Unofficially Thames Rowing Club

So Helen and Lucy were finished today, but we had senior fours left. Nerves gathered. They put everything forward, squishing finals from 15 mins apart to just 10. Luckily we found out in time, so that was okay – weather was still rather bad, though better than yesterday.

We got a great start – easily the best of the week – but somehow everything went slightly pear-shaped after that and we were left chasing down Waikato in 4th place. We went through them, but in the last 500m they overtook us again and beat us by 0.7 seconds. Close racing though. Nelson, West End and Auckland took the medals.

That meant we were all finished by the big showdown of Rob and Mahe. I was supporting Mahe (I think Rob’s had his chance and Mahe’s earned the spot) but he got a horrible start, checking his course as they said attention, so was well down from the first stroke. The spectators were dead silent and all eyes were on the big screen as they came down the course. Rob’s bought himself a black boat (counting chickens?) and was looking comfortable out the front as Mahe battled back through the field (including Nathan Cohen and Joe Sullivan, U23 world champion) to about a length off Rob. But his push wasn’t good enough and actually Nathan looked like he was coming back for silver in the last 500m. Mahe described his race as “abysmal” and it pretty much was. Hopefully he’ll do better next week at trials.

We’re now celebrating Wellington’s three bronze medals – much beer already drunk. Some things don’t change, never mind what side of the world y0u’re on.

- Joanne, signing off from Karapiro.