand's achievements in the past decade have delivered a spectacular return on investment.

Issues with sewage, garbage and algae contamination have plagued Rio de Janeiro's waterways and will be an added challenge for Kiwi athletes.

The New Zealanders collected six medals at the Varese regatta in Italy early yesterday, including four gold, and that without the golden bankers.

The New Zealand rowing team have had a superb outing at the World Cup event in Italy, with another golden haul of medals.

Zoe Stevenson is in a club of three at this weekend's World Cup regatta in Italy.

George Bridgewater has completed the maiden step towards the Olympics with selection in this season's national quadruple sculls crew alongside John Storey, Jade Uru and Karl Manson.

Other eights have tried, but come up short; this time with extra funding in place, Rowing New Zealand, tied in with their ambition to be present on the start line in Rio next year in all 14 disciplines, are adopting a no-stone-unturned approach.

New Zealand's youthful men's rowing eight will have an early test of their potential in Seattle next week.

The significance of the O'Connors' success is not so much in their victory. The pair exemplify how education and sport can still intertwine.

A St Bede’s Board of Trustees member has quit in the wake of a rowing controversy involving two pupils.

Two fathers who took legal action their sons were barred from a national rowing competition have dropped the case.

Christchurch school St Bede's says it has hired Brendon McCullum's lawyer and will support students and staff in the wake of the airport carousel ride fiasco.

Two high school rowers whose parents sought an injunction against their school to allow them to compete in the Maadi Cup regatta have missed out on national trials.

The St Bede's College rowing row will be settled out of court, one of the boy's parents said today.