PHOTO(at Karapiro training before leaving NZ) left to right; Joe Wright , Giacomo Thomas, Jeff Francis (Rotorua), Karl Manson.

PHOTO (in maroon = at Henley) ) left to right;  Karl Manson, Joe Wright, Jeff Francis, Giacomo Thomas

Henley, then the worlds

Jeff Francis, a RRC (Rotorua Rowing Club) member is in the ‘final countdown’ of his rowing year.The NZ Men’s Quad blocked out the Norwegians at the Royal Henley Regatta on the Thames, last night, our time, and will be looking to win the Queen Mother Challenge Cup, the Men’s Quad event..

“Well our first race is over and done with.” said Jeff Francis last night  “We won, so that is a nice start to our overseas campaign. It was a very tough race with a strong head wind and the quad had to row into the current. We managed to hold a boat length over the Norwegians most of the way and increased it to a boat length and a half over the line. “ said Francis. “Tomorrow we race the Australians in the semi-final.  I’m looking forward to it.”

Henley is a club regatta, albeit a very prestigious one – so they don’t have National crews competing as such. The course is 2,112 metres, upstream , usually into a headwind , so the race takes quite a bit longer than usual. Crews from Australia, Holland, Norway and Canada , along with Denmark, Ireland and the London Rowing Club, are on the Men’s Quad start list and it looks to be a full international level event this year.

“The regatta format is match racing – a very simple concept –if you win you progress to the next round – lose, & you’re out.There is only 1 winner ” Rob Francis , Jeff’s Dad and former Rotorua Rowing Coach said.

Rowing NZ has a banner under which our National rowers compete in order to meet the club criteria – called Waiariki Rowing club (no connection with the Polytech) .The crew now progress to the next round - against the Australian men’s U23 Quad, win this & they’re in the final.

“Whilst they have trained in NZ in Fillipi boats, they are using an Empacher “ said Francis senior ”It has taken a quite a few rows to set the boat up the way they like it, “ he added “but they have got there and he said it is starting to give them the speed that they are looking for”

After Henley they travel to Trakei in Lithuania, to be joined by the rest of the NZ team,for the 2012 World Under 23 Rowing Championships. Heats, start on the 11^th July. Jeff is the first male rower from the Rotorua Rowing Club, to compete in a World Rowing Under 23 event.  The next step is the Elite NZ Rowing Team and the next Olympics in Rio, 2016.