McIntyre and Cox Qualify Direct for A-Final at U23 World Champs

WA rowers Annabelle McIntyre and Bronwyn Cox have earned direct qualification for the final of the women’s pair at the 2017 World Rowing U23 Championships in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.

The Australian national champions required a heat win to guarantee progression and that is precisely what they delivered, besting crews from Serbia, Mexico, Italy, Germany and the Czech Republic to secure a finals berth.

With the final set for competition this Saturday, the WA duo established a two-length lead by the halfway point of their heat and maintained a steady stroke rate to the line, to cross home first in 7mins 31 seconds. The crew are coached by WAIS Rowing Program lead Rhett Ayliffe.

Fellow West Aussie Sam Marsh and the Australian U23 men’s coxed four will require a top four finish in the repechage after they finished third in their heat.

Marsh – competing with Henry Youl, Sam Hardy and Andrew Judge with Georgia Litt as coxswain – finished behind the crews of the USA and Romania.

The repechage will be raced on Thursday, with the Australians chasing qualification for Saturday’s A-Final along with Romania, France, Germany and Great Britain.

Live streaming of the A-Finals will be available via World Rowing’s website.

Photo: Detlev Seyb (myrowingphoto.com)

Annabelle McIntyre | 20 – Hamilton Hill | Fremantle Rowing Club

Bronwyn Cox | 20 – Wembley | University of WA Rowing Club

Sam Marsh | 21 – Scarborough | Swan River Rowing Club