B R A V O   N I G E L   V A N   D E N   A K K E R

(sent to the Daily Post 2.4.10)

 This is a major achievement  for  a  young rower.  Being a NZ Junior trialist  leads to invitations  to the Regional Performance Centre( RPC), the U21 NZ Rowing Team , the U23 NZ Rowing Team and hopefully on to the Elite NZ Rowing team . There is a lot of competition and Nigel is vying for position among some fine young rowers who are world class.

In recent times the NZ Junior Men’s  coxless quad sculls has won Bronze in2009 and the Eight has won Silver in 2008.

The Junior trials begin this week at Lake Karapiro. Nigel  starts  an exhaustive week with an’ERG’ trial (Indoor Rowing Machine ). The time he achieves on the ‘ERG’ is vital. The High Performance Selectors gain an idea of the rower’s general fitness and strength.  Selectors will be looking for a 2km ERG of circa  6mins 12 secs.

Tobias Wehr -Candler , Gold medalist at the U23 World Rowing Champs in the ‘ four’ had the best  ERG of 12mins 08 secs at the 2008 NZ Junior Trials,  closely followed by Isaac Holden(HBHS), son of HBHS’s present coach and Rotorua’s  Harry Simperingham (RBHS) .

  After the ERG, Nigel will seat-race in view of the High Performance coaches.  The boats Rowing NZ will look for are; the ‘coxed eight ‘; usually a  priority, possibly a ‘coxed four’ .A ‘double scull’ and a ‘lightweight double scull’ are not beyond Rowing NZ’s sights. So there we have it- a total Men’s team of 18 including 2 coxswains from a trialing group of 34.

There are 5 Hamilton Boys High School rowers coming to the trials direct from the MAADI Cup win. There are 5 Westlake Boys trialing (including one cox from each school) The 4 biggest rowers are likely to be selected  and possibly one of the other  ‘stroke’ of both schools. Nick Ross looks a ‘cert’. Nick has won a place in the HBHS Gold medal winning ‘MAADI eight’ for 4 years now, from the age of 15. In his U15, U16, U17 and U18 grade. He has trialed for NZ Juniors at U17 and now in his U18  year. The odds are 3 or more rowers from each school will go in the ‘eight’. One of Rowing NZ’s  Elite coaches is Dave Thompson previously HBHS Head Coach. Dave is likely to be a Junior selector. He will know all the HBHS rowers personally. No worries -there is massive potential for our Nigel.  RRC is well thought of, as a hard working , hard training rowing club; similar to HBHS.

Nigel’s formidable sculling history will make him a contender for  the Heavyweight  double sculls . He won Silver at both the 2010 NZ Rowing Champs and the 2009 MAADI, 2008 MAADI  and Bronze at the 2007 MAADI and he is no slug in an eight having sweep- oared for Rotorua; winning  Bronze in the Mens Club coxed eight at the 2010 NZ Club Champs and  Bronze for the Mens Senior Coxed Eight at the 2009 NZ Club Champs .