ROWING - Twigg gets call up

By ANENDRA SINGH | 3rd July 2009

By Jamie Twigg's admission his Napier family are not very excitable.

Yes, Twigg (pictured right) has been in touch with Olympian sister Emma after Rowing New Zealand named the national development squad member in the quad team for the Royal Canadian Henley Regatta in August.

"She's happy and has congratulated me," the 24-year-old told SportToday yesterday.

However, the inclusion of the member of the Langley Twigg litigation team in Napier is great cause for celebration for the Hawke's Bay Rowing Club.

Consequently, Twigg's selection as the fifth Bay rower to be selected for a New Zealand team this year also means the club now has a member in every national team.

The others are elite member and sister Emma, under-23 representative Julia Trautvetter, under-21 representative Julia Edward and junior (under-19s) Giacomo Thomas.

 Having graduated from Otago University after attending Napier Boys' High School, Twigg recently moved back to Napier and has joined the litigation team at Langley Twigg.

Emma will compete at the Royal Henley regatta, in England, this weekend.

Trautvetter, Edward and Thomas all depart for their respective regattas in the next few weeks.

 Jamie Twigg will compete from August 2-9 at the Canadian club marking its 127th year of racing in the city of St Catharines, boasting the best in North American rowing.

While he competed to a lesser extent, Twigg was part of the New Zealand under-20 contingent to the Youth Olympics with Emma.

"I have an eye towards getting into the elite squad next year and the year after, and this is part of the stepping stone," he said, revealing countless hours of training here and at Lake Karapiro, in Waikato, were on the agenda before he and other members of his quad - Steve Cottle, Paul Gerritsen and James Dallinger - head off to the Canadian regatta.

The trio are former under-23 world champions.

"This will be my first real New Zealand regatta," said Twigg who has competed at regattas in Australia, Taiwan and, with his Waikato University team, in Seattle, in the United States.

Bay club president Neil Pulford said: "We're delighted that five of our rowers will be wearing the national colours this year.

"Having a rower in every national team caps off the most successful season in the club's history. These selections are an indication of the quality of our rowers and are a reflection of our coaching programme.

"Jamie's selection makes a full house. We're very pleased for him and pleased to have him back at the club," Pulford said.

Lightweight world champion Duncan Grant was New Zealand's star turn at the Henley Regatta in England today, according to an New Zealand Press Association report.

Grant beat Briton and world class heavyweight single sculler Ian Lawson at Oxfordshire to book a second round race against Belgian star Tim Maeyens.

He headed Grant by 3 1/2 lengths by the finish, a comfortable margin of victory bettered by compatriot and Olympic bronze medallist Mahe Drysdale.

Drysdale, a multiple heavyweight singles world champion, was 4 1/2 lengths clear of Briton NJB Baker in exceptionally fast but changeable conditions.

Drysdale posted the equal fastest time of the round, the mark of seven minutes 51 seconds being matched by Maeyens.

Hamish Bond and Eric Murray looked comfortable in their heat of the pairs, racing away in front of an appreciative crowd to a six-length victory over their Japanese opponents.

But it was Grant, giving away more than 20kg to Lawson, who drew the biggest cheers from the crowd.

Racing the reigning Henley singles sculls champion, the New Zealander was given an early advantage when Lawson false started.

At the restart Grant sprinted away.