WA Breaks Eight Year Drought to Win Penrith Cup at Interstate Regatta

Western Australia has claimed a famous win in the Penrith Cup at the Interstate Regatta in Sydney to end Queensland’s recent dominance of the men’s lightweight four event.

Not since 2009 in Tasmania had Western Australia lifted the coveted Penrith Cup, awarded each year to the country’s best state lightweight combination.

With some conjecture as to whether the event will maintain its status within the Interstate Rowing Regatta following the recent removal of the men’s lightweight event from the Olympic program, the victory was as sweet as it was symbolic – particularly for Perry Ward – who sat in the bow seat for WA when last it claimed the Cup that dates all the way back to 1958.

Queensland’s winning run stretched back to 2013, with WA relegated to bridesmaid over each of the three most recent editions. In 2017 however, those roles were reversed, with a Western Australian combination of Ward, Mario Lo Presti, Timothy Widdicombe and James Kerr crossing the line first in 6:05.79mins to edge out Queensland’s combination in 6:10.06.

The same Western Australian combination earlier claimed victory in the Open Lightweight Men’s Coxless Four in the Sydney International Rowing Regatta final, throwing down a marker of their intent.

In other SIRR events; David Watts was a member of the triumphant Open Men’s Quad Scull crew, rowing with a composite of Caleb Antill, Hamish Playfair and Luke Letcher for victory in 5;59.29.

Fellow West Aussies Josh Hicks and Christopher Hayes were members of the silver medal winning composite crew.

Hannah Vermeersch was part of a silver medal winning composite crew in the Open Women’s Quad Scull, whilst Matthew Cochran was fourth as a member of a composite crew in the Open Men’s Coxed Four.

In U23 SIRR results; Annabelle McIntyre and Bronwyn Cox continued their stellar form, with McIntyre part of gold medal winning crews in the Women’s Coxed Eight, Women’s Quad Scull and Women’s Coxed Four, with Cox joining her in the first and last of those three events.

Sam Marsh was in the victorious U23 Men’s Quad Scull and also picked up a silver medal in the U23 Men’s Double Scull, rowing alongside Hugo Langsford.

Turning attention back to the Interstate Regatta on Sunday, Alex Hagan contested the Interstate Women’s Single Scull, finishing in sixth. Hagan was also part of Western Australia’s Queen’s Cup squad in the Women’s Eight, with WA finishing fifth. Hannah Vermeersch and Annabelle McIntyre were also members of this crew.

In the King’s Cup, Western Australia’s Men’s Eight finished in fifth place, with the crew containing Sam Marsh, Matthew Cochran and Christopher Hayes.

Photo – (c) Rowing Australia/Delly Carr