Rowers Compete at World Cup III Ahead of World Champs

WAIS rowers have competed at World Cup III in Lucerne, as the build up to this year’s World Championships in France increases.

The World Cup in Switzerland was the final event of the world cup series, with attention now turning to this year’s major title, to be held in Aiguebelette, France between July 30 – August 6.

Two crews featuring WAIS scholarship holders competed in Lucerne over the weekend, with Alex Hagan and Hannah Vermmersch members of the Australian women’s eight squad that finished sixth in their A-Final, and Perry Ward contesting the men’s lightweight four, with his squad fifth in the B-Final.

The women’s eight was won by Canada who completed the 2km course in a time of 6:07.770 for gold ahead of crews from New Zealand and Great Britain. Australia clocked 6:15.950.

The Australians attacked the start hard and sat third at the first 500m split, but they couldn’t sustain the pace and slipped back across the 1000m and 1500m marks to eventually take sixth place.

Perry Ward missed a berth in the A-Final and had to settle for fifth place in the B-Final, with Great Britain, Spain and Poland claiming the top three positions.

The A-Final gold went to New Zealand, who stand as the crew to beat at world championships, although Switzerland, Denmark and France were all within striking distance.

There was a bronze medal success in the men’s double scull for Australians James McRae and Sacha Belonogoff, with the duo coached by WAIS Rowing Program head coach Rhett Ayliffe.

The boys were pipped by a minute margin for silver, just eight tenths of a second behind the German pair, whilst race victory went to reigning Olympic champions, the Sinkovic brothers from Croatia.