Graham Croker
Sydney University Boat Club and Women’s Rowing Club competitors and coaches have a busy week ahead with regattas in Switzerland, New Zealand and Australia.
The University has eight rowers in senior Australian crews presently finishing a 15-day training camp in Italy in between the 2010 World Cup 2 and 3 regattas. The World Cup 3 regatta will be held in Lucerne, Switzerland from 9-11 July.
At the recent World Cup 2 regatta in Munich, SUBC’s Nick Purnell and Sam Loch crewed with Joshua Dunkley-Smith and Will Lockwood to win gold in the men’s four.
They edged out British and US crews, with another Australian crew – featuring Sydney University’s Francis Hegarty and Matt Ryan – finishing fourth.
Purnell and Loch are also in the Australian Under 23 squad to compete at the World Championships in Belarus later in the year.
Also in the Australian team for the Lucerne regatta are Nick Hudson in the single scull (and reserve for the four and eight), Toby Lister (coxswain in the eight), Sally Kehoe (in the women’s double scull with Kim Crow), and Sarah Cook (in the women’s pair with Sarah Pait).
Meanwhile, the Sydney University women’s eight is currently in New Zealand representing Australia – having won the Australian University Games title – in the Trans-Tasman series against New Zealand Universities.
The eight will race over a 2km course in Queenstown today and Thursday, and a 5km course in Dunedin on Saturday.
The crew includes Ashleigh Peppernell, Beatrix Sheldrick, Laura Honson, Grace Faulkenmire, Sabrina White, Jess Salmon, Jo Wood, Sarah Sackville, Grace Michell and coxswain Genevieve Fick. The eight is coached by Will Townsend and managed by James Hardy.
And, closer to home, Sydney University is well represented in NSW crews for the Youth Cup regatta to be contested at the Olympic course at Sydney International Regatta Centre, Penrith, this Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
The Youth Cup includes men’s and women’s pairs, fours and eights, with crews from all Australian states and New Zealand.
Sydney University’s men’s representatives include Ryan Barraclough, Hamish Playfair and coxswain William Raven, while Marianna Doumains and Ellie Winstanley have been included in the women’s crews.
Sydney University’s Alan Bennett is lead coach and overall head coach for NSW at the regatta.
