Photo: Sally Kehoe and Kim Crow
Weekend racing at the Sydney International Regatta Centre threw up some tight results as all boat categories showed depth and strength in numbers ahead of London next year.
In the women’s sculling category Kim Crow showed great form across the whole four days of trialling and continued her good results on Saturday and Sunday racing.
The 2008 Olympian from Victoria won all of her rotations in the women’s double scull and combined with Sally Kehoe, Dana Faletic and then Brooke Pratley to secure her 100 per cent record.
The men’s heavyweight sweep rotations produced a range of results that emphasised the strength of all athletes involved in the trials.
The race for seats in the men’s four, men’s eight and men’s pair in 2012 will be a tight one and that was proven on Saturday and Sunday racing as no fewer than 10 athletes secured wins in the three rotations.
Drew Ginn and Josh Dunkley-Smith were strong together as a combination and combined with a number of other athletes for victories, including James Chapman, William Lockwood, Nick Purnell and Tom Swann.
Samuel Loch, James Marburg, Brodie Buckland and Francis Hegerty enjoyed victory on Sunday morning to cap off the proceedings.
2008 Olympic gold medallist in the men’s pair, Duncan Free, returned for the last two races and showed encouraging form, which will no doubt get stronger over the coming months.
The racing in the lightweight women’s double scull was well contested with Ella Flecker, Hannah Every-Hall, Bronwen Watson and Alice McNamara all tasting success.
Every-Hall and McNamara are the incumbent members on the Australian team, but Watson, who retired after the 2009 world championships and the fledgling Flecker rowed well and will keep the pressure on during the coming months.
David Crawshay was the standout performer in the men’s double scull rotations with the 2008 Olympic gold medallist combining well with all partners.
In the last race of their rotation on Saturday, he combined with 2008 partner Scott Brennan for an excellent win, underlining their intent to defend their crown next year in London.
Phoebe Stanley and Kate Hornsey alternated trialling in the women’s pair as partner for Sarah Tait with the trio all rowing well.
Camps for all categories will be held in January in Canberra and Tasmania, before State Championships are held in the lead in to the Australian Rowing Championships in Perth in the early part of March.
The final selection trial will be held at the Sydney International Regatta Centre from March 23 – April 1.