WAIS Rowers in Action in Penrith

The final Selection Regatta for the Australian rowing team has commenced in Sydney with WAIS athletes aiming for a Beijing spot.

With six Olympic class boats still to be selected to compete at international level this year, all attention was focused on the men’s and women’s sculling groups as the rowers were met with ideal conditions at Sydney’s International Regatta Centre, Penrith.

WAIS athletes, Amber Bradley and Sally Robbins paired for the combined Women’s sculling race, finishing third.

First place was taken by the quad scull crew of Kerry Hore (TAS), Amy Ives (NSW), Sonia Mills (ACT) and Catriona Sens (VIC) who finished ten seconds ahead of the South Australia lightweight double crew of Amber Halliday and Marguerite Houston, despite starting 25 seconds behind their competitors.

WAIS rower James Gatti competed in the Men’s quad skull race with Chris Morgan (SA), Tim Hennessy and Brendan Long (TAS). They finished second, five seconds adrift of Dan Noonan (NSW), James McRae (SA), Peter Hardcastle (NSW) and Nick Hudson (NSW).

The eight men are competing to fill the quad scull and the single scull boats that have already qualified for the Olympic Games, courtesy of efforts at the 2007 World Rowing Championships.