19 July 2018

Göran R Buckhorn writes:

While Mahé Drysdale surprised everyone – including himself – at Henley by taking his sixth victory in the Diamonds two weeks ago, he did not manage to beat his countryman Robbie Manson at the last World Cup for the season in Lucerne last weekend, where New Zealand ended up on top of the medal table, taking five gold medals and one silver.

Manson won in 6:55.30, ahead of Oliver Zeidler of Germany, 6:59.45, and reigning World Champion Ondřej Synek of the Czech Republic, 7:00.72. Drysdale placed fourth in 7:02.13. This means that Manson qualified for his nation’s spot in the single sculls at the World Championships in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, on 9 – 16 September.

‘It’d be good to do what I didn’t manage to do last year. Obviously it’ll be tough…,’ Manson told New Zealand media.

‘I’m disappointed not to get the spot, but Robbie raced really well and was clearly in great form,’ Drysdale said when he returned home from Lucerne yesterday. Drysdale told New Zealand media that he was open to row in another boat. ‘That’s something selectors have to decide,’ he said, adding, ‘Worst case, I won’t be in a boat for the worlds, and I’ll be in the single training for next year.’

It will be interesting to see if we will find Drysdale’s name on the New Zealand team list for Plovdiv in September.