Sydney University Boat Club members Edward Nutt, Zara Collisson and Mehreen Khan have been selected in the Australian men’s and women’s coxed eights to compete at the Under 23 USA Selection Trials.
The Trials, to be hosted in Princeton from June 16-20, are a crucial step for rowers and coxswains aiming to represent Australia at the Under 23 World Rowing Championships to be held in Canada later this year.
Edward is in the 12-strong men’s eight and Zara is in the 12-strong women’s eight, while Mehreen is one of two coxswains in the women’s squad.
The squads include athletes studying and training within the US College system as well as athletes from Australia who didn’t attend the Under 23 Trials that were held at the Sydney International Regatta Centre in March, but have now been invited to the USA Selections. These athletes will be trialling for seats in both the coxed eight events.
The three SUBC athletes are each studying in the USA with Edward studying economics at Princeton University, Zara majoring in sociology at the University of Michigan, and Mehreen majoring in philosophy, politics and economics at the University of Pennsylvania. Edward is a product of the Shore School, Zara took up rowing while at Canberra Girls Grammar, and Mehreen started her celebrated coxswain career at Pymble Ladies College.
The selected athletes will join their fellow Under 23 representatives in Canada to compete on the international stage.
Rowing Australia said the trials will serve as a platform for the athletes to perform under international competition conditions. “The outcome of the trials will also shape the future for Rowing Australia as they continue to foster talent for the next Olympic cycle and beyond,” Rowing Australia said.
Under 23 Men’s Eight:
Edward Nutt (Sydney University Boat Club / Princeton University), Henry Furrer (Sydney Rowing Club / UC Berkeley), Benjamin Scott (Fremantle Rowing Club / Harvard), Billy Osborne (Mercantile Rowing Club / University of Washington), Harry Manton (Melbourne University Boat Club / UC Berkeley), Alexander Baroni (Western Australia Rowing Club / UC Berkeley), Lachlan Roach (UTS Rowing Club / Harvard University), James Frederikson (Sydney Rowing Club / Dartmouth), Jeremy Beale (Adelaide University Boat Club / UC Berkeley), Rory Menzies (Sydney Rowing Club / UC Berkeley), Adam Holland (Adelaide Rowing Club), Drew Weightman (University of Queensland Boat Club).
Under 23 Women’s Eight:
Sophie Barr (SASI Adelaide University Boat Club / Harvard), Star Rose Miller (Sydney Rowing Club / UC Berkeley), Katherine Easton (Melbourne University Boat Club / University of Michigan), Aaliah Dawson (Melbourne University Boat Club / University of Miami), Rosie Turnbull (Kand Rowing Club / University of Massachusetts), Zara Collisson (Sydney University Boat Club / University of Michigan), Lucy Searle (Sydney Rowing Club / The University of Texas), Sophie Ward (Melbourne University Boat Club / UC Berkeley), Chloe Cooper (Melbourne University Boat Club / The University of Texas), Sarah Abrams (Sydney Rowing Club / University of Tennessee), Harriet Wallace (Australian National University Boat Club / University of Texas), Sarah Marriott (Melbourne University Boat Club).
Coxswains:
Summer Kellett (Mercantile Rowing Club / Brown University), Mehreen Khan (Sydney University Boat Club / The University of Pennsylvania), James Smith (Sydney Rowing Club / Boston University), Jonothan Cooke (KAND Rowing Club).