[March 07, 2006] ROWING OFFICIALS TO ASSESS NZ WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS BID Tweet (New Zealand Press Association Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge)Wellington, March 7 NZPA - Rowing New Zealand's goal of hosting the 2010 world championships goes under the blowtorch when a delegation from world governing body FISA arrives this week to assess the bid. The visit is the next phase in the New Zealand's process to host the championships at Lake Karapiro, south of Hamilton. The four-strong delegation will go to all bidding nations before the FISA congress finalises the venue for the championships in late August. The delegation from Switzerland includes FISA's executive director Matt Smith, events director Svetla Otzetova, events coordinator Daniela Oronova and marketing and communications manager Marion Gallimore. Smith, originally from the United States, has been executive director for 11 years. Otzetova, from Bulgaria, is an Olympic gold medallist in rowing and also competed at the 1978 World Rowing Championships on Lake Karapiro where she won gold in the double. The delegation arrives in Auckland on Friday and will be guests that evening at the Super 14 rugby game between the Chiefs and Crusaders in Hamilton. On Saturday they will visit the planned accommodation for the 2010 world championships and on Sunday will attend the North Island secondary schools championships at Lake Karapiro. That evening they will attend the Waipa District Council civic reception in Cambridge where five of the rowing world champions -- Nicky Coles, Juliette Haigh, Mahe Drysdale, Nathan Twaddle and George Bridgewater -- along with coach Richard Tonks will be inducted into the Cambridge Walk of Fame. On Monday and Tuesday the delegation will attend bid application meetings in Cambridge before departing on Wednesday. NZPA WGT dg ob [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]