WA Rowers Shine at NSW State Championships in Penrith
The momentum of a successful 2018 campaign appears to be carrying over anew with Western Australia’s peak rowers in excellent form at the NSW State Titles held in Penrith last weekend.
WA’s world championship representatives from 2018 were all in good early season form in what marked the first major hitout at domestic level for 2019.
David Watts – who is based out of the NTC program in Canberra – picked up multiple medals at the Sydney International Regatta Centre, which included gold in the men’s double scull and quad scull along with bronze in the single.
Annabelle McIntyre picked up the WAIS Junior Athlete of the Year in 2018 after a breakthrough season that saw her win a bronze medal at World Championship level as a member of the Australian women’s eight, despite being eligible for U23 competition.
At the NSW State Championships, she rowed with Rosie Popa to take out the women’s pair title, whilst collecting further gold in a victorious women’s coxless four crew which also featured WA’s Bronwyn Cox.
Cox and Giorgia Patten finished fifth in the pair whilst Patten collected a bronze medal in the final of the women’s double scull.
Cox and Patten also teamed up to win the U23 women’s pair title, capping an excellent weekend from both athletes.
Sam Marsh’s transition to elite senior level is progressing well as he took third place in the B-Final of the hotly contested men’s single scull. He was also fifth in the men’s coxless four.
World Champion Joshua Hicks took second place in the coxless four and was part of a bronze medal winning crew in the men’s pair.
Hamish Henriques celebrated his 18th birthday at the start of February and in Penrith he further validated his burgeoning reputation as one of the best age-rowers in the country.
He won the U19 single scull by over eight and a half seconds from second place and was part of a U19 double scull boat the blitzed the field to win by 26 seconds from the next best boat.
He also raced the U21 men’s double scull with Chad Derecourt to collect a third comprehensive victory from a thoroughly impressive weekend of performances.
Hannah Vermeersch raced to a silver medal in the women’s elite coxless four, which also saw WA’s Lilly Tinapple collect a bronze medal.
Jack Cleary earned a bronze medal in the men’s double scull, whilst James Kerr took bronze in the men’s quad scull final.
Further results and details are available here.