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Otago Uni Rower Wins Commonwealth Gold In Scotland

10 August 2006

Otago Uni student Nathan Cohen has won the Commonwealth single sculls gold medal.

As part of their build-up to the 9th World University Rowing Championships in Lithuania (11-13 August), 5 members of the New Zealand team took part in the Commonwealth Rowing Regatta held at Strathclyde Park, Scotland - Nathan Cohen (Otago Uni, men's single sculls) and the men's coxless four of Mark Troup-Paul, Daniel Murtagh, Scott Lissington and Liam O'Halloran (all Waikato Uni).

Glen Sinclair, NZU Rowing Team Manager and Vice President of USNZ recounts Nathan's win in Scotland:

Race Day - Mens single sculls - After having a quick paddle in the morning with a 1:45pm start, Nathan admitted to being rather nervous as he did not know many of the athletes in his race. He came out of the start rating 42 and quckly took the lead. Still at 38 at the 500m mark he had three seconds over 2nd, Nathan extended his lead to almost 4 boat lengths but just before the 1000m mark Nathan's gate came undone. He used the new M2K gates which clip together and had another safety latch that clips into place. Nathan had to stop, lean over and clip the gate back together surrendering his four length lead. Also by stopping the lactate made his legs fell like that were about to explode. By now the English sculler had now pulled alongside Nathan for the battle home. The lead changed several times over the 3rd 500 with the English sculler then taking a slight 2-3metre lead with 250m to go. Nathan managed to dig deep and with only 3 strokes left before the line took the lead and the Commonwealth Mens 1x Gold. Nathan did a time of 6:53 with 2nd place 0.5secs behind, and 3rd place almost 20secs back. Nathan's first International Gold medal.

The Mens Four crew raced 2nd to last on the day but were disappointed to settle for fifth, with the South African Elite Lightweight Four taking the gold. This was the crew's first international race together and despite the placing, have taken a number of positives out of this race.

The New Zealand Universities crew are now in Lithuania awaiting their Lightweight Coxless Four boats and oars which were used at the Junior Rowing Champs last weekend. USNZ and NZU Rowing expresses their sincere thanks to Rowing NZ in loaning the boats. Mark Patterson, Henry Smith, Richard Beaumont and Sandy Mowat (Lightweight Four) were invited to race at the Lithuanian Champs last weekend, where they won the Open Men's Coxless Four, and came in 3rd in the Open Men's Eight (joining up with the crew that placed 2nd in the Four).

Racing at the World University Rowing Championships starts on Friday 11 August with Heats and Repercharges planned. Saturday are the semis, and B and C finals - with all A Finals being raced on Sunday.

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