Five world champions line up for single scull final

No fewer than five sculling world champions including 2002 world champion Marcel Hacker, and 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2009 champ Mahe Drysdale will line up for the Premier Single Scull final at the BankLink New Zealand Rowing Championships at Lake Karapiro on Saturday.

Drysdale won his semi final in a very brisk 6.47, heading home lightweight Peter Taylor, who is rowing both lightweight and heavyweight events this week. Taylor's 6.51 was one of the fastest ever times recorded by a lightweight. Jo Sullivan - two times Under 23 world single scull champion - came home third in a highly respectable 6.53.

Nathan Cohen, the only one in the field yet to mount the top of the global dais, dominated the second semi in 6.50, leading home three time world lightweight champion Duncan Grant (6.54) and a race rusty Marcel Hacker in 6.59.

Drysdale is going for his sixth national title and this is arguably the most competitive field he has raced in - but his current form suggests he is going to be hard to stop. "It's almost a mini world championship final and a great race to have as we build towards the world championships here in 2010," explained High Performance Manager Alan Cotter.

“The field shows the class of scullers that we have in the country and there are some extremely talented young athletes - who in any other country would be looking for a medal - who will miss the final in the face of this world class home line-up. It really is amazing.”

Emma Twigg had a comfortable row in her semi final, leading home Fi Paterson and rowing and cycling medalist extraordinaire Jaime Nielsen. Odette Sceats, Emma Feathery and Leah Stanley complete the final line up.

At the other end of the experience spectrum - there was a nail-biting finish in the first semi of the men's Novice Coxed Fours, with Blenheim coming home in the fastest time of the qualifiers just half a second ahead of Hawkes Bay. Two crews from Avon and one each from Waikato and Canterbury make the final line up is a race that might even contain future New Zealand Olympians.

Waihopai - the most southerly rowing club in the world - continued their good form at the championships with Toby Pascoe making the final of the Club Single Scull and the club's coxless quad scull making its final with a second place. Lisa Owen made the final of Women's Club Single with a third place as well.

Finals begin on Friday from 8.00am - with highlights being the Premier Double Sculls, Premier Coxless Fours and Men's Premier Pair - all of which will be littered with more world champion athletes.