Jess Lion, Helen Purdy and I met up in Melbourne and drove 540km (seriously) through the dusty Australian outback (almost) to race at Mildura Easter Regatta with Helen’s clubmates from Melbourne RC. An interesting 750m course with a massive bend in the middle and lane markers to make sure you didn’t cut the corner – Helen and her Melbourne pairs partner unfortunately went to the other extreme and took the scenic route via some paddle steamers.

We raced in the mixed eights – Helen stroking the Melbourne crew and Jess and I stern pair in an eight together with four old gents and two Melbourne girls. The guys were all very sweet but I think I almost gave them heart attacks by rating a tad too high. Ooops. One of them had stroked the Australian VIII that won bronze in the 1956 Melbourne Olympics!

Then I joined one of Helen’s clubmates to race Helen and Jess and another composite in the masters’ doubles – talk about scratch crews! Flirting with the officials failed to give any of us an advantage. I was fortunate enough to be rowing with one of Melbourne’s best scullers and we came around the corner first – Jess and Helen held on for second.

The last event was the women’s open eight, on an extended course. We were racing for $1000 (about £460) and they’d arranged a helicopter to film the race. It was boiling hot and there was no shade and our opposition was very late – prompting some impolite comments from our cox! In fact they were so late the helicopter flew away. But we got a great start and Helen set up a brilliant rhythm and the other crew had no chance. The $1000, pots and champagne were ours!

After racing was over we jumped in the river, and spent the evening celebrating. Jess and I soon learned the Melbourne RC song (tune: Auld Lang Syne; words: “Melbourne, Melbourne, Melbourne …”)

We were a little hungover for the long drive back but by Monday had energy to go and look at the boathouses in Melbourne. All in a row, just like the Embankment. It was great to race with Thames people again, even if we were a long way from London.

- Joanne Harris

The NZ Olympic squad is announced on Friday; I think there’d be general surprise if Rob wasn’t featured somewhere Cohen and Matthew Trott qualified the 2x at the World Champs; Cohen’s seat is probably secure as he was third in the singles at nationals (and pushed on Mahe during the last 250m). Trott may find himself the spare if they decide to do a Waddell/Cohen double.

It’s been a weird few days really with the whole country obsessed by the duel. The Olympic rules have been misunderstood by far too many – all asking “why can’t we send both of them?” Mind you, it makes a refreshing change from the whole country being obsessed by rugby!

- Joanne

Video here

The nice thing is that the Mahe v Rob story is everywhere – front page of the papers, main item on TV news. My boss just walked in and asked if the second race had happened. It’s good to be somewhere where rowing’s valued, even if it’s just because everyone is hoping that NZ has at least one gold medal wrapped up in Beijing!

Afternoon: TV One is going to be streaming the decider live from 9am NZT (8pm GMT) tomorrow – that’s Tuesday here, or Monday evening in the UK. Go to their website for the stream!

- Joanne

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.

Ahead of us though Lucy and Leisha had had a better row and came in second behind Nelson and ahead of Otago Uni. They also raced in the senior eight in a Waikato composite, ending up fourth.

Despite the weather poor Helen still had to race her single, ending up fifth from an outside lane. I quite enjoyed yelling “Go Thames!” again even if she couldn’t hear me.

One last race tomorrow – straight final of the senior (coxless) fours. We were third in the race for lanes, although the draw’s a bit bizarre and we’re in the middle of the pack. Actually a good place, next to the fastest crew, West End. There’s a medal out there with our name on it.

- Joanne

The big news from yesterday’s racing was probably that Caroline Evers-Swindell got beaten by an Aussie in the heats of the women’s premier singles – she usually has that event wrapped up tight. However she’s just gone through winning her repechage reasonably comfortably, although the winner of the other rep was faster. Going to be an interesting final on Friday. Unfortunately it’s going to be one without Thames lycra in it – Helen Ratcliff had a tough rep against some of the regional high performance girls and missed out. Helen has the semis of the senior singles tomorrow and ought to go through to the finals.

Meanwhile Lucy [Smith] and I both had repechages for the senior pairs today, although we weren’t racing each other this time. My pairs partner and I (both non-Kiwis – Erika’s American) knew we’d have a tough race and it didn’t get off to the best start, we must have been a good half a length down on the field by 250m. Ooops. However we pulled through and ended up qualifying for the final, just coming third behind two local pairs from Cambridge. Lucy had an easier time of it, her pair winning their rep by a clear seven seconds. The final’s going to be fun but tough! Our club quad was less successful – we had interesting steering issues off the start, and were always off the pace, so that’s that for the week.

Day off tomorrow before racing on Friday; a chance for tired legs to recover. Will try and get some pictures of finals racing.

Missing that roar of “Go Thames!” – Joanne.