The crew from Cambridge dominated on the indoor rowing machines this week, but that is no guarantee they will have the same success on the water tomorrow, according to an organiser of the 10th annual Great Race.
Event director Mark Ingle said the new three-boat race format would ensure even more excitement than in past years for the thousands of people expected to line the banks of the Waikato River to watch three crews fight for university and national pride.
"It's going to be a real cat-and-mouse race, especially for those in 2nd and 3rd position, regardless of who they are."
Ingle said the Cambridge crew, who won all four pairs races on the rowing machines on Thursday night and so secured their first-choice starting station on the West side of the river, had no guarantee of the same success on the water. He said the rowing machine races were a "bolters' game" whereas the difficult upstream course was more about endurance.
The Waikato University and Melbourne University men were separated by just 0.1 of a second after three races, with a win by 0.9 of a second in the last race by the local lads securing them their choice of starting at the centre station, leaving Melbourne to start from the East side of the river.
Ingle said the second-placed crew would have the most thinking to do, with the coxswain working to keep up with the lead boat while staying in a position where the third-place boat would not get the right-of-way to pass them.
When the three boats enter the final 1000m they have to enter the Finish Zone lanes, with the first boat to enter the slowest lane.
But Ingle said he did not think they would easily give up pole position for a faster finishing lane.
"I guess this is part of the beauty of the race," Ingle said. "We've had 10 years of races and there are different views as to where the advantages are.
"I honestly believe the crew out in front will be rowing to win the race from the front."
== Report by Louise Risk of Waikato Times
