Rower wins bronze again — 21 years later
DUNSTAN Arm Rowing Club’s Simon Smith turned back the clock with a stunning performance in the New Zealand Rowing Championships at Lake Karapiro at the weekend.
The 42yearold insurance broker from Alexandra won bronze in the men’s senior single sculls, a great achievement for the veteran.
But what makes the result even more remarkable is he got third in the race 21 years ago.
If only he had not retired so young.
‘‘Oh, yeah, I suppose I did,’’ Smith said.
‘‘I tried for the New Zealand team and when I didn’t get in I decided to go and travel. I sort of walked away from early, I think.
‘‘But I’ve enjoyed getting back into it later on in life.’’
Smith retired in 1997 and did not compete for 14 years. But he stayed involved in the sport through coaching and was lured back into the water.
‘‘I got back in the boat with my mate, who I used to row with when I was a young fellow, and we decided to do some masters events.
‘‘That was good fun so we decided to keep going and do the big boys’ stuff.’’
Smith was hoping to do well but was certainly not expecting to collect a medal.
‘‘Not really. I knew I was fast, because I won the South Island champs, but there are some
it too real quick boys up here.
‘‘To come away with a medal in that field was pretty satisfying. It is the toughest nonelite competition there is.’’
Incredibly, Smith is rowing almost as fast as he was during his socalled prime.
Conditions were better but Smith’s time of 7min 13.65sec was actually faster than Robbie Manson’s winning time in the men’s premier single sculls.
‘‘It was the fastest I’ve gone in 20 years, so I was pretty happy.’’
Whanganui rower Luke Watts won the race in 7min 3.06sec from Harrison Joseph (Christchurch) in second place.
WELLINGTON: Robbie Manson made it a hattrick of wins over Mahe Drysdale as he cleared out to win single sculls gold at the national championships on Lake Karapiro.
Manson maintained his dominance this domestic summer by powering clear to win in 7min 19.48sec, nearly two boat lengths clear of secondplaced John Storey.
Ireland’s Paul O’Donovan was third, while twotime defending Olympic champion Drysdale was fourth, more than 25sec behind Manson.
Drysdale, who was reportedly battling a neck injury, has been overshadowed by Manson since making his return to the water following a year off.
Manson also was victorious in the double sculls alongside Chris Harris and in the coxless quad sculls with the help of Central RPC crewmates Harris, Brook Robertson and Joe Wright.
The women’s singles title was claimed by national squad member Brooke
Donoghue, who took advantage of the absence of Hannah
Osborne, who pulled out of Saturday’s final with a rib injury.
Emma Dyke and
Grace Prendergast clinched the pairs gold medal and went on to team with twins Phoebe and Lucy Spoors to snare victory in the four.
The men’s four crown went to Aucklanders Michael Brake, Cameron Webster, Louis van Velthooven and Sam Jones.
Central RPC retained its stranglehold on the men’s coxless pair title as Tom Murray and Phillip Wilson saw off a late challenge from the Auckland RPC crew of Drysdale and Stephen Jones.
Matt Dunham retained his men’s lightweight single sculls title in a terrific race with James Lassche, while Taryn Abel and Bethany Glenn romped clear in the women’s lightweight double sculls final.
Greg McLaughlin teamed up with fellow Dunstan rower Jacob Flanagan to win gold in the men’s club double sculls.
Flanagan collected a silver medal in the men’s club single sculls earlier in the event.
Oamaru pair James Scott and Logan Docherty took third place in the men’s under19 double sculls, while University rowers Lucas Hinton and Teddy Rose claimed bronze in the men’s novice double sculls.