Two Waikato University crews are heading to Seattle to compete in a prestigious rowing regatta, Gifford Lee writes.
After six years of inviting foreign teams to compete in The Great Race the Waikato University rowing eights will reverse that trend for the first time next month when they attend one of America's most prestigious regattas.The invitation for the Waikato men's and women's teams to challenge for the Windermere Cup on May 5 in the harbour area of Seattle came after Waikato hosted, and beat, Washington University at the Great Race in 2005.
The annual event between Washington and two invited crews is one of the highlights of the country's rowing calendar and the nationally televised event attracts upwards of 150,000 spectators.
Waikato will be joined by Purdue University from the state of Indiana in the regatta against Washington.
Last year the Czech national squads vied for the cup while in 2000 the New Zealand under-23 teams attended.
The Waikato men's coach Ross Tong said his crew would be going in largely blind of their chances.
"If I knew what to expect a lot of people would be answering to me," Tong said.
"All we really know is they (Washington) are posting similar times to us. "The big thing is we need to just concentrate on ourselves."
Since coming to New Zealand for the Great Race in 2005, Washington have strengthened their men's rowing programme considerably to be currently ranked the top US university.
Meanwhile five of Waikato's 2006 Great Race crew return for the Windermere Cup while they welcome back Cameron Corkill, who raced Washington in 2005. Hamish Burson was a reserve last year but has made the starting squad, while Jamie Twigg is the one fully new member.
Tong said the eight heading to the US wouldn't necessarily be the final eight selected for this year's Great Race but that they would all be available.
The Waikato women's coach Steve Wills said his eight did have an idea of what to expect from the Americans.
Former Waikato University rower and sister to a current squad member Annabelle Ritchie used to be on a rowing scholarship at Washington and has been playing spy via contacts still at the university.
"So we know they haven't got their best eight racing while Purdue are the top ranked women's crew in the country," Wills said.
The women's crew consists of coxswain Laura Breitenstein, Alexandra Ritchie, Darnelle Timbs, Beth Halley, Hannah Burns, Pene Smith, Trudy Stuart, Odette Sceats and Natalie Sorenson while Emma Hodges is the travelling reserve.
Wills said his crew is bolstered by the experience of New Zealand senior eight members Halley and Timbs while under-23 national reps Stuart and Burns rounded off a solid team.
The crews' final hit-outs before heading overseas is today and tomorrow when they challenge the New Zealand men's and women's eight on Lake Karapiro as part of the national development programme.