NSW: NZ to Aust oar-some foursome spend one more night at sea

AAP General News (Australia)
12-29-2007
NSW: NZ to Aust oar-some foursome spend one more night at sea

By Ilya Gridneff

SYDNEY, Dec 29 AAP - A team of four rowers will spend one more night at sea before
entering Sydney Harbour at sunrise tomorrow to complete the first trans-Tasman row.

Steven Gates, Andrew Johnson, Kerry Tozer and surfboat champion Sally Macready set
out on November 29 from Hokianga Harbour, north of Auckland.

When 80 km off the coast earlier today they were expected some time before midnight
tonight but a three knot current has hampered their efforts.

Spokesman for the team, Steve Barrett, said they are in good spirits and form as they
complete this final stretch toward Sydney.

"They have made good time but they are now expected to come in some time just before
sunrise," he told AAP.

"They have been applying the pressure and have been really spurned on by the television
helicopters today but they are probably not going to make in until 4am," he said.

Mr Barrett said the rowers will arrive at Watson's Bay in Sydney's east in darkness
and when the sun rises make the trip across to Neutral Bay, to begin the Australian Customs
process.

"They have literary come from overseas and international protocols like customs and
immigration have to be followed," he said.

After a short break the rowers will row into the wharf at the Hay Street Customs centre
before being officially allowed to enter Australia, he said.

Prior to this minor delay easterly winds favoured the foursome, who reached their halfway
mark in just 15 days.

The parents of the rowers fronted reporters today along with Mr Gates' partner Allison
Stanfield and his daughters Sarah and Georgia Gates.

Ms Stanfield said Mr Gates sounded very tired and was anxious to get home when she
spoke to him this morning.

"They've been out to sea for over four weeks now so we're very keen to have them home,"

Ms Stanfield said.

"Obviously it's a bit worrying having them out on the high seas for that long."

Bound in the opposite direction, Sydneysiders James Castrission, 25, and Justin Jones,
24, continue towards Auckland in rough conditions on their own quest to paddle across
the Tasman.

Their nine metre purpose built kayak was bumped by two sharks yesterday - one measuring
up to half the length of their craft, a member of their support team said.

"The boys had been in the water cleaning the hull of barnacles when all of sudden Justin
had just got back inside and they started getting nudged by sharks," Tom Mitchell said.

Their 2,200 km voyage began at Forster, on the NSW mid-north coast, on November 13.

They reached their halfway point in early December but went around in circles for two
weeks in attempts to dodge persistent headwinds and a whirlpool of ocean currents.

They are now 458 km from Auckland, but their support team estimates the men have paddled
an extra 1,000 km as a result of their unplanned detours.

The two are still scheduled to arrive in Auckland around January 7.

AAP ig/cjh/

KEYWORD: KAYAKERS NIGHTLEAD (PIX AVAILABLE)

2007 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.