Australian and New Zealand rowers will race in the same boat in Paris in what is believed to be an Olympic first. Australia’s Jackson Kench, 25, and New Zealand’s Ben Taylor, 24 will team up to compete in the spare race at the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium on Friday after last-minute International Olympic Committee approval. Historically, the race allows reserve rowers to compete ahead of the regatta to test the starting, tracking and timing systems.
” The self-titled “ANZAC Pair” met as junior rowers in 2017 and kept in touch over the years, before Kench pitched the idea about two weeks ago. “We asked the coaches, and there wasn’t really much convincing to be honest, so once we got that across the line it was awesome,” Taylor said. “This year has been tough for both of us, not getting to our goal but it’s a pretty cool silver lining to be at the Olympics and be a reserve so to have this as well is just the icing on the cake ...