Three WAIS Rowers Named for Senior A World Champs

Published On: 22 April 2009

Following the completion of the 2009 Australian rowing selection trials, WAIS has had three senior, four U23 and four junior athletes named by Rowing Australia for the international season.

WAIS athlete Ross Brown will be rowing as part of the men’s lightweight coxless four in the senior A team in Posnan, Poland where he will be joined by AIS-WAIS rowers Libby Alderman and Emily Rose, who will compete as part of the women’s coxless four.

WAIS scholarship holders Cameron Brewer and Rhys Grant will form part of the Australian Under 23 men’s eight squad that will compete in the Under 23 World Championships in Racice, Czech Republic from July 23-26. Georgia Baker earned selection into the women’s Under 23 quad scull squad and Perry Ward will row in the men’s lightweight coxless four.

WAIS rowing coach Jason Lane has also been named to travel to Racice by Rowing Australia and will coach the women’s Under 23 squad.

The Junior World Championships will be hosted in Brive la Gaillarde, France between 5-8 August with WAIS scholarship holders Josh Hicks and Sam Collins both named in the junior men’s coxed four. Tom Gatti will compete in the men’s coxless four, whilst WAIS Bunbury resident Alex Hagan has qualified for the women’s quad scull crew.

WAIS coach Jaime Jones has been named to coach the women’s quad scull crew in France.

Rowing Australia National High Performance Director, Andrew Matheson, says there are a number of exciting prospects in the team.

“We have selected a far smaller team than in 2008 but that is just a natural progression of where we are at in the new Olympic cycle,” Matheson said. “The team we have selected combines a good mix of experience and youth and I am confident we will be able to produce some good results in Poland.”

Australia will forego the World Cup season in 2009 and only compete at the World Rowing Championships in Poznan, Poland (August 23-30). Internal regattas will be held at the Sydney International Regatta Centre on the weekends that the three world cups are being held in Europe.