December 2006
Saturday 9 December
World Champions named Rowers of the Year
EMBARGOED UNTIL 9pm
Two Australian world champion crews have been honoured in the 2006 Rower of the Year Awards.
It an awards function held this evening (Saturday, 9 December 2006) at the National Museum of Australia in Canberra the Men’s Coxless Pair and Women’s Double Scull won the male and female awards respectively.
Duncan Free and Drew Ginn combined in the Coxless Pair at the 2006 World Championships to claim Gold in a highly contested event.
Brooke Pratley and Elizabeth Kell were paired in the Double Scull and won the gold ahead of the triple world champions Evers-Swindell pair from New Zealand.
Noel Donaldson, High Performance Director at Rowing Australia, said the two crews were deserved winners.
“To win a World Championship is an excellent effort”, Donaldson said. “Both crews have had an outstanding year and will be striving to repeat this success in the future. They have received due recognition for their performances.”
A list of all award winners is outlined below:
Male Rower/Crew Duncan Free/Drew Ginn
Female Rower/Crew Brooke Pratley/Elizabeth Kell
Coach Adrian David
Volunteer David Deeble
Rower’s Rower Brooke Pratley
For more information please call David Polglase on
(02) 6273 0232 or 0401 453 041
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Thursday 7 December
Tomkins returns to the sport he loves
James Tomkins’ return to rowing has gained momentum during the last week as he strives to compete in his sixth Olympic Games.
Tomkins, 41, is currently in Canberra with the Australian National Rowing Squad as the team builds towards the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008.
Tomkins has not raced internationally since claiming gold with Drew Ginn in the Coxless Pair at the 2004 Athens Olympics but admits the desire is still there to compete at the highest level.
“Rowing has been such a big part of my life and while I am still enjoying it I will not walk away from the sport”, Tomkins said. “I have never contemplated retiring and just needed a break after Athens.”
Tomkins, who has not been part of the Australian squad for two years, is adapting well to the training regime imposed by the coaches at the camp.
“I have been doing a lot of cross training over the past six months and have only been spending a couple of days a week on the water”, said Tomkins. “This week has emphasised that I still feel comfortable competing at the highest level and I can’t wait for the season to begin.”
Noel Donaldson, High Performance Director, has welcomed the return of one of Australia’s most decorated athletes.
“It is great having James back in the Rowing Australia set up”, said Donaldson. “Having someone of his experience and expertise involved in any squad is a bonus and he has always been a pleasure to work with.”
Australia’s elite rowers will return for another camp in January before the Australian team is chosen in April for the 2007 World Championships.
For further information please contact David Polglase on
(02) 6273 0232 or 0401 453 041
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November 2006
Thursday 30 November
World Champions and Olympic rowers race for cash
The inaugural “Black Mountain Rowing Club Sculls Challenge” will be held this Saturday on Lake Burley Griffin. Australian international representative rowers will be taking part in the race for prize money. This is the first event of its kind in the history of ACT rowing.
The BMRC Sculls Challenge will be raced over 1800m and is open to women single scullers. Twenty scullers have entered and will be competing for over $2,000 in prize money with first place winning $1,000 and all finalists sharing in the remaining prize money. Senator Kate Lundy, Shadow Minister for Sport and Recreation will be presenting the prizes.
Peter Wright, President of Black Mountain Rowing Club, said he is looking forward to the inaugural event. “This is a fantastic opportunity to see up close Australia’s best women scullers and future Beijing Olympians”.
Entrants include 2006 World Championship medallists and Australian Institute of Sport Scholarship holders Sally Kehoe, Sonia Mills, Sarah Cook, Robyn Selby Smith and Brooke Pratley. These rowers will be joined by other AIS Scholarship holders along with local ACT Academy of Sport and club scullers including Yasmin Burraston, Emma Cook, Erin Neil and Ailie McDonald.
There will be four heats beginning at 7:35am. The winner of each will progress straight to the Final. The second place getter in each heat will have to fight it out for the remaining two spots in a semi-final to be held at 9:44am. The Final will be started at 11:48am with the presentation ceremony to take place immediately afterwards.
Prizemoney in Australia for single scull races in the early 1900s was commonplace and involved competitors from Australia, England and America.
These international events attracted a huge spectator following.
This is the first time in ACT Rowing history that prizemoney has been offered and Black Mountain Rowing Club and the event sponsor Construction Control are delighted to be able to support these dedicated athletes in their preparations for International competition.
The final of the BMRC Sculls Challenge will be rowed at 11:48am at Yarramundi Reach at the base of Black Mountain on Lady Denman Drive.
For further details, please contact Camilla Hayman
on 0411 108 814.
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Thursday 9 November
Rowing Press aiming to make impact
The 3rd edition of Rowing Press will be released on Friday 10 November.
Rupert Guinness, a successful sports journalist for 25 years, launched the monthly rowing bulletin shortly after the 2006 Rowing World Championships.
Guinness was an enthusiastic rower before he entered the world of journalism. He rowed for Kings College in Sydney and also for the Sydney Rowing Club.
He is hoping that the newsletter will be able to provide additional coverage to the sport of rowing.
“Rowing doesn’t receive the same coverage as some high profile sports, such as the football codes or cricket” Guinness said. “We are hoping that by producing this newsletter the sport will be able to gain the publicity it deserves.”
Rowing Press is still only a small company with Guinness being aided by only two other journalists, as well as a number of loyal volunteers.
The upcoming edition of Rowing Press will feature an article on Sonia Mills, who will provide an inside view of the Australian women’s rowing team. There will also be an analysis of Round 2 of the Australian time trials, reports from several states and an article remembering the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games.
To read all editions of Rowing Press visit www.rowingpress.net.
For further information please contact David Polglase on (02) 6273 0232 or 0401 453 041.
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Wednesday 8 November
2006 FISA Rowing Awards
The annual FISA rowing awards were held on Saturday 4 November at Limassol, Cyprus.
The event was held in conjunction with the World Rowing Coaching Conference.
Adrian David, coach of Australia’s women’s double and lightweight double sculls, was a finalist for the prestigious Coach of the Year Award.
Despite not winning the award, David’s achievements have been exceptional. He guided the Australian women’s double scull to gold in the 2006 World Championships, whilst also helping the women’s lightweight double claim silver.
Andrew Dee, Chief Executive Officer of Rowing Australia, says it’s a fine acknowledgement for one of the world’s best coaches.
“Adrian is an outstanding coach and mentor for our rowers”, Dee said. “He deserved his nomination after the hard work and enthusiasm he has placed into rowing in Australia.”
David, who began coaching in Romania in 1976, would have been the first Australian to claim the Coach of the Year Award.
For further information and to arrange photo and interview opportunities contact David Polglase on (02) 6273 0232 or 0401 453 041.
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October 2006
Thursday 5 October
Legendary World Rowing Coach on the Gold Coast
One of the worlds leading Rowing coaches for the past three decades, Thor Nilsen, will be on the Gold Coast this weekend to discuss how Australia can improve the development of our elite rowers.
He will join other experts from around the world and Australia at the Croker Oars “Creating Our Future Champions” Conference at the Raddisson Hotel from 6 to 8 October.
The objective of this 3 day conference is to align technique development, training methodology and physical preparation of athletes from beginner to elite levels.
Andrew Dee, CEO of Rowing Australia, says a record number of coaches will attend.
“We’re lucky to have a number of leading international and domestic rowing experts who will educate our coaches about improving their athletes. Delegates will hear presentations by some of the most respected international authorities on rowing including the Development Director of FISA, Thor Nielson, High Performance Manager for Rowing New Zealand, Andrew Matheson, and Olympic Rowing Gold Medalist, Drew Ginn” said Mr Dee.
Noel Donaldson, High Performance Director of Rowing Australia, will present a review of Australian rowing and identify the ideal technique for use at all levels of rowing.
“All presentations at the Croker Oars Conference will help to further develop the sport, athletes and coaches” said Mr Donaldson.
“The conference is all about improving Australian rowing. It will involve the most talented and knowledgeable coaches from around the world sharing experience and expertise, which will be invaluable to the sport”, he said.
Rowing Australia would like to thank Croker Oars, the Australian Sports Commission and the Queensland Government for supporting the event.
For further information and to arrange photo and interview opportunities contact Rowena Harbridge on (02) 6273 0232 or 0438 463 370.
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September 2006
Wednesday 27 September 2006
Rowing Hits Jackpot
Rowing Australia has welcomed the announcement that the rowing finals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics will be screened at the viewer friendly time of 5 – 6pm.
While other sports will be broadcast at less favourable times, rowing is a winner in the broadcasting schedule.
Rowing Australia’s CEO, Andrew Dee, says it’s a major boost for the sport.
“We’ll be sending a strong team to Beijing and I know the athletes will appreciate the finals being broadcast at a time when there’ll be a big audience watching it at home.”
“Television coverage is important to publicise the efforts of our athletes and we’re delighted with this outcome” said Mr Dee.
The Road to Beijing for Australia’s rowing team begins at the AIS in Canberra on December 4 when invited athletes begin trialling for places in the 2008 Olympic squad.
75 athletes will undertake various training and testing exercises at the National Camp to measure their physical fitness and endurance levels.
Athletes attending the Camp will comprise Senior A team members and up and coming stars from the Under 23 team.
The first camp will host 35 athletes and will run from December 4 to 10. A second camp for 40 athletes and will run from 10-15 December.
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August 2006
Monday 28 August 2006
Aussies building for Beijing
Australia has finished the World Rowing Championships in Eton, Great Britain second on the medal tally after winning a further four medals on the final day of racing yesterday.
Defending world champion Dominic Monypenny was able to replicate Australia's golden efforts from the penultimate day of racing when he won gold in the Adaptive Men’s Single.
The Women's Lightweight Double Scull combination of Marguerite Houston and Amber Halliday claimed silver behind China's Xu Dongxiang and Yan Shimin.
Australia's Women's Eight crew, the defending world champions, won bronze behind the United States and Germany. Robyn Selby Smith, Jo Lutz, Amber Bradley, Sarah Cook, Kim Crow, Sarah Heard, Emily Martin, Kate Hornsey and cox Lizzie Patrick finished in a time of 6:00.29.
The Men's Eight finished fourth behind Germany, Italy and the United States.
The Women's Quadruple Scull of Catriona Sens, Sonia Mills, Dana Faletic and Sally Kehoe also won bronze behind Russia, with host nation Great Britain in second.
Australia finished behind Great Britain in the medal tally but five of the medals were in the Olympic class and Australia, along with China, were the only two countries to win two gold medals in the Olympic class boats.
"We have enough pride to always want to be in the top few in the world," Rowing Australia's High Performance Director Noel Donaldson said.
“Our goal for Beijing is clear: part of our business plan is to be the number one ranked nation in the world. So it's solid. It's good that we're setting high standards."
Donaldson also said the undisputed highlight of the championships was Brooke Pratley and Liz Kell's victory in the final of the Women's Double Scull on Saturday.
Visit the Rowing Australia website, www.rowingaustralia.com.au, for race results and reports, interviews with members of the Australian Team and extensive image galleries. (All World Championships images displayed on the Rowing Australia website are available from AAP and www.rowingphotos.com.au.)
For further information, contact Greg Howell, Rowing Australia's Elite Program Manager, on 0407 942 181.
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Sunday 27 August 2006
Gold: three from three for Aussie rowers
The Australian Rowing Team won three gold medals from the three finals they raced overnight at the 2006 World Rowing Championships in Eton, Great Britain.
First up, the Women’s Coxless Four of Robyn Selby Smith, Jo Lutz, Amber Bradley and Kate Hornsey successfully defended their 2005 title, with Selby Smith and Hornsey backing-up from the 2005 combination. By the half way mark (1000 metres) the Australians had a boat length’s lead over China and Germany, and held off all challengers to take the gold in a time of 6:25.25. All four will race in tonight’s Women’s Eight A Final.
Next, the experienced pair of Duncan Free and Drew Ginn in the Men’s Coxless Pair. The Australians had advanced to the A Final by winning their heat and semi-final and were drawn beside the apparent main danger and defending World Champions, New Zealand.
By the 1500 metre mark, the pair had established clear water between themselves and the remainder of the field, and held off the chasing pack to take the gold medal in a time of 6:18.00 from New Zealand and Canada.
Free’s assessment of the race:
“It did go to plan. We had a really good start and middle thousand. It was a little lumpy in the last 500m, so we made sure we didn’t make any mistakes and did what it takes to get over the line first.”
The young Australian combination of Brooke Pratley and Liz Kell had rowed well above their experience level to advance to the A Final of the Women’s Double Scull. The pair began well and held second place after 500 metres behind the favourites, the Olympic and World Champions the Evers-Swindell twins from New Zealand.
By 1000 metres Kell and Pratley had taken the lead, and held off the German crew to take the gold medal in a time of 6:47.47, with New Zealand third.
“There’s no reason to be afraid. You are not afraid of anyone. You go out there and do what you can do. Everyone has got some pretty strong people. Everyone is strong. Everyone is rowing well. It is really the stuff in the head that gets you through to the line,” Kell said post-race.
In tonight's racing (Australian crews from AEST 21:00), Australians will contest eight A Finals including the Adaptive Men’s Single and the Women’s Eight, in both of which Australia is the defending World Champion.
Visit the Rowing Australia website, www.rowingaustralia.com.au, for race results and reports, interviews with members of the Australian Team and extensive image galleries.
For further information, contact Greg Howell, Rowing Australia's Elite Program Manager, on 0407 942 181.
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Saturday 26 August 2006
Aussies blitz semi-finals at the 2006 World Rowing Championships
Australia's rowers were again in the thick of the action on day six of the World Rowing Championships in Eton, Great Britain with another six crews moving into the weekend's finals to challenge for medals.
The Men's Eight of James Chapman, James Marburg, Matt Ryan, Sam Conrad, Tom Laurich, Karsten Forsterling, Cameron McKenzie McHarg, Jeremy Stevenson and cox Marty Rabjohns, qualified fastest for last night's semi-final and turned in another dominant performance to take out the race and qualify with a time of 5:47.80.
With Australia looking to claim its first victory in the event at the World Championships in 20 years, bowman Chapman said despite their finish, the crew can still improve for the final.
“The main pressure on us is what we put on ourselves," he said. "We have prepared well and all of us felt good for today’s semi-final. We want to do the best race we can. We know if we row well, (if) we row the best we can, we will go fast. It will make a good race for us.
“I know that there are areas we can improve on. And that’s a really positive thing. It’s exciting to know we can improve on that semi-final row.”
Australia's lightweight rowers were also particularly dominant on day six. The Men's Lightweight Coxless Pair of Tim Smith and Cameron Wurf won their semi-final, as did the Women's Lightweight Double Scull of Marguerite Houston and Amber Halliday, and the Men's Lightweight Double Scull of Tasmanians Sam Beltz and Tom Gibson. The Men's Lightweight Coxless Four of Todd Skipworth, Ben Cureton, Michael McBryde and Tim O'Callaghan finished third. All crews will contest the A finals on Sunday.
Defending Adaptive Men’s Single World Champion Dominic Monypenny won his heat last night to move into Sunday’s A Final.
In tonight's racing (Australian crews from AEST 18:46), Australians will contest the A Finals in the Women’s Coxless Four, the Men’s Coxless Pair and the Women’s Double Scull.
Visit the Rowing Australia website, www.rowingaustralia.com.au, for race results and reports, interviews with members of the Australian Team and extensive image galleries.
For further information, contact Greg Howell, Rowing Australia's Elite Program Manager, on 0407 942 181.
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Friday 25 August 2006
More Australian crews through to the weekend’s A finals of the 2006 World Rowing Championships
A further two Australian crews won through to the weekend's A finals on the fifth day of racing at the World Rowing Championships at Eton, Great Britain last night.
The Men's Coxless Pair of former world and Olympic champion Drew Ginn and Duncan Free pipped the Great Britain crew to win their semi-final, while the young New South Wales combination of Liz Kell and Brooke Pratley rowed with distinction to finish second in their semi-final of the Women's Double Scull.
Ginn and Free, already looking relaxed as a pairing despite their limited international experience racing together, started well in their semi-final and overcame a very difficult tailwind.
At the 500 metre mark the Australians were sitting just .23 seconds ahead of the competitive Italian crews. Australia, Italy and Great Britain then went stroke for stroke at the 1000 metre mark, with Canada emerging as a new threat.
The Italians dropped off around the 1500 metre mark when the Australians, still holding a slim lead over Great Britain, missed a stroke and slowed dramatically.
Ginn and Free used all of their experience to regain their composure and take the semi final in a time of 6:22.87 from Great Britain and Canada and will no doubt challenge in Saturday's A final.
Pratley and Kell were pitted against world and Olympic champions, sisters Georgina and Caroline Evers-Swindell from New Zealand, and took the fight to them early.
The Australians were within half a length of the Kiwis and the Chinese crew at the 500 metre mark and in the second 500 Kell and Pratley fought off the Chinese to hold second place. A late charge from Ukraine was not enough to bump the Australians from second.
Heartened by their performance in the testing conditions, Kell and Pratley said the signs were looking good to de-throne the New Zealanders on Saturday.
"In world rowing, no-one can be on top forever," Kell said. "You have to choose whether you are going to be the crew to end that reign.
"For me the most important thing is to have confidence. And that is definitely there now. And that race just then (the semi-final), even though it was pretty ugly, the speed was definitely there. But we still have a lot to work on which is good because that will make the boat go faster.
In addition, Pratley said there is still room for improvement in the final.
"We were rating about 30 (strokes per minute) in the third 500m," she said. "I think we were under rating seriously. It was a big improvement (on the heat) but we have a lot to work on in the next 48 hours.
"We haven’t really had a chance to open up and see what speed this boat potentially has. This morning, over the first kilometre we were with the Kiwis all the way, so I guess that is a good sign. But as Liz (Kell) said we are specialists in headwind. In tailwind we are not bad but we just have to work out what we can do in those conditions."
In the Men's Coxless Four C Final, Australia's David McGowan, Jaxon Rudduck, Stefan Szczurowski and Francis Hegerty finished third to officially place 15th overall in the event.
Craig Jones and the young Chris Morgan won their C/D semi-final in the Men's Double Scull, then took third in the C Final behind Hungary and Italy.
Women's Eight reserve Claire Shields also took first in her C/D semi-final followed by second in the C Final of the Women's Single Scull. The Tasmanian, in her first regatta in a sculling boat, is using the race to keep her form in case she is called on to race in the women's blue ribbon event.
In tonight's racing (AEST, from 18:40), Dominic Monypenny, 2005 World Champion in the Adaptive Men's Single, lines up in the heats. As well, Australian crews will contest the A/B semi-finals in the Men's Lightweight Coxless Pair, the Women's and Men's Lightweight Double Scull, the Men's Lightweight Coxless Four and the Men's Quad Scull.
Visit the Rowing Australia website, www.rowingaustralia.com.au, for race results and reports, interviews with members of the Australian Team and extensive image galleries.
For further information, contact Greg Howell, Rowing Australia's Elite Program Manager, on 0407 942 181.
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Wednesday 23 August 2006
Australian crews scintillating in the opening days of the 2006 World Rowing Championships
Australian crews have made a scintillating start to the World Rowing Championships in Eton, Great Britain this week. Racing began on Dorney Lake on Sunday night (Australian time) and after three days of rowing, Australia has already qualified for three A finals and eight semi-finals.
Australia’s Women’s Eight crew will be stalking back-to-back world titles on Sunday, after a dominant performance in their heat. Australia won its heat by 1.02 seconds from Germany and Romania and the five members from last year’s World Championship’s crew that triumphed in Gifu, Japan, looked particularly comfortable.
The Women’s Quad Scull crew was similarly composed in their heat as they too progressed straight to Sunday’s A Final. Stroked by Queensland’s Sally Kehoe, Australia led Germany by 0.88 seconds by the 500 metre mark and then Kehoe, Dana Faletic, Sonia Mills and Catriona Sens extended their lead to finish ahead of Germany and China.
The Men’s Eight crew rowed the day’s fastest time on Monday, as they claimed their heat in a scorching time of 5:26.86. The Australian’s finished 2.6 seconds ahead of Italy as they progressed comfortably into the semi-final.
"This has been a tremendous start for all of the rowers with a number of crews building up well for their semi-finals and finals," Rowing Australia's High Performance Director, Noel Donaldson, said.
"Monday was a particularly big day. Every crew got their desired result and now the team is focussed on building momentum into the finals.
"If the majority of the team is performing everyone is happy, and then in turn energy levels are high, so we're very pleased.
"The initial results have also been good for the young members of the squad as they now know how it feels to win."
Meanwhile, dual Olympic gold medallist Drew Ginn is looking at another tilt at international glory. He and new crew mate Duncan Free blitzed their heat of the Men’s Coxless Pairs in a time of 6:30.82 to progress to Thursday's semi-final.
"It’s always good to get that first hit-out of the week behind you," Ginn said. "You are always a bit anxious … about how you will go and to see what the others have to offer. But we executed a good race I thought.
"It is a new chapter. It is a great and new opportunity for both of us. We do look back on when I was with James (Tomkins), but not to compare … just to draw on that experience and see how it can be used for us as a pair."
Visit the Rowing Australia website, www.rowingaustralia.com.au, for race results and reports, interviews with members of the Australian Team and extensive image galleries.
For further information, contact Greg Howell, Rowing Australia's Elite Program Manager, on 0407 942 181.
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Friday 18 August 2006
World University Rowing Champion, Elsa O'Hanlon
Sydney University student, Elsa O’Hanlon, collected the Lightweight Women's Single Scull title at the 2006 World University Rowing Championships in Trakai, Lithuania last weekend.
Coached by her father, Terry O’Hanlon, Elsa demonstrated she had experience beyond her years to row into a strong head wind to claim the title. Elsa, confidently claimed the lead early in the race and held her position, crossing the line five seconds in front of the Czechoslovakian and Swiss competitors.
Elsa was selected in May from a strong field of athletes, and prepared for the event at the Sydney University Boat Club.
The World University Rowing Championships provides an exciting opportunity for students to compete against their peers on the world stage. FISU, the International University Sports Federation was founded in 1949 and under the FISU banner, rowing is one of the 25 sports that have annual university championships. The championships are open to university students between the ages of 17 and 28. The next World University Rowing Championships will be held in Belgrade, Serbia in 2008.
