Wednesday 31 March
New Mum Tait takes aim at third Olympics
Gene Stephan, West Australian, 31/3/10
Beijing Olympic rowing captain Sarah Tait has abandoned retirement plans, following the birth of her first child last year, to campaign for a third straight Olympic Games in London in 2012.
A member of the women's eight at the Athens Olympics who found themselves caught up in the "Lay Down Sally" affair, Tait is not ready to give up after failing to win a medal at the past two Olympics.
Tait, who was just 21 and a relative newcomer in the national senior squad in Athens six years ago, said the incident destroyed the hopes of the entire crew.
She returned as captain for Beijing hoping for the medal which eluded her four years earlier after winning gold and silver in World Cup competition leading up to the Olympic Games.
The result in Beijing was no different from the sixth which the women's eight achieved in Athens.
"Everyone has moved on from Athens but it is quite ironic to finish sixth at two Olympics if you take into account the enormous controversy which followed the final of the women's eight in Greece," Tait said.
"Neither result was up to expectation and the reason why I have decided to get back on the water to compete for another couple of years."
She said she loved being a mum to eight-month-old Leila but also loved rowing and was not yet ready to give up completely.
Tuesday 30 March
Kiri makes right sporting choice
Andrew Prentice, Manly Daily, 30/3/10
TWO years ago Kiri English-Hawke anxiously sat in a waiting room to see her physician, Dr Tom Cross.
The diagnosis wasn't good – she required an arthroscopy on her left knee, putting an end to the plethora of team sports she was involved in across the peninsula.
Instead of bemoaning her situation, the Stella Maris student wanted to know what sports she could do.
Swimming or rowing was the reply – Kiri didn't fancy staring at a black line each morning in a pool, so she chose the latter.
It was a wise choice, with the 15-year-old part of the under-17 coxed quad outfit that recently snared the title at the national championships on Victoria's Lake Nagambie.
"It is funny when you look at the situation, getting that (bad) news from my doctor was the best thing that could have happened to me," she said. "Before I started rowing I had quite a bit on. If it wasn't netball, it was athletics, representative basketball or surf lifesaving. I was really straining myself, but I love being active."
These days she is on the water six mornings a week, under the watchful eye of former Olympian Stani Slavova.
Kiri believes it won't be long before she is at the peak of her powers, oar in hand.
"I am very fortunate to be in a position where I am coached by people who have a long-term involvement with the sport," she said. "Steve Jaques was great in teaching me the basics, he has been to the Olympics and knows what is required in order to be successful. Same with Stani, we always work on the little things that make all the difference."
Kiri also believes her future in the sport is with the team events, but will continue to compete individually to maintain her fitness levels.
The girls that I won (nationals) with are unbelievable, we work really well as a team," she said.
We are always improving and have been given some great opportunities. Hopefully we can keep it up."
Monday 29 March
Legends invited to trials
Ballarat Courier, 29/3/10
BALLARAT sporting legend Anthony Edwards, James Marburg, former Ballarat Grammar School oarsman Tom Swann and Ballarat Clarendon College head of the lake competitor Sarah Heard have been invited to the Australian rowing selection trials at the Sydney International Regatta Centre next month.
A total of 63 male and female rowers have been invited to the senior A trials, where a number of crews will be named to compete at two World Cups in Europe.
From this squad, a final team will be named for the 2010 World Rowing Championships in New Zealand from October 31.
The now Tasmanian-based Edwards, Marburg and Heard are among 16 Beijing Olympians, who all had a year out of the boat in 2009, among the invitees.
A three-time Olympic medallist, Edwards is one of 14 lightweights contesting selection.
The selection trials start on Friday, April 23 and run until Sunday, May 2.
Wednesday 24 March
Pre-dawn river pilgrimage to healing rhythm of oars
Doug Stewart, Daily Telegraph, 24/3/10
WHERE do you go after the surgeon has cut out your malignant lump, while chemotherapy scours your insides and steals your hair? Lillian Hayes goes to the river.
Having fought two breast cancers three years apart, Hayes, 62, could be forgiven for reclining on a grassy bank, dabbling her toes in the shallows.
But that is not the purpose of her journey.
Hayes's pilgrimage is to Abbotsford and the Sydney Women's MLC Rowing Club where in the pre-dawn light she grasps an oar and feels the water beneath her.
"It's therapeutic. To see the sunrise reaffirms that you're still on the Earth. No matter how bad you're feeling, it's great to be on the water," she said.
"It's most unpleasant being on chemotherapy but having to get up having a reason to get up is good for you. Between bouts of chemo, another rower in the club, Jan Emery, would come around and take me to the river. She was very supportive, which was an enormous help."
Last year Hayes postponed a left mastectomy to row at the National Masters then completed a life-goal, finishing the 4.2km single scull Head of the Parramatta.
"I thought if I didn't do it then I might never do it. The first time I was diagnosed with breast cancer I was gungho I'll get on top of this. The second time was very emotional. It exposed my vulnerability, I wasn't indestructible like my kids thought," she said.
This Saturday, Hayes will row in the centenary regatta of her club at 8am, finishing near Bayview Park, Burwood, and also compete in a special event sponsored by The Daily Telegraph for breast cancer survivors.
Tuesday 23 March
Picture-perfect wedding for Zoe
Kiama Independent, 23/3/10
KIAMA'S Beijing Olympic Games rowing representative Zoe Uphill married fiance Brendan Lynham in a picture-perfect ceremony at St Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Kiama on Sunday.
Zoe, a former student at St Peter and Pauls, and Brendan, celebrated afterwards with 120 guests at the Sebel Harbourside, Kiama in a cocktail-style reception.
Among the guests were fellow Olympic teammates as well as rowers from the Australian Institute of Sport, family and friends.
The wedding was photographed by close friend and local wedding photographer David Paillas, who found the challenge of photographing a bridal party, all of whom were six feet (182cm) or more, with the groom six feet seven or just above two metres.
"I would say this is the tallest wedding party I have photographed in 21 years of wedding photography," Mr Paillas said.
The couple are honeymooning in the Cook Islands, after which Zoe will make a decision on whether to push for selection for the 2010 London Olympic Games.
Thursday 18 March
Churchie takes title
Queensland Country Life, 18/3/10
WILD weather last weekend saw only the Open First, Second and Third VIII crews race at the annual Head of the River GPS Rowing Championship, at Lake Kawana, Sunshine Coast.
The 1st VIIIs raced first and after a false start, the battle was on for the 2010 O'Connor Cup. Churchie's 1st VIII rowed valiantly past both Gregory Terrace and The Southport School (TSS), crossing the line 1.3 seconds ahead of TSS, reclaiming the O'Connor Cup after 2005. Nudgee cane in third.
Churchie's 2nd VIII also won their race, crossing 1.6 seconds ahead of the Nudgee College crew.
The decision to go ahead with just the First, Second and Third VIII races was due to these crews being predominantly Year 12 students, the majority of whom have been training for years for this race.
Rescheduling of the entire event to another weekend was considered by the heads of the GPS, however due to other bookings at Lake Kawana this was not possible.
Peter Chapman, on behalf of the heads of GPS, said all members of the GPS were disappointed the weather did not enable the full program of races to be held this year.
"However, the safety of our students is our number one concern," he said.
Wednesday 17 March
Grammar girls nation’s best
Gippsland Times & Maffra Spectator, 12/3/10
GIPPSLAND grammar's schoolgirls' coxed quad crew won the national title at Nagambie.
The girls began well, and managed to maintain a good lead, sticking to their plan to hold off a late challenge from Sacred Heart, Geelong to win by more than a second.
The crew, Molly Connolly, Tess Morrison, Melissa Irving, Fiona Munson and cox Louise Kemsley, admitted to being relieved after finishing first, saying the hard work they had put in over the season had paid off.
The schoolboys' coxed quad finished fourth in the final.
After a slower than expected start, the crew of Tom Sellings, James Gray, Jackson Harrison, Sam Vuillermin and cox Georgia Banks did its best to recover, finishing just 0.4sec outside the medals.
Newcastle Grammar won what was a quick final.
The Gippsland Grammar crew also came fifth in the under 19 open quad scull behind combination teams seeking national selection.
Grammar sent 21 rowers to the championships, who had to contend with conditions ranging from warm weather to storms over the week.
The school sent two 'B' teams to compete in the coxed quad. The boys' crew came fourth in the schoolboys' B final and just finishing the final of the under 17s.
Coach Frank Stone said the results in A finals over recent years had placed the school among the best, not a bad effort considering the number of rowing the Grammar has to pick from compared to other schools.
"Undoubtedly, we're the top regional school in Victoria. Without doubt we're at least in the top five of regional schools in Australia," Stone said.
With a growing number of rowers joining the school's program, more help is needed to coach.
Anyone with a rowing background is asked to phone Frank Stone on 0408 993 038.
Tuesday 16 March
Grammar row into records
Newcastle Herald, 16/3/10
THE record books of the Australian Rowing Championships now bear the name "Newcastle Grammar School".
Newcastle Grammar's 2000-metres schoolboy coxed quad scull team shaved four seconds of the Australian record with a time of six minutes and 28.68 seconds at Nagambie Lake in Victoria on March 7.
The team featured Brandon Brown, Christian Moore, Steven Carroll and Tristan Barrie as well as female member Emily Matheson.
Crews from Newcastle Grammar are now preparing to travel to New Zealand this week for the Maadi Cup.
Monday 15 March
Second so sweet for Geelong College
Geelong Advertiser, 15/3/10
GEELONG College may have fallen short against Methodist Ladies' College yesterday, but pipping Geelong Grammar at the post was just about as sweet as winning might have been.
More than 1800 rowers from across the state descended on the Barwon River over two days for the Head of the Schoolgirls' Regatta, the pinnacle of schoolgirl rowing in Victoria.
Methodist Ladies College, which has a long-running history of success in local waters, took out the final of the open eights, finishing ahead of Geelong College, Geelong Grammar and Caulfield Grammar.
Gippsland Grammar pulled off one of the upsets of the day, knocking over Sacred Heart in the division one coxed quad sculls.
MLC also took out the division two open eights, ahead of Melbourne Girls' Grammar, Geelong Grammar and Wesley.
Sacred Heart entered 14 teams, College 12 and Grammar 10.
Organisers said the weekend's regatta showcased Geelong's high level of rowing talent, with many crews reaching finals, including a number from small non-traditional rowing schools.
The prospects of the regatta, the largest all-female regatta in the southern hemisphere, staying in Geelong remain under threat as Nagambie tries to poach the event for the second time.
Friday 12 March
Rowers rewarded with trials
Launceston Examiner, 12/3/10
TASMANIA'S excellent showing at the national rowing championships last week has been recognised with numerous rowers from the state being invited to national trials in Sydney in April.
They include Lindisfarne's Olympic gold medallist Scott Brennan in the heavyweight men's single.
Brennan's clubmate and fellow Beijing Olympian Sam Beltz will also contest the lightweight men's double along with quadruple Olympian Anthony Edwards, of New Norfolk, Huon's Tom Gibson, Tamar pair Ali Foot and Blair Tunevitsch and Lindisfarne duo Shaun Finlayson and Nick Baker.
Olympic bronze medallist Kerry Hore, of New Norfolk, has been selected to trial for the women's single while former Tasmanian Kate Hornsey will contest the doubles representing Victoria's Mercantile club.
Tamar world-beaters Ingrid Fenger and Carly Cottam have been invited to tryout for the lightweight singles while Huon's Ella Flecker and Annabel Gibson, of Tamar, were named for the under-23 lightweight singles.
Mersey's Taylor Wilczynski will contest the under-23 singles with Adam Wertheimer, of University of Tasmania, and North Esk's Alexander Fowler in the under-23 double.
Several of the selections were subject to the rowers completing testing.
FIFTEEN-YEAR-OLDS Dylan Ellings and Mitchell Digney were the St Patrick's College team that claimed the bronze medal in the under-17 double sculls at the national rowing championships at Lake Nagambie last week.
Thursday 11 March
Boys show steel to win rowing silvers
Townsville Bulletin, 11/3/10
STUDENTS from The Cathedral School have brought home two silver medals from the National Rowing Championships.
A group of 11 students from the school headed to Melbourne for the championships and brought home silver medals in the under-17 boys quad scull and the schoolboys open quad scull.
The Years 10, 11 and 12 students raced at the Lake Nagambie course against more than 600 others from schools and rowing clubs.
Team member Alex Grunke, 16, said they had also placed fourth in an under-19s event where their opponents included experienced athletes.
"We're a fairly small school with limited resources ... it was a very tough competition," Alex said.
He said he hoped to continue with the sport after school and gain a spot at the Australian Institute of Sport.
Teammate Jacob Connor, 16, said the event was the most challenging he had taken part in.
"It was very tough in the under-19s race... we came fourth and the people who won were a composite team of university students and members of the Australian Institute of Sport," he said.
"It was a fun experience."
The students have been training hard since September with up to 12 sessions a week under the supervision of head coach Stephen Muhlenberg.
The school's rowing program manager, Katrina Wilshire, said competition was fierce.
"It was a real eye-opener for the students as they walked among past and future Olympians," Mrs Wilshire said.
She said the team had a great result at the Open New South Wales state rowing championships last month, but were still nervous heading into the national competition.
The under-17 girls double scull team of Alexandria McDonald and Alexandra Kanowski reached the semi-finals in their division.
Wednesday 10 March
Kinross rowers’ golden moment
Central Western Daily (Orange), 10/3/10
"IT was the best moment of my life."
Those were the words Kinross Wolaroi School's Declan Michell used to describe his team's stunning triumph in the Schoolboy Coxed IV final at the Australian Rowing Championships at Ngambie, Victoria on Sunday.
The national title continued Kinross' burgeoning reputation as a rowing powerhouse, with coach Joe Donnelly's troops finishing the week-long event as the most successful NSW school after two silver medals and a bronze on top of the Coxed IV's golden performance.
Michell, Michael Nagy, Matthew Simpson, Daniel Whitehead and cox Kathryn Pasquali led all the way in the 2km event in a performance Michell described as "absolutely faultless".
"We were all so excited, it was the best moment of my life," he said.
"Halfway through the race (I knew we were going to win). We were completely perfect through the water and were flying past the other crews. It was absolutely faultless."
The Kinross crew held a four-second lead at the 1500m mark after sectional 500m times of 1:39.01, 1:45.57 and 1:48.54, before scorching home over the final quarter in 1:43.47 to defeat Canberra Grammar School by three seconds and the Victorian based Xavier College by 5.38 seconds.
Nagy was elated to come away from nationals with a gold medal.
"I'm stoked, I can't believe it," he said.
"We always have a good start and we got off to a good start in the final. We kept pushing and finished off strongly. We've all done so much training. We train every week, so to get the reward for that is great."
The crew backed up its gold with a bronze medal in the under 19s Coxed IV, with Alistair Fleming replacing Pasquali as cox.
Whitehead got Kinross' week off to a great start, winning a silver medal in the under 17 boys' Single Scull final, following on from his gold medal in the same event at the NSW titles in February.
Whitehead's individual effort at Ngambie was even more impressive given nearly all of his training in the lead-up to the event had been focused on the Coxed IV event.
Kinross' outstanding meet was rounded off when Eloise Daniels, Briony Wills, Candice Williams, Harriet Hain and Samantha Gersbach (cox) won a silver medal in the Schoolgirls' Coxed IV event.
The result followed on from the Crina Dihel-coached crew's gold medal effort at the NSW titles in February, an event at which the Kinross club claimed 11 medals.
Thirty-five rowers and coxens from Kinross participated at nationals and along with the four medals won, they qualified for 7 'A' finals, by far the club's best result in its six-year history.
Tuesday 2 March
Class shines through
Shepparton News, 2/3/10
Change to time trial format doesn't affect elite rowers
Windy conditions wreaked havoc on the opening day of the 2010 Australian Rowing Championships at Lake Nagambie yesterday.
The high winds caused Rowing Australia officials to change the format for the time trials.
The change did not have a major effect, with most of the country's elite rowers advancing from the heats.
The women's open singles saw last year's World Championship double scull crew of Queenslanders Sally Kehoe and Pippa Savage dominate the field to move directly into the semi-finals.
Tasmanian Kerry Hore came in third, only two seconds behind.
The men's single scull featured a hotly contested field, with the winner of each heat progressing to the semi-final.
Reigning national champion and 2008 Beijing Olympic gold medallist David Crawshay, former champion Dan Noonan and South Australians James McRae and Chris Morgan were victorious in their respective heats.
The NSW combination of Samuel Lock and Nick Purnell set the fastest time in the men's pairs event, moving into the semi-finals along with fellow New South Welshmen Matthew Ryan and Fergus Pragnell.
Queenslander Hannah Every-Hall set the fastest time in the heats of the women's single lightweight scull.
Every-Hall will face stiff opposition against former world champions Alice McNamara and Ingrid Fenger when the event continues later this week.
Heats of the men's and women's double scull begin today.
