Sydney International Regatta Centre, Penrith: The first session of
rowing of the Australia Olympic Youth Festival has been completed. In cool
cross-wind conditions the young rowers raced heats of the single sculls and
pairs on bumpy water.
Queensland winning Heat 2 of the Mens Coxless Pairs
The competition is based on state basis as well as New Zealand racing.
The first session was an outstanding success to Queensland who won four of the
eight heats and had all their other crews progress to the A finals.
Suzanne Brown and Tara Kelly (pictured recorded wins for Queensland in the two heats
of the single sculls. Other Queensland wins were recorded by the women’s pair
and men’s pair.
New Zealand rowers also had a good first session with heat wins by Simon Lack
in the single scull and Lucy James and Phoebbe Gibbons in the pair. Lack from
Hawks Bay Rowing Club near Napier on the North Island said after the race: "it
was pretty controlled I had a poor start but came through. In the final I will
give it my hardest, if it is not on the day, it is not on the day I suppose."
With most New Zealand crews progressing to the A finals Lack said: "We had 10 days
of pretty intensive training at Karapiro and our coaches, I put it down to that."
Lack’s major competition will come from Queenslander Eugene Arendsen, a silver
medallist at the World juniors who finished second in his heat to NSW sculler
Nick Hudson. Despite his second place in this morning’s heat Arendsen had the
rate down coming to the finish. "It was good the Sydney guy Hudson had quite a
good run we pretty eased off in the second half it was comfortable, it was good
fun." (Picture: "Nick Hudson - NSW - preparing for his start")
The women’s single scull is shaping to be a battle of the two Queensland
heat winners Suzanne Brown and Tara Kelly. Brown had a nerve racking start
with her foot stretcher being required to be replaced which resulted in her heat
being delayed for 90 minutes. Kelly, winner in the faster of the two heats,
just beat home New Zealander Simone Hudson. The rough conditions tested
all the rowers during the heats, Kelly said she thought: "just keep in controlled
and strong through the water, just stuck to my race plan." Looking towards the
final Kelly said: "I am pretty confident now I have the heat out of the way."
The second which will be the first lot of finals will commence at 2.00 p.m.
Eastern Summer Time. (Picture: "Start of the Womens Single Scull Heat")
