U23 World Championship Title for Vermeersch and Hagan

WAIS rowing scholarship holders Hannah Vermeersch and Alex Hagan have been crowned U23 World Champions as members of the Australian women’s four.

The duo won the gold medal at the 2013 World Rowing U23 Championships in Austria, competing alongside Victorian pair Charlotte Sutherland and Lucy Stephan.

The Australian women’s four stopped the clock in an impressive 6:47.72min for line honours ahead of Russia and New Zealand, with an explosive first 500m setting up the world championship tilt.

Australia led at the first mark and was never seriously threatened, producing a measured row to see off the nearest Russian crew by over seven seconds.

The World Championship is a major confidence boost for Vermeersch and Hagan, who were members of the Australian eight at last year’s Olympic Games, and will again line up in the event at August’s senior world championships in South Korea.

The result was another impressive accolade for the regional Western Australian pair, with this world title adding to the silver medal won in World Cup 3 in Switzerland recently. Vermeersch hails from Esperance, whilst Hagan grew up in Bunbury.

Vermeersch said the opportunity to put together a solid series of racing had been beneficial and would help their future progression.

“It is awesome we have been given the opportunity to race a lot this year; we were able to race at Lucerne, here and also coming up, Korea (senior World Rowing Championships). Alex (Hagan) and I are still learning and it is good being with the young ones coming through,” she said.

The Senior World Rowing Championships will be held in Chungju, South Korea from August 25 – September 1.