The organisers worked very hard to get everything right.”[4] It was predicted that it would take at least 70,000 people to make back the £16m price tag [but 66,000 attended].

[5] The event lost $2.2m and a report [6] by SPARC (Sport And Recreation New Zealand, rebranded as Sport New Zealand in 2012) [7] found that a lack of clarity around roles and responsibilities of the Karapiro 2010 Board was a factor, alongside others mostly relating to shortcomings in governance, inadequate financial management, and less revenue than expected from ticket sales.

[8] SPARC chief executive Peter Miskimmin said the review was a stark reminder for everyone involved in hosting major events in New Zealand, including the Government agencies which invest in them.

Miskimmin said, adding that the findings of the SPARC review would be used to develop additional good practice guidelines for those running future major events.

[8] With the roaring success of the world championships behind them, Rowing New Zealand is eager to make further use of their world-class facility at Lake Karapiro.