Day VII: Sunday 11 March
Victoria reigns supreme in King's Cup
Victoria has won their 65th King’s Cup after a dominant display at Nagambie Lakes, Victoria.
Cheered on by a large and parochial crowd, the Victorian crew finished strongly to take the race from NSW and Western Australia.
Entering the King’s Cup as raging hot favourites, the Victorians ran the race to script and were led home by stroke Drew Ginn and returning 5 times Olympic champion James Tomkins.
Tomkins, who has now won 15 King’s Cup races, had an extremely successful week and was pleased with his return to rowing at the top level.
“It’s the premier event in Australia and it’s great to be back rowing with the mighty Victoria”, Tomkins said. “It’s the great thing about the regatta finishing with the interstate regatta and being able to pull on the big V and represent the state.”
Victoria was also successful in the Queen’s Cup, with NSW and Western Australia again finishing in the minor placings.
Victoria also won the Women’s Youth Coxed Eight, the Men’s Single Scull and walked away from the interstate regatta with the Rowing Australia Cup as the champion state.
Media contact
David Polglase
Rowing Australia
0401 453 041
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Day VI: Saturday 10 March
Stars shine on Super Saturday
Australia’s top rowers have performed strongly on Day Six of the Australian Rowing Championships.
What is being touted as the next ‘Oarsome Foursome’ announced themselves as a formidable outfit this morning by claiming the national title of the Men’s Coxless Four. The two original foursome members Drew Ginn and James Tomkins formed a powerful combination with Queenslanders Duncan Free and Sam Conrad to take the final and draw cheers from a large crowd.
Tomkins was full of appreciation for his team mates, and is hoping to stay with the crew for future races. “It’s just fantastic rowing with a group of guys like this and I don’t have many years left so it would be a great way to go out in Beijing,” he said.
Queenslander Pippa Savage made it a golden triple for the week, joining with Kerry Hore (TAS), Sonia Mills (ACT) and Amy Ives (NSW) to take out the Women’s Quad Scull title. Savage is overwhelmed with her success in at the championships. “It’s an amazing feeling to have won three national titles,” she said. “I feel absolutely exhausted but it is worth all the training and hard work.”
In the Men’s Quad Scull, the South Australian crew of Chris Morgan, James McRae and Matthew Bolt had no problems with the forced substitution of Tim Hennessy due to a leg injury, combining with New South Welshman Peter Hardcastle to claim the title in a very close finish. “It worked from the start,” McRae said. “It was a good race the whole way down.” David Crawshay (VIC) finished with a bronze medal to add to his two gold medals from earlier in the week.
Both the Men’s and Women’s Lightweight Quad Sculls proved to be one sided affairs, with both finals won by a margin of around seven seconds. In the women’s Maja Fiddler and Miranda Bennet joined the top single lightweight scullers Amber Halliday and Marguerite Houston to claim the national title. Tom Gethin-Jones, Tim McDonnell, Matthew Bolster and Darryn Purcell were victorious in the men’s event.
Celebrating her 29th birthday in the best possible fashion Vicky Roberts teamed up with her AIS team mates Sally Kehoe, Kate Hornsey, Kim Crow, Sarah Cook, Natalie Bale, Sarah Heard and Robyn Selby Smith to win the Open Women’s Eight.
Media Contact
David Polglase
M: 0401 453 041
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Day V: Friday 9 March
Rowers bring their best to Nagambie
Another high quality day of rowing has announced new national champions on Day Five of the Australian Rowing Championships, with some expected and unexpected results.
The first national title of the day was snapped up by David Crawshay, his second of the week, and his team mate Chris Morgan in the Men’s Double Scull. Crawshay has been in top form all week, and is satisfied with his efforts. “It’s great to win another national title,” he said. “It wasn’t the prettiest race out there but I guess we did enough.” Morgan was nothing but complimentary of his partner. “David was too good in the single but it’s great that we were able to team up in the double to win the gold,” he said.
While Crawshay and Morgan were favourites for their final, reigning world champions Elizabeth Kell and Brooke Pratley were mowed down in the last hundred metres of the Women’s Double Scull final by Pippa Savage and Kerry Hore. It was Savage’s second title of the week after victory in the singles, and reflected a major improvement in her rowing. “It’s been a good nationals, only last year I’d never been on a podium before,” Savage said.
2006 world championship silver medallists in the Lightweight Double Scull Amber Halliday and Marguerite Houston were able to go one better by winning gold in the national title race today. After completing this goal, the pair is looking forward to future races. “It just means a lot to us to be the Australian champions in our event that we hope to take over again to the world championships,” Houston said.
It was a mixed affair in the Women’s Coxless Four, with three separate states represented in the winning crew. Victoria’s Robyn Selby Smith and Sarah Heard combined with Kate Hornsey of Tasmania and Queenslander Sally Kehoe to win the final. The girls were happy with their win, and the current high standard of competition in the Women’s draw. “It’s always good to get some good results…our squad is going really well at the moment,” said Hornsey. “We’ll keep training up until selections which are in five weeks and try to nail some good races there.”
Day Five also showcased three adaptive rowing finals for athletes with a disability. Sam Redding was victorious in the opening event, the Men’s Single Scull Category 2B, with Chris Murray claiming the national Sliding Seat Single Scull Category 1B title. Last up was a very close finish in the Men’s Double Scull Category 3, with Ben Vine and Mark Campbell prevailing. The adaptive athletes are looking forward to attempting to qualify for the Paralympic team for Beijing 2008, the first time adaptive rowing will be featured.
Media Contact
David Polglase
M: 0401 453 041
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Day IV: Thursday 8 March
Head winds dominate Day 4
Day 4 of the Australian Rowing Championships provided rowers with a second taste of strong, gusty head winds that provided extremely difficult conditions.
The time trial format was once again used for a number of events to provide fair racing conditions in the heats and semi finals.
2006 World Championships silver medallists Amber Halliday and Marguerite Houston set the quickest time with Miranda Bennet and Alice McNamara qualifying in second position for the final.
One of the highlights of the Day 5 program will be the Men’s Double Scull final following some noticeable performances from those competing for seats in the Australian team. Sam Beltz will be chasing his 3rd medal of the week when he teams up with fellow Tasmanian Tom Gibson. David Crawshay and Chris Morgan will also fancy there chances of winning gold after finishing first and second respectively in the Men’s Single Scull.
Drew Ginn and James Tomkins reunited in the Men’s Coxless Four only a day after Ginn and fellow 2006 World Champion Duncan Free outlasted Tomkins and Sam Conrad in the final of the Men’s Coxless Pair. The crew rowed impressively in rough conditions to establish themselves as firm favourites for the gold medal.
In the Adaptive Men’s Fixed Seat Final Single Scull final reigning world champion Dominic Monypenny won a tightly contested race that was the closest on record in this category. Kathryn Ross won the Adaptive Women’s Fixed Seat Single Scull Final from Melissa Halbert.
Four days of racing have now passed and there is a genuine sense of anticipation in the air as the interstate regatta draws closer. The 119th staging of the King’s Cup is sure to be an enthralling encounter as Victoria attempt to continue their dominance in the event.
Media Contact
David Polglase
M: 0401 453 041
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Day III: Wednesday 7 March
Champions on display on Day Three
Day three of the Australian Rowing Championships saw six national titles decided at Nagambie Lakes, in a high class rowing display.
2006 world champion pair Drew Ginn and Duncan Free looked every part world beaters as they outclassed the field in the Men’s Coxless Pair final, winning by approximately six seconds. Ginn and Free overcame choppy waters which relegated defending national champions James Marburg and Cameron McKenzie-McHarg to fifth after they caught a crab. “It was just who could row the least amount of bad strokes…a matter of patience and waiting until the water got better,” Free said.
The anticipated face off between former Oarsome Foursome members Ginn and James Tomkins was not a real feature of the race, with Tomkins and Sam Conrad finishing fourth. Despite some disappointment, Tomkins is optimistic about the near future. “It’s just great to be back in the mix for the Australian team,” he said. “I will be at my best in 14 months time. It’s going to be a long build up and this is one of the first stages of getting there…I’m very happy with how we’re going at the moment.”
The first title of the day was won by Pippa Savage, who won the Women’s Single Scull. Savage was thrilled to have beaten her role model, 2003 Quad Scull world champion Amber Bradley. “It’s amazing because I’ve always looked up to her and now I’ve beaten her,” she said. The Men’s Single Scull was won comfortably by David Crawshay, who was very pleased to have bettered his second placing last year. “Last year down in Tassie I was really cut up about giving it away…so that was motivation in a way to get it back,” he said.
Sarah Cook and Kim Crow repeated their dominant semi final performance to take out the Women’s Coxless Pair national title. The pair was excited by their efforts against a strong field, and is looking to improve even more ahead of national selection trials. “We’ve got to step up another level at national selections, so that will be our goal, just to get as fit as we can,” said Cook.
Amber Halliday fulfilled her ambitions by taking out the Women’s Lightweight Single Scull national title, while in the Men’s Lightweight Coxless Pair Michael McBryde and Todd Skipworth were victorious in the final. Heats and repechages of underage events were held in calmer waters throughout the afternoon.
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Day II: Tuesday 6 March
Competition heats up on Day Two
Calmer conditions have allowed a full day of racing on day two of the Australian National Championships, with the first medal ceremony and some close semi finals among the highlights.
Sam Beltz claimed the first and only title on offer, winning the Open Men’s Lightweight Single Scull. Beltz, from Tasmania, led for the duration of the race, finishing in a time of 7 mins 19.13 secs. Beltz held off strong challenges from Rod Chisholm and Michael McBryde who finished second and third respectively.
Beltz was very pleased with the result, particularly with the weather still affecting the course. “It’s always nice to get out there and get a win, especially when there are some great athletes around you,” Beltz said. “There was a bit of a head wind, which you could really feel through the middle of the course.”
While still windy, conditions on the water this morning were much calmer than yesterday, allowing the time trial format to be replaced by racing. Of the morning’s races the highlights came from the Men’s Coxless Pair, with several big names putting in strong performances ahead of tomorrow’s final.
Last year’s world champions Drew Ginn and Duncan Free qualified fastest by winning the second semi final, while five time Olympian James Tomkins and Sam Conrad won the first semi final with a time less than one second slower.
Tomkins and Ginn were keen to label each other the favourite for tomorrow’s final, and are ready for a tough contest. “I think Free and Ginn would be the favourites at this stage in the running, but let me tell you when I line up against Ginn there’s going to be fireworks,” Tomkins said.
This afternoon saw several under age heats in a range of boat sizes conducted in calm, warm conditions. After qualifying fastest for the Men’s Single Scull final, David Crawshay teamed up with Chris Morgan to comfortably qualify fastest for the semi finals in the Open Men’s Double Scull.
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Day I: Monday 5 March
Rowers blown away at Nagambie
The Australian Rowing Championships were cut short on day one due to high strength winds that whipped across the course at Nagambie Lakes, Victoria.
After a difficult morning on the water for all competitors the speed of the winds increased during the afternoon. Racing was stopped at approximately 1:00pm, and after some attempts to reschedule the afternoon’s events, day one competition was abandoned at around 3:00pm.
Those who did compete today needed to put in strong performances to qualify for semi finals and finals. Five time Olympian James Tomkins and team mate Sam Conrad have progressed to the semi finals of the Open Men’s Coxless Pair, qualifying second behind Karsten Forsterling and Christian Ryan, who finished with a time of 6 mins 45.58 secs. 2006 world champions Duncan Free and Drew Ginn also progressed to the semi finals.
Tasmanian Sam Beltz will be the favourite for victory in the Men’s Open Lightweight Single Scull final, after qualifying fastest in this morning’s time trials and then winning his semi final with a time of 7:38.61, around 10 seconds faster than his nearest rival. Beltz was happy with his performance, but remains wary of the other rowers in the field. “The wind is obviously making it tough and it was important that my time trial was good so that I had a favourable lane for the semi finals”, Beltz said. “I am looking forward to the final. Michael McBryde has been in some good form early in the season and Rod Chisholm has been impressive since moving over here from Great Britain.”
In the Women’s Coxless Pair time trials, Sarah Cook and Kim Crow were the most impressive with a time of 7:25.80, with Robyn Selby-Smith and Sarah Heard only around five seconds behind. Amber Bradley recorded the quickest time in the Women’s Single Scull while David Crawshay led the field in the corresponding men’s event.
Brett Watson
Rowing Australia
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