WAIS Rowers Selected for World Championships

Published On: 6 May 2013

Maia Smminds will wear the green and gold of Australia in Korea later this year

The Rowing Australia Board has officially announced the 2013 Australian Senior A Rowing Team following the conclusion of the 2013 National Selection Trials at the Sydney International Regatta Centre in Penrith.

A squad of 51 athletes has been selected into nine Olympic, one Paralympic and six Non-Olympic boat classes as Australia aims to build on the success it achieved at the opening round of the 2013 Samsung World Rowing Cup in Sydney, where the team won four gold, four silver and five bronze medals. The selected crews will now begin preparations for the first World Rowing Championships of the new Olympic and Paralympic cycle in Chungju, Korea from 25 August to 1 September 2013.

The crews announced overnight join 2012 Olympic double medallist Kim Crow (VIC/VIS/AIS, Women’s Single Scull) and 2012 Paralympic silver medallist Erik Horrie (NSW/NSWIS, Arms and Shoulders Single Scull), who were selected early to the Australian Rowing Team following their performances at the Sydney International Rowing Regatta, bringing the total World Championships squad size to 53 athletes in ten Olympic, two Paralympic and six Non-Olympic boat classes. The team will include sixteen 2012 Olympians and three 2012 Paralympians.

Headlining the 2013 team are the World Rowing Cup 1 medal winners, including a mix of 2012 Olympians plus up and coming new talent.

The Australian senior squad includes four WAIS scholarship holders, with the Institute’s head coach Lincoln Handley also selected on the coaching staff for the World Championships in South Korea, starting August 25.

Maia Simmonds will make her senior debut for the Australian team, competing in the women’s lightweight double scull alongside Victorian Alice McNamara. Handley will coach the girls during their campaign.

2012 London Olympians Alex Hagan and Hannah Vermeersch were both selected in the women’s eight boat for this year’s championships, and the pair will also form part of the women’s coxless four.

Perry Ward’s return from an ACL injury has been rewarded with selection in the men’s lightweight quad scull, where he will row alongside; Edward de Carvalho (NSW), James Wilson (VIC) and Adam Kashyckyj (QLD).

Thomas Gatti has also earned international selection, earning a call up for the U23 men’s eight squad, but with the final make up of the senior men’s eight crew not yet confirmed, Gatti could be drafted into the senior Australian team.

– with Rowing Australia