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New Zealand crews show strength through the highs and lows
Different results, but the aim of the next race in the Women’s Lightweight Double and Men’s Pair is exactly the same.
New Zealand has qualified 5 of its 9 crews for A Finals after day five of the Olympic rowing regatta at the Vaires-sur-Marne, just east of Paris.
The latest boat to launch into the top six was the Lightweight Women’s Double of Jackie Kiddle and Shannon Cox.
They are turning into a formidable team on and off the water, both boosted by their performance against back-to-back world champions Imogen Grant and Emily Craig.
The Brits passed just 0.36s ahead of Jackie and Shannon through the first 500m and for the next 500m the two boats were in near perfect sync. Same rate, same boat speed.
“I could see them in my side vision and thought, ‘Oh my God, they're right there,’’’ says Shannon. “It was cool to be right beside them and challenging them.”
The more experienced Brits opened the gap just after the 1000m.
“We are quite a new combination,” says Jackie, “especially compared to them and a lot of the other crews out on the water and so it is just learning how we handle different situations and knowing how we can improve that for next time.”
The Brits finished in 6min 59.79sec, the New Zealand boat crossed in 7.02.86.
Jackie’s experience of finals racing at many world championships will be invaluable to the pair as they prepare mentally over the next 48 hours.
But both are equal in their growing partnership.
“I think we are very much an even combination...we balance each other out really nicely,” says Jackie.
While Shannon is quiet off the water, she’s taking the lead on it.
“The nerves never go away,” says Jackie. “So to have somebody else who can stay calm in situations...she's the boss in our boat, bow seat is the boss. Bow seat does all the steering. She's the one telling me what to do. So, actually she's the one calming me down most of the time.”
Phil Wilson and Dan Williamson have a different challenge ahead of them in the next 48 hours.
They just couldn’t quite get in the same race phase as the three other leading boats for their semifinal of the Men’s Pair, finishing fourth, just 0.55s behind Ireland.
There was a lot of processing to do in the minutes straight after the race.
“There's a lot going through the head right now,” says Dan. “First and foremost...disappointment. We didn't quite perform how we wanted to today. It's quite a bittersweet feeling, you know, we're still here at the Olympics, racing at the highest level against excellent crews you know, still living out our dreams. It's a tough one.”
Phil Wilson and Dan Williamson after racing in the Men's Pair semi-final at the Paris Olympics 2024. Photo: Art OF Rowing
And there are still dreams to chase and a commitment to excellence not just in their preparation for their next race but beyond that as well.
“Both of us have time,” says Phil. “We're young. There's still lots of time before these decisions need to be made but we'll go into Friday's B Final, we'll race our heart out no matter what. No matter what.”
“I can see why people keep coming back and back,” says Dan, because the thought right now is, I just want to go again to prove to myself that I can do it, you know. I don't want that to be the last note.”
Two Kiwi partnerships. Partnerships in progress. Partnerships with pride.
Andy Hay
Andy Hay is a freelance producer, writer and rowing 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
- /
- International Regattas
- /
- New Zealand crews...
New Zealand crews show strength through the highs and lows
Different results, but the aim of the next race in the Women’s Lightweight Double and Men’s Pair is exactly the same.
New Zealand has qualified 5 of its 9 crews for A Finals after day five of the Olympic rowing regatta at the Vaires-sur-Marne, just east of Paris.
The latest boat to launch into the top six was the Lightweight Women’s Double of Jackie Kiddle and Shannon Cox.
They are turning into a formidable team on and off the water, both boosted by their performance against back-to-back world champions Imogen Grant and Emily Craig.
The Brits passed just 0.36s ahead of Jackie and Shannon through the first 500m and for the next 500m the two boats were in near perfect sync. Same rate, same boat speed.
“I could see them in my side vision and thought, ‘Oh my God, they're right there,’’’ says Shannon. “It was cool to be right beside them and challenging them.”
The more experienced Brits opened the gap just after the 1000m.
“We are quite a new combination,” says Jackie, “especially compared to them and a lot of the other crews out on the water and so it is just learning how we handle different situations and knowing how we can improve that for next time.”
The Brits finished in 6min 59.79sec, the New Zealand boat crossed in 7.02.86.
Jackie’s experience of finals racing at many world championships will be invaluable to the pair as they prepare mentally over the next 48 hours.
But both are equal in their growing partnership.
“I think we are very much an even combination...we balance each other out really nicely,” says Jackie.
While Shannon is quiet off the water, she’s taking the lead on it.
“The nerves never go away,” says Jackie. “So to have somebody else who can stay calm in situations...she's the boss in our boat, bow seat is the boss. Bow seat does all the steering. She's the one telling me what to do. So, actually she's the one calming me down most of the time.”
Phil Wilson and Dan Williamson have a different challenge ahead of them in the next 48 hours.
They just couldn’t quite get in the same race phase as the three other leading boats for their semifinal of the Men’s Pair, finishing fourth, just 0.55s behind Ireland.
There was a lot of processing to do in the minutes straight after the race.
“There's a lot going through the head right now,” says Dan. “First and foremost...disappointment. We didn't quite perform how we wanted to today. It's quite a bittersweet feeling, you know, we're still here at the Olympics, racing at the highest level against excellent crews you know, still living out our dreams. It's a tough one.”
Phil Wilson and Dan Williamson after racing in the Men's Pair semi-final at the Paris Olympics 2024. Photo: Art OF Rowing
And there are still dreams to chase and a commitment to excellence not just in their preparation for their next race but beyond that as well.
“Both of us have time,” says Phil. “We're young. There's still lots of time before these decisions need to be made but we'll go into Friday's B Final, we'll race our heart out no matter what. No matter what.”
“I can see why people keep coming back and back,” says Dan, because the thought right now is, I just want to go again to prove to myself that I can do it, you know. I don't want that to be the last note.”
Two Kiwi partnerships. Partnerships in progress. Partnerships with pride.
Andy Hay
Andy Hay is a freelance producer, writer and rowing coach. He was cox of the world champion New Zealand eight of 1982 and '83. He is NZ Olympian #446.
