Two of the bright hopes of Otago rowing, Lucy Strack and
Michael Nisbet, dominated the open sculling events at the
Otago championships at Twizel at the weekend.
The North End scullers won the prestige events against strong
opposition on the Lake Ruataniwha course.
Strack won the women's open single sculls in 8min 15.03sec on
the 2km course, and Nisbet the men's race in 7min 28.24sec.
These results augur well for both scullers, who will be
hoping to repeat last season's success at the national
championships at Lake Karapiro next month.
They both won bronze medals at Lake Ruataniwha last season,
Strack in the lightweight double sculls and Nisbet in the
men's premier double sculls.
Strack has returned to Christchurch to compete for the
Southern Regional Performance Centre (RPC) crews as a member
of the North End Club.
She started strongly in her singles race and had a
considerable lead on the rest of the field as she entered the
last 750m.
The scullers behind her made a late charge with 500m left but
were unable to catch Strack, who beat Sarah Barnes (Southern
RPC) by five seconds.
Nisbet dominated his open single sculls and had a one-length
lead at the 1000m mark.
He continued to apply pressure and extended this lead over
the last 500m.
Nisbet then teamed with Robbie Mears (OBHS) to finish second
in the men's open double sculls.
Port United's Hazel Dawson was runner-up in the women's
under-18 single sculls, and clubmates Imogen Coxhead and
Robyn Cameron finished first and second in the masters
women's single sculls.
The pair won the double sculls from Jan Brosnahan and
Claudine Tyrrell.
The Otago University quadruple sculls of Albert Hanson, Jamie
Saunders, William Hyndman and James Harvey won the men's club
event.
University finished third in the men's club coxed four when
Matt Smaill joined Hanson, Harvey and Saunders.
The coxswain was Aynsley Moore.
The Wanaka crew of Rob Saunders and Greg Redai was second in
the men's novice double sculls.
The Otago crew of Zoe McBride and Hannah Duggan, both aged
14, won the B final in women's under-16 double sculls.
Robert Mears (Otago Boys) was second in the men's under-18
single sculls.
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