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Emma aims for LA after Solo success at Beach Worlds
A unique Olympic possibility has come into view for Tokyo champion.
New Zealand's Emma Twigg has won gold in the Women's Solo event at the World Beach Sprint Championships in Turkiye.
Emma beat defending champion Magdalena Lobnig of Austria to reclaim the title she won at the world championships in Wales in 2022.
All going well, Emma (38) is now looking to contest the event at LA 2028, where Coastal Rowing will be included for the first time at the Olympics.
"My commitment is that I'm going to keep going if I keep enjoying it and I keep winning. LA seems like a long way away to me, especially at my age, but I'm loving it. I'm loving being part of the team. I'm loving the challenge of something different."
The Beach Sprint format of 500m racing as opposed to the 2000m of flat-water is part of the appeal.
"We're just scratching the surface really, because I think physiology is so different. The skills are so different - the way you have to be able to get around buoys and use different forces - it's all a challenge that I'm enjoying trying to master.
"I'm happy to be at the front of the pack and so long as I'm there and enjoying it, why not give it a nudge?"
It would open up the possibility of winning Olympic gold in two disciplines after her victory in the Women's Single Sculls at Tokyo.
Emma came out on top in a gruelling morning session of sudden death racing, outclassing Lithuania's Raminta Morkunaite in the quarter-final, then Great Britain's Laura McKenzie in the semifinal before taking on Lobnig.
Emma and Lobnig have been constant rivals over the years in both forms of the sport; they contested the Olympic final in the Women's Single at Tokyo, where Lobnig won bronze.
Emma's ability at the turning buoy proved decisive on the final day of the championships. Her efficiency and accuracy around the mark gave her at least a boat length's advantage on the sprint home in each of her three races.
"The approach I took today was there's actually nothing to lose and I wanted to be as tight as I could, so I kind of used the buoy to get round, but there's a bit of risk and reward there.
"You can get caught up on it if you don't get it quite right."
Her only mishap came in the semifinal, where Emma misjudged her jump from the beach into the boat. She landed awkwardly, allowing McKenzie to sneak an early lead.
"That was just some poor timing from me," says Emma. "I probably came at it a bit rushed, but luckily I had some good boat holders there and we've practiced it a million times and I've done about every version of it, so we got back on and I guess my strength at the moment is the straight-line speed."
That, and her back-marker turn, giving her a 10-second victory. The margin was even bigger in the final, Emma clocking 2 minutes 42.70 seconds, Lobnig finishing in 2.56.15.
New Zealand's four-strong squad finished with one medal after Finn Hamill was eliminated in the Men's Solo along with the Mixed Double Sculls of Erin James and Matt Dunham.
Andy Hay
Andy Hay is a freelance producer, writer and Maadi Cup-winning coach. He was cox of the world champion New Zealand eight of 1982 and '83. He is NZ Olympian #446.
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- Home
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- International Regattas
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- Emma aims for...
Emma aims for LA after Solo success at Beach Worlds
A unique Olympic possibility has come into view for Tokyo champion.
New Zealand's Emma Twigg has won gold in the Women's Solo event at the World Beach Sprint Championships in Turkiye.
Emma beat defending champion Magdalena Lobnig of Austria to reclaim the title she won at the world championships in Wales in 2022.
All going well, Emma (38) is now looking to contest the event at LA 2028, where Coastal Rowing will be included for the first time at the Olympics.
"My commitment is that I'm going to keep going if I keep enjoying it and I keep winning. LA seems like a long way away to me, especially at my age, but I'm loving it. I'm loving being part of the team. I'm loving the challenge of something different."
The Beach Sprint format of 500m racing as opposed to the 2000m of flat-water is part of the appeal.
"We're just scratching the surface really, because I think physiology is so different. The skills are so different - the way you have to be able to get around buoys and use different forces - it's all a challenge that I'm enjoying trying to master.
"I'm happy to be at the front of the pack and so long as I'm there and enjoying it, why not give it a nudge?"
It would open up the possibility of winning Olympic gold in two disciplines after her victory in the Women's Single Sculls at Tokyo.
Emma came out on top in a gruelling morning session of sudden death racing, outclassing Lithuania's Raminta Morkunaite in the quarter-final, then Great Britain's Laura McKenzie in the semifinal before taking on Lobnig.
Emma and Lobnig have been constant rivals over the years in both forms of the sport; they contested the Olympic final in the Women's Single at Tokyo, where Lobnig won bronze.
Emma's ability at the turning buoy proved decisive on the final day of the championships. Her efficiency and accuracy around the mark gave her at least a boat length's advantage on the sprint home in each of her three races.
"The approach I took today was there's actually nothing to lose and I wanted to be as tight as I could, so I kind of used the buoy to get round, but there's a bit of risk and reward there.
"You can get caught up on it if you don't get it quite right."
Her only mishap came in the semifinal, where Emma misjudged her jump from the beach into the boat. She landed awkwardly, allowing McKenzie to sneak an early lead.
"That was just some poor timing from me," says Emma. "I probably came at it a bit rushed, but luckily I had some good boat holders there and we've practiced it a million times and I've done about every version of it, so we got back on and I guess my strength at the moment is the straight-line speed."
That, and her back-marker turn, giving her a 10-second victory. The margin was even bigger in the final, Emma clocking 2 minutes 42.70 seconds, Lobnig finishing in 2.56.15.
New Zealand's four-strong squad finished with one medal after Finn Hamill was eliminated in the Men's Solo along with the Mixed Double Sculls of Erin James and Matt Dunham.
Andy Hay
Andy Hay is a freelance producer, writer and Maadi Cup-winning coach. He was cox of the world champion New Zealand eight of 1982 and '83. He is NZ Olympian #446.
