Glory forged on the Clive
European sojourn cut short for HB medal-winning rowers as elite trials take priority
Hawke’s Bay rowers Ed Laver and Tom Mackintosh were quick to heap kudos on the province’s development systems as they reflected on their under-23 world championship medals.
Laver, 22, was a member of the New Zealand men’s coxed four crew which won silver at the championships which finished in Poland last weekend. Mackintosh, 21, rowed in the men’s coxless four which won bronze.
“Hawke’s Bay has always been a good breeding ground. Doc and Jock gave us the best possible set-up,” Laver said referring to his Bay coaches, Doc McDonald and Jock Mackintosh.
“Jock was my first coach when I started rowing in 2012 so it was pretty special to have him in Poland among the spectators,” Laver said, shortly after his return to New Zealand on Wednesday.
His crew finished second to the United States and ahead of Italy and Germany. The silver was Laver’s second world championship medal as he was in the New Zealand coxed four which won bronze at the 2014 junior world champs in Germany.
“Winning that silver was a pretty unreal experience. A lot of time and effort went into getting to Poland and there were a few hiccups along the way,” Laver explained.
“Forty-eight hours before our heat, I collected a hand injury during a training row. It just blew up.
“It put a bit of undue stress on the crew at the time but I recovered and we got to pull through. We won the repechage to qualify for the final where we were in lane six. We were fourth after the first kilometre and fourth with 500m to go. We managed to pass Germany and Italy during the final 500 in what was an exciting race,” Laver recalled.
“I had no idea where we had come when we crossed the finish line . . . we were completely smashed.”
A Napier Boys’ High School product, Laver rowed from 2012 to 2014 before taking two years off to focus on his Smedley Station commitments. Last year he headed to Lincoln University to begin a three-year Bachelor of Commerce and Agriculture course.
Like Tom Mackintosh, Laver rows for the Southern Regional Performance Centre and the Canterbury club while in the South Island. Mackintosh’s bronze was his second world championship medal as he was a crewmate of Laver’s in 2014.
“Hawke’s Bay has a good coaching programme. The technical work put in on the Clive River has set me up well,” Mackintosh, 21, said.
In Poland his crew finished third behind winners Romania and Great Britain. He was the oldest in his crew, the others were 19 or 18.
“The younger members of the crew showed outstanding maturity. They were up for it and, when the call came to make a move at the end, they really responded. In the end we were just 0.1s away from second and 2s from gold,” Lindisfarne College old boy Mackintosh explained.
“We’ve got a good foundation to work with next year at this level.
“We will go back with the aim of improving on the bronze.
“I’ve got to thank all my family and friends who have supported me on this journey. New Zealand had the biggest crowd of all the countries in Poland and their chanting gave us a big push as we went down the course,” Mackintosh said.
Laver and Mackintosh had planned a holiday around Europe after last weekend’s championships with a couple of team-mates. However, they were among eight men in Poland selected to trial for the New Zealand elite team at Lake Karapiro from today.
On August 10, the New Zealand team for next month’s world championships in Plovdiv, Bulgaria will be selected.
“These trials take priority. You take these opportunities with open arms and, if you don’t make the team this time, you make sure you do your best so you are considered in the future,” Laver said.
“I’m hoping to make a four but I will take whatever comes. It’s a quick turnaround but with a good recovery and the right nutrition, I’ll be ready,” Mackintosh added.
I had no idea where we had come when we crossed the finish line . . . we were completely smashed. Ed Laver