Roncalli rower, coach selected for NZ

JOHN BISSET/Timaru Herald

DOUBLE DELIGHT: Roncalli College rowing has capped off a superb year with Steve Burt (left) and coach Dan Kelly both selected for the 2008 Junior World Championships in Linz, Austria.

Talented Roncalli rower Steve Burt has been selected in the New Zealand junior rowing team to compete in the world championships in Austria in July.

Burt has been selected to row in the double along with Marlborough Boys College's Karl Manson.

There will one familiar face for Burt as his Roncalli coach Dan Kelly has been appointed as one of the New Zealand coaches and he will be in charge of the men's double and women's quad crews.

They will both relocate to Lake Karapiro in a fortnight for eight weeks of intensive training, then travel to Germany for training before heading to the Junior World Championships in Linz, Austria from July 22 to 27.

Roncalli's Finn Scott also attended the New Zealand trial but narrowly missed the cut despite having represented New Zealand last year at the Sydney Youth Olympic Festival.

Burt and Scott caught the selectors' eyes when they took out the under-18 double at the recent Maadi Cup in Twizel and then teamed up with Shayne Cleghorn and Brad Darling and coxswain Stephen Richmond to take gold in the under coxed quad.

Kelly has quietly transformed the Roncalli rowing squad since he started coaching them four years ago.

Under his guidance they won the President's Scull for the top sculling school at the New Zealand Secondary Schools Rowing Championships at Twizel after qualifying for 16 A-finals and four B-finals and then converting them into a record six gold, six silver and two bronze medals.

Both rower and coach are looking forward to learning a lot more while mixing it with New Zealand's elite coaches and athletes at Lake Karapiro as they build up to the Olympics.

The 1.89m Burt, who tips the scales at 84kg, is in only his second season of rowing but has huge potential.

While heading somewhat into the unknown, Burt is rapt to have made the team after a very tough trial.

"I love the sport and I am really looking forward to the challenge."

The 17-year-old will likely be on the water twice a day as well as completing his studies at the nearby St Peters College.

Burt will also be working hard off the water as he needs to find $7500 for his contribution to attend the world championships as well as paying for his time at Lake Karapiro.

Kelly said he was approached at the Maadi Cup and expressed an interest in coaching at a higher level but had only just found out of his selection.

A former New Zealand trialist, Kelly said the camp would be a pretty good learning experience.

"It will also be a big challenge but I'm looking forward to it."

Kelly works as a rural manager for the ASB Bank and said they had been supportive right the way through.

"They have a good culture and I have taken a leaf out of that with the rowing squad and, while it takes a lot of time, they see the benefits of it."