Guide to the Great Race

The promise of her first trip to New Zealand has lured Bronwen Watson briefly out of retirement for tomorrow's Great Race.

The veteran Australian rower is part of the Sydney University crew that will challenge Waikato University for the Bryan Gould Cup after announcing her retirement from the sport earlier this year.

"I officially retired after the Australian national trials in April," Watson said.

"But [coach] Alan Bennett asked me if I wanted to jump back into the boat and the girls told me how they had such an awesome time here last year – so here I am."

Watson, who won back-to-back world championship gold medals in the Australian women's lightweight quad sculls crew in 2007 and 2008, joins three returning members from last year's winning crew – Charlotte Walters, Emma Costello and Ashleigh Peppernell.

"So there's still a few of us who haven't done the race before including our cox [William Raven] so we've been trying to get used to the whirls and the currents."

Watson said the tactical considerations of the race were hugely important as each eight sought the calmer water and the best side of the river near the finish.

"It seems the finishing station is the most important thing as the flow there is a lot stronger.

"But the river is so unpredictable that you can't ease off at any stage of the race.

"We don't have any races against the current like this in Australia and it really is a long four kilometres," she said.

"We haven't had a long training block but we do a fair bit of rowing together and have a good feel in the boat.

"I think it'll be very even, like last year when the girls just got past on the line."

While the host crew will be without New Zealand's elite women rowers as they prepare for the world championships at Lake Karapiro from October 31-November 7, the Waikato University lineup is still a strong combination and capable of recapturing the cup.

Erin Tolhurst, Odette Sceats, Kate Reymer and Alyce Pulford have all represented New Zealand at senior or age-group level in recent years while coxswain Ivan Pavich called the shots for last year's crew and is the cox for the Kiwi men's eight to contest the world champs.

In the eight-year history of the event, the visitors have been unable to win both races in the same year, but this year may be their best chance as Cambridge University take on the hosts in the men's race for the Harry Mahon Trophy.

The visiting crew have three members from their top boat that contested this year's Boat Race against Oxford University, while the hosts are vastly inexperienced.

However, Waikato's eight has a veteran race coxswain in Ainslee Ashton and a host of hugely promising young rowers like Finian Scott, Giacomo Thomas and Andrew Healey keen to make it seven wins out of nine for the hosts.

TEAMS

Women (Bryan Gould Cup):
Sydney University: Bronwen Watson, Beatrix Sheldrick, Charlotte Walters, Emma Costello, Ashleigh Peppernell, Sarah Sackville, Chloe O'Regan, Grace Michell, William Raven (coxswain), Alan Bennett (coach).

Waikato University: Erin Tolhurst, Odette Sceats, Kate Reymer, Alyce Pulford, Kayla Pratt, Chloe McFarlane, Ashlee Vant Leven, Amy-Kelly Horsfall, Ivan Pavich (coxswain), Nadia Bleaken (coach), Mike Gilbert (coach).

Men (Harry Mahon Trophy):
Cambridge University: David Nelson, Joel Jennings, Daniel Rix-Standing, Alexander Kasas, Michael Thorp, Fred Gill, Hardy Cubasch, Geoffrey Roth, Thomas Fieldman (cox), Donald Legget (coach).

Waikato University: Matthew Glenn, Richard Harrison, Andrew Healey, Giacomo Thomas, Anthony Berkers, Andrew Myers, Jonathan Nabbs, Finian Scott, Matt Lobb, Ainslee Ashton (cox), Ross Tong (coach).

- © Fairfax NZ News