Despite soaring temperatures at the Sydney International Regatta Centre across the weekend, Sydney University rowers reigned supreme at the NSW Rowing Championships. Sydney Uni easily won the overall point score, making it the 7th consecutive year that Sydney University has been the premier rowing club in NSW.
Outstanding performances from U19 age group athletes through to senior elite athletes meant that Sydney Uni finished the weekend with 18 Championship titles and numerous silver and bronze medals. Highlights for the club included a clean sweep of the senior single sculling events and comprehensive wins in the coveted Men’s and Women’s Eights.
Conditions were trying as temperatures peaked over the 43 degree mark by Saturday lunch time and racing was temporarily postponed. When racing resumed at the delayed time of 5.30pm, wind and continued high temperatures made for some tough racing.
The high temperatures forced organisers to cancel some events and reschedule others to the Sunday program. This meant this many athletes contested 4 Championship races in the space of several hours on day two of racing. However, the Sydney Uni camp was well prepared with ice-baths, a portable cool room and recovery food bar to ensure that all of their athletes were able to keep performing at their best despite the challenging weather.
With competitors from Queensland, Victoria, and South Australia, as well as a full compliment of AIS crews participating in the event, racing fields were indicative of what can be expected at the upcoming Australian Championships. It was also great to see Beijing Olympians including Sally Kehoe, Sam Loch, Matt Ryan, Liz Kell, and Sarah Cook racing in Sydney Uni colours.
The fantastic results are a just reward for the hard work being put in by Sydney Uni rowing coaches Phil Bourguignon, Alan Bennett, Mark Prater, Mike Doyle and newly recruited coach James Macartney. The Sydney Uni rowers will now continue preparations for the Nationals (2nd-8th March in Tasmania) with a high level of confidence and motivation.
2009 NSW Rowing Champions from Sydney Uni Boat Club/ Sydney Uni Women’s Rowing Club
Champion Women’s Elite Single – Sally Kehoe
Champion Men’s Elite Single – Nick Hudson
Champion Men’s Elite Lightweight Single – Ed De Carvalho
Champion Women’s Elite Lightweight Single – Bronwen Watson
Champion Mens U21 Eight – Charles Budd; Henry Mander; Ryan Edwards; Ryan Barraclough; Nick Purnell; Sasha Belonogoff; Will Gilbert; Ed De Carvalho; Ed Clarke
Champion Mens Elite Lightweight Four – Tom Cartmill; Charles Budd; Ed White; Ed De Carvalho
Champion Mens Eilte Coxed Four – Toby Dankbarr; Terrance Alfred; Brodie Buckland; Fergus Pragnell; Toby Lister
Champion Mens Elite Four – Richard Allsop
Champion Mens U23 Pair – Richard Allsop
Champion Mens U21 Single – Nick Purnell
Champion Womens U21 Pair – Ashleigh Peppernell; Beatrix Sheldrick
Champion Womens Elite Eight – Bronwen Watson; Emma Costello; Alisa Tremayne; Charlotte Walters; Sarah Cook; Elizabeth Kell; Chloe O’Regan; Sally Kehoe; Will Raven
Champion Elite Mens Eight – Toby Dankbaar; Nick Hudson; Sam Loch; Terrance Alfred; Brodie Buckland; Fergus Pragnell; Matt Ryan; Richard Allsop; Toby Lister
Champion Mens U21 Quad – Charles Budd; Ryan Barraclough; Ed De Carvalho; Sasha Belonogoff
Champion Womens Elite Lightweight Quad -Bronwen Watson; Kylie Duff
Champion Mens Elite Lightwiehgt Quad – Tom Cartmill; Charles Budd; Ed White; Ed De Carvalho
Champion Womens Elite Quad – Chloe O’Regan; Charlotte Walters; Sarah Cook; Sally Kehoe
Champion Mens Elite Quad – Fergus Pragnell
