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Sydney University Rowing has demonstrated the calibre and strength of its club with eight athletes being selected to represent Australia at the 2015 World Rowing Cup, and Rowing Championships in 2015.  

For the men, Sydney University have seven representatives in the team, the most of any club in Australia. The first World Cup this year will be held in Varese, Italy followed by Lucerne, Switzerland. Proceeding these events the crews will be evaluated and reviewed with a final squad being named for the 2015 World Rowing Championships which will be held in Aiguebelette, France. 

Sydney University representatives: 

Fergus Pragnell: Men’s Coxed Eight 

Matthew Ryan: Men’s Coxed Eight  

Nicholas Purnell: Men’s Coxed Eight

Jack Hargreaves: Men’s Coxless Pair

Nicholas Wheatley: Men’s Coxless Pair

Sasha Belonogoff: Men’s Double Scull

Cameron Girdlestone: Men’s Quadruple Scull

Sally Kehoe: Women’s Double Scull  

Each of these athletes have a number of prior accolades which gives them great experience leading into the upcoming competition. A number of athletes have also represented Sydney University in the Australian Boat Race in 2014 where the men’s eight won the Edmond Barton trophy. 

Jack Hargreaves and Nick Wheatley both competed in the under 23 World Championships in 2013, and in 2014 where they won a silver medal. Matt Ryan is returning to rowing after a couple of years off national representative duties with work and family commitments. He has rowed for Australia in the 2008 Beiijing and 2012 London Olympics and will be an asset to the Men’s Coxed Eight team. Matt was also in the crew that won seven NSW Kings Cup titles in a row. He was joined in this crew by Nick Purnell who represented Australia as a single sculler in 2013 and 2014 after also representing in the eight in London 2012. 

Fergus Pragnell is another member of the Men’s Coxed Eight along with Matt and Nick. He collected a bronze medal for Australia in the men’s four at the 2014 World Championships and was a reserve at the 2012 London Olympics.

Like our other very experienced Sydney University rowers, Sasha Belonogoff is no different. He has a number of sculling championships under his belt, most notably winning a bronze medal last year in the men’s double. 

Cameron Girdlestone rounds out Sydney Universities men’s representatives. This is his second year named in the Australian men’s quadruple scull. He finished top four in the national selection trials and should have a promising season of competition. 

The Universities female representative, Sally Kehoe now trains in Adelaide under Jason Lane. She has previously competed in the women’s double scull at the World Championships where she collected a silver medal. She will compete again with Olympia Aldersey also from Adelaide. 

Congratulations to all athletes named in the Australian team and we wish you the best of luck in your upcoming competitions. 

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