City student makes NZ squad

JOHN HAWKINS/Southland Times

WORLD AWAITS: Seventeen-year-old Southland rower Hayden Cohen is bracing himself for a trip to the world junior rowing championships in France.

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Hayden Cohen's gruelling rowing season has just been extended with the promising Southlander set to take on the world.

The 17-year-old James Hargest College student has been selected in a New Zealand squad of 28 rowers that will attend the world junior rowing championships in France in August.

His selection comes after a good showing at a recent New Zealand trial, as well as a successful trip to Lake Karapiro for the New Zealand secondary schools championships.

Cohen will line up in the New Zealand quad at the world junior championships.

Julivan Svoboda and Evan Kennedy, both of Rangiora, and Giocomo Thomas from Havelock North are the others in the crew.

The four rising stars are about to embark on an intense leadup to France as they attempt to bring home a medal.

They will meet at New Zealand rowing's base in Cambridge on May 16 and train for six weeks before they head to Belgium for further training.

Following the team's time training at a New Zealand rowing base in Belgium, they will then move on to France, with the championships starting on August 5.

The Invercargill Rowing Club member will follow in his brother Nathan's footsteps after he won silver medals at the 2003 and 2004 world junior championships.

The younger Cohen is hoping he can mirror the efforts of Nathan, who has gone on to represent New Zealand at last year's Beijing Olympics.

To have Nathan to look up to was a strong motivating factor for Hayden, who is carving out his own career on the water.

- © Fairfax NZ News