British and Aussie men’s rivalry hots up in rowing

With oars and boats and an Olympic gold medal at stake, it’s not even close to being cricket. The fierce sporting rivalry between England and Australia is usually at its most intense during cricket’s Ashes series, but this year the focus will switch from the crease to the crisp waters of Dorney Lake. That’s where Britain and Australia’s flagship rowing crews go head-to-head at the Olympics. The two countries have won the men’s four at the last five Olympics and have reorganized their squads to make the boat a priority again this year, setting up what is promising to be the most gripping race of the eight-day regatta. “London will become epic,” said Drew Ginn, a three-time Olympic gold medalist who is in the Australia boat. So far, the crews’ rapport has been civil – friendly, even. But the mind games started in earnest in mid-June after the Australians handed Britain, the reigning Olympic and world champion, a rare loss in the third and final 2012 World Cup regatta over Munich’s Olympic course. It will likely be their last meeting before the final in London on Aug. 4, giving Australia a mighty psychological boost. “They’re meant to be the No. 1 British heavyweight sweep boat. They are a genuine gold opportunity for their medal tally in their home Olympics,” said James Chapman, who is in the Australia boat with Ginn, Joshua Dunkley-Smith and William Lockwood. “There’s some extra pressure of expectation of hosting the Olympic Games and this might start to create some doubts in their minds.” Britain won the men’s four at the 2011 world championships but the boat has since been strengthened with the addition of Andrew Triggs Hodge and Pete Reed, who were part of the 2008 Olympic gold crew before trying their luck in the pairs from 2009-11. With Alex Gregory and 2008 Olympic champion Tom James making up the four, Britain won the first two World Cup regattas – in Belgrade and Lucerne in May – and even rowed a world’s best time in beating Australia in Switzerland. However, three weeks later, the Australians held off the trademark late burst by a sluggish British boat in Munich. Triggs Hodge said his crew will produce its best when it matters. “To have the pressure and expectations that people are expecting us to win, that’s even better,” the strokeman told The Associated Press. “When we put our best bits of training into the race that counts, I know that no one will beat us.” Steve Redgrave and Matthew Pinsent – winners of nine Olympic golds between them from 1984 to 2004 – made their names in the four, ensuring the boat will forever be British rowing’s headline-grabber. Australia similarly has an illustrious recent history in the four, with the “Oarsome Foursome” containing Ginn winning gold in Atlanta in 1996 to defend their country’s title from 1992. Returning to the sport in 2010 after taking a two-year sabbatical following back surgery, Ginn is Australia’s most famous rower. He is relishing being back in high-level competition and has been keeping his fans regularly updated on his blog, named “Rudderfish.” “I have been part of a few good rivalries and yet on this occasion, even short-lived as it may be, I have enjoyed the on-water and off-water experience,” he said in a recent post. Ginn predicts the duel on Dorney Lake will be a case of raw power vs. pace. “We are not that big or that strong so we have to row well,” he said. “We can see the way others are rowing and cannot get involved in fighting toe-to-toe on horse power. We are fast, though. And can race hard and stick to a plan and this is a strength. “We have made no secret of our intent to make the men’s four race into a drag race. We want it to be fast. We aim for it to be aggressive and we are willing to push ourselves beyond our imposed limits to find a way to hold speed for as long as possible.” Britain’s Munich setback left its crew at a loss, with Reed saying in an honest admission: “We haven’t got the fitness and strength to beat a crew of the class of Australia at the moment.” A pre-Olympic wobble from Britain is nothing new, however. Since 1996 under German coach Juergen Groebler, the men’s four has never won its final race before an Olympics. “Going to the training camp … I will remember there is a crew out there that is faster than us at the moment,” Reed said. “It may well make our preparation campaign. The Olympics are not over by any means. “Getting silver (in Munich) could be the best thing that happened to us.”