Streamlined Australian team selected for world championships

Tuesday 28 April 2009

11 of Australia’s 2008 Beijing Olympians were last night selected by the Board of Rowing Australia as part of the 2009 Australian Rowing Team.

With the majority of those that competed in Beijing either retired from the sport or taking an extended break, a number of Australia’s younger rowers have been given the opportunity to perform on the international scene as part of the eight crews that will be sent to Poland in August.

Headlining Australia’s team will be the Olympic silver medal winning men’s four of Francis Hegerty (NSW), James Marburg (VIC), Cameron McKenzie-McHarg (VIC) and Matt Ryan (NSW). Following a successful 2008 which saw them win a world cup regatta, the Final Olympic Qualification Regatta and then the silver medal in Beijing, the crew has remained together as they aim to dethrone Great Britain from their dominance in the men’s four category.

Olympic gold medallist in the men’s double scull, David Crawshay (VIC), was selected in the men’s quad scull along with Dan Noonan (NSW), who stroked the boat to a narrow fourth place in Beijing. They will be joined by two newcomers to the Senior A team, Nicholas Hudson (NSW) and Jared Bidwell (QLD).

The Toowoomba duo of Pippa Savage (QLD) and Sally Kehoe (QLD) have been named in a women’s sculling squad, while Sarah Cook (ACT) and Kim Crow (VIC) will once again form the women’s pair. Sam Loch (NSW) is the sole survivor from the men’s eight crew from 2008. The Junior and Under 23 Australian teams were also named.

Rowing Australia National High Performance Director, Andrew Matheson, says there are a number of exciting prospects in the team.

“We have selected a far smaller team than in 2008 but that is just a natural progression of where we are at in the new Olympic cycle,” Matheson said. “The team we have selected combines a good mix of experience and youth and I am confident we will be able to produce some good results in Poland.

“The men’s four and men’s quad have some very talented guys in there, but a couple of our women’s crews also have the potential to perform well.”

Australia will forego the World Cup season in 2009 and only compete at the World Rowing Championships in Poznan, Poland (August 23-30). Internal regattas will be held at the Sydney International Regatta Centre on the weekends that the three world cups are being held in Europe.

For more information please call David Polglase on 0401 453 041

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