Cureton and Skipworth on Track for Olympic Selection
Following the conclusion of the first round of national selection trials for the 2012 Australian Rowing Team, the Olympic and Paralympic Shadow Squads have been reduced to 55 athletes.
66 athletes were subject to four days of trials on the Nepean River and the Sydney International Regatta Centre from December 15-18, with the majority of these rowers progressing to the next stage of the selection race.
Included in the latest Olympic squad was WAIS World Champion lightweight rowers Ben Cureton and Todd Skipworth.
The updated shadow squad features all four of Australia’s gold medallists in rowing from the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, with triple Olympic gold medallist Drew Ginn (VIC) and Duncan Free (QLD) in the men’s sweep squad and David Crawshay (VIC) and Scott Brennan (TAS) part of the eight man sculling squad.
Anthony Edwards (TAS), Cureton (WA), Matt Ryan (NSW), Francis Hegerty (NSW), Cameron McKenzie-McHarg (VIC) and James Marburg, who have all won Olympic silver, remain in contention to feature in London next year, while returning 2004 Athens bronze medallist Dana Faletic (TAS) was included with crew mate from that year, Kerry Hore (TAS), in the women’s sculling squad.
Kathryn Ross (VIC) and John Maclean (NSW), who won the silver medal at the inaugural Paralympic rowing regatta in Beijing, remain on course to compete in London while 2011 world championships bronze medallists Erik Horrie (QLD) is on track to represent Australia in his first Paralympic Games next year.
Rowing Australia National High Performance Director Andrew Matheson said the selectors were extremely happy with the group of athletes that remain in contention for the 2012 national team.
“The four days of trialling saw some extremely gruelling racing and the quality that we witnessed shows that we are in great shape ahead of next year,” Matheson said.
“Our aim over the current Olympic cycle has been to create a group of athletes that can be successful next year and we have that before us now.
“There is a great mix with athletes who have achieved Olympic success before and the younger members of our squad who will look to build on the recent world championship success.
“Competition for seats in all of the boats is strong and we look forward to monitoring all the athletes over the next three months ahead of the final trials.”
Rowing Australia will coordinate a number of camps during January at both the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra, as well as on Lake Barrington in Tasmania.
Following these camps the 2012 Australian Rowing Championships (March 5-11) will form part of the lead up to the final round of selection trials at the Sydney International Regatta Centre from March 23-April 1.
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