Key Olympic venue dogged by concerns
Notable concerns have already emerged over a 2020 Tokyo Olympics venue where New Zealand should expect a hefty medal haul from.
The Sea Forest Waterway venue will host the rowing and canoe sprint competitions at next year’s Olympic Games – two sports that New Zealand could grab a handful of medals from.
But wind, noise and heat may make the venue an undesirable – and unfair – place to race.
The world junior championships are currently being contested at the venue as a trial regatta for the Tokyo Olympics, which will be held in July-august 2020.
Water conditions on the first day of the junior worlds were described on the World Rowing website as ‘‘bouncy’’, accompanied by photos of rowers competing in choppy water, while winds ensured tents course-side had to be lashed down.
When the venue was officially opened in June, there were also worrying videos and photos of the course featuring strong winds and choppy conditions.
The new saltwater course near Tokyo Bay has been built behind dams and water gates to protect from waves and tides but has little natural protection from wind, while wind turbines flank the race course.
‘‘Of course the wind, if it is too strong, might be an issue but this is the fourth time I have come here to Tokyo and this is the first time I have seen it so strong,’’ International Rowing Federation president Jean-christophe Rolland said at the opening.
‘‘On an eight-day programme I hope we will find time easily where the wind is not too strong and that we can have a good competition.’’
New Zealand won three rowing medals at the 2016 Rio Olympics and five in London four years previously. Kiwi canoe sprint superstar Lisa Carrington won gold and bronze in Rio and the New Zealand women’s programme has improved to become genuine medal contenders in a host of classes at Tokyo.
There are also concerns over the starting area because of noise from traffic and planes. The starting area is almost immediately underneath a busy bridge – connecting to the nearby port – which isn’t planned to be closed during competition.
Beeping noises made by truck blinkers in Japan were interspersed with the bleep noise made by the start of the rowing races on the first two days of the junior world championships, while some starts of races were paused because of the sounds of large planes flying over to Haneda Airport.
New Zealand has a team at the junior world championships this week, where temperatures reached the mid-30s.