Australian juniors show strength on opening day

Thursday 6 August 2009

The Australian Junior Rowing Team produced a number of strong performances on the first night of competition at the 2009 World Rowing Championships at Brive le Gaillarde in France.

In scorching conditions in the south of France, the Australian women’s four made the final, while two crews progressed to the semi-finals and one to the quarter-finals.

The Australia women’s four of Anna Kaszycki (QLD), Hannah Vermeersch (WA), Peta White (SA) and Jessica Molsher-Jones (SA) led from start to finish, qualifying directly for the final on Saturday night.

The Australian girls proved they were a class above the rest of the field as they leapt out in front of the field and won the race by a considerable margin of 14 seconds. Their time of 6:55.99 will give the crew confidence heading into the final.

Daniel Brighthope (TAS), Michael Poulter (VIC), Thomas Chapman (VIC) and Tom Gatti (WA) qualified for the semi-final of the men’s four after a second place finish in their heat. They led through the first 1500m of the race and despite being overtaken in the closing stages by Slovenia, qualified in a time of 6:26.53.

Jessica Hall (QLD), Maddie Edmunds (QLD), Amy Fowler (ACT) and Alexandra Hagan (WA) entered the regatta in top form and showed their class in their heat of the women’s quad scull.

The Australian led from start to finish winning in a time of 6:49.78, four seconds clear of the Croatian crew, earning themselves a semi-final berth.

Louis Snelson (NSW), Cameron Smith (QLD), Benjamin Morley (VIC) and David Prosser (WA) finished third in their heat of the men’s quad scull in a time of 6:15.50 and will row in the quarter finals on Thursday evening.

Angus Moore (ACT), Joshua Hicks (WA), Samuel Collins (WA) and Thomas Amies (QLD), coxed by Nicholas Allen-Ducat (QLD), finished second in their heat of the men’s coxed four in a time of 6:25.50. With only one boat securing direct passage to the final, the crew will race in a repechage tonight in the attempt to qualify for the final.

Rowing Australia National High Performance Director Andrew Matheson was pleased with the results.

“These five crews, along with Australia’s other juniors, hold the key to the future of rowing in Australia and we have seen some positive signs overnight,” Matheson said. “Our coaches and development staff have done an excellent job to date, but the regatta will only get more difficult over the next three days.”

For all media enquiries please call David Polglase on 0401 453 041

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