SA’s four oarsmen of the apocalypse

THE last South African rowing crew seeking an Olympic spot begin their do-or-die battle for Rio 2016 at the “worst regatta in the world” today.

The atmosphere at scenic Rotsee Lake in Lucerne, Switzerland, will be funereal as rowers try to convert four years of hard work and lofty dreams into Games reality. Most will fail.

In the men’s heavyweight fours class, seven boats are vying for the final two Olympic berths.

South Africa’s four oarsmen of rowing’s apocalypse are David Hunt, Jonty Smith, Vincent Breet and Jake Green, who have all sacrificed their studies to varying degrees.

“It’s a skeleton of a regatta, from what we’ve heard,” said Smith, a mechanical engineering student who has placed his bursary on hold.

“There’s no atmosphere, there’s no vibe, there’s none of the merchandise tents, no supporters in grandstands. It’s just you and that finish line.”

“It’s small, intimate and desperate,” added Hunt. He is taking seven years, instead of four, to complete his mechanical engineering course.

The foursome have heard firsthand about this grim regatta, where Shaun Keeling and Lawrence Brittain narrowly missed out in the heavyweight pairs ahead of London 2012.

“It’s like someone died,” recalled head coach Roger Barrow. “It’s the worst regatta in the world. Careers as coaches and rowers end in one race.” The qualifying final is on Tuesday. Three days later Rotsee will morph into festivity with the second World Cup event of 2016, where South Africa’s four main crews, who qualified at last year’s world championships, get their final pre-Olympic racing.

The fours head home after the qualifying contest because, if they fail, their disappointment will infect the others, warned Barrow.

It’s too expensive to change air tickets at short notice if they make it.

The pressure is immense, but this quartet believe they can compete against their toughest rivals, notably France, the bronze medallists at the recent European championships.

“You need to understand that your preparation’s been good enough,” said Breet, who put his biomedical engineering studies at Harvard University on ice at the end of 2014.

“You don’t suddenly need a lightning bolt to strike you and [you] become Zeus. We practise day in and day out in order, when the pressure’s on like this, to not feel the nerves.”

The four still find time to joke and tease each other. Breet was given his nickname “V$” — pronounced VeeMoney — for his rapper-like personality

It’s like someone died . . . Careers as coaches and rowers end in one race

and though he doesn’t rap, he sometimes breaks into song, anything from Adele to Frank Sinatra.

“Normally just to irritate Jake,” he added with a laugh.

Green, whose three-year BA (English) degree will take five years, is “The Caveman”, “because he’s big, hairy and reverts to force as a first port of call”, said Breet.

Hunt’s “Noddy” moniker dates back to childhood, and Smith gets ragged for always being late.

They have avoided comparisons to the golden lightweight fours boat from four years ago, explaining that that was a premier crew compared to themselves — four discards who didn’t make the pairs boat.

But they’re coming into their own now, insisted Hunt, pointing out they regularly raced SA’s four Olympic boats in training. “We’re always in the mix, competing and beating other crews on percentages,” he said.

These leftovers are ready become the main course. to