Sydney Uni faces upstream battle in Great Race

Tuesday 22 September 2009

A Sydney University women’s eight crew will challenge the might of the University of Waikato in ‘The Great Race’ on Sunday 27 September.

‘The Great Race’, held as part of ‘The Gallagher Great Race Festival’, is a rowing race held upstream on a 4.2km course through the New Zealand city of Hamilton.

The final two events of the regatta feature scratch races between the University of Waikato’s men’s and women’s eights against one international crew, with the Sydney University women’s eight making their second successive appearance in the famous festival.

In 2008 due to the Olympic Games a largely developmental crew was sent across the Tasman to compete in the race, but a much stronger crew has been sent this year.

The crew will be stroked by Beijing Olympian Sally Kehoe, and also features fellow Olympians Elizabeth Kell and Sarah Cook. The crew will be coxed by Ali Williams, while Charlotte Walters, Emma Costello, Alisa Tremayne, Ashleigh Peppernell and Emma Cook are also part of the crew.

Sydney University Head Coach Phil Bourguignon says it is an honour to be invited to the festival for a second successive year.

“It is definitely a great privilege to be included in the festival as it attracts high calibre universities such as Cambridge and Oxford from Great Britain,” Bourguignon said. “Over 40,000 people sit on the bank and watch the crews fight the upstream currents so it makes for some very entertaining racing.

“It is very different to your normal rowing regatta and the work of the coxswain is integral to the performance as you need to avoid the currents, bridges and trees. It is a true match race, so will be a spectacle to watch.

“Last year we were soundly beaten by Waikato but I expect us to challenge strongly this year.”

The women’s race will provide the curtain raiser to the men’s eight race which this year will feature the home crew against Oxford University.

The event will be streamed live online at www.thegreatrace.co.nz, with the women’s race commencing at 1.55pm AEST, followed by the men at 2.30pm AEST.

For more information please call David Polglase on 0401 453 041

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