Two rowers from TuksRowing, Kirsten McCann and Nicole van Wyk, both raced to gold this weekend at the Regata Internazionale Memorial Paolo d’Aloja in Italy.

Last year’s Olympian rower, McCann, won the women’s single sculls while Van Wyk was victorious in the lightweight women’s single sculls.

Lawrence Brittain, silver medallist at last year’s Olympic Games in Rio, teamed up with Jake Green to win a silver medal in the men’s pair final. On Saturday they finished third. It was the first time the South Africans raced internationally this season.

Roger Barrow, South Africa’s national rowing coach, is thinking about altering things a little for the rest of the season.

“During the last Olympic cycle we might have partnered certain people to early. For me it is not about making ‘boats’ now. It is about making individuals very fast,” Barrow said.

That is why he is thinking that Kirsten McCann should compete in the single sculls this year rather than pairing her with somebody in the lightweight double sculls boat.

For the same reason Nicole van Wyk, who won a silver medal at last year’s World Under-23 Championships, will also still be competing in a single boat. Barrow wants her to win a gold medal at the same championships.

“It is all about doing the right thing at the right time. I really don’t want to put pressure on a team boat to early on. Do we know whether Kirsten and Nicole are going to be very fast? Yes they are. Are they going to be at the top end of world rowing? Sure. But do we expose them to early? The same goes for the other boats,” Barrow explained.

He said South Africa has got a small pool of top rowers. Therefore he do not want to put too much pressure on the team too early. It is going to be about doing the right thing at the right time.

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