Looking into the archives of the Boat Club we came across this photo of the Sydney University men’s Boat Race Eight from 2015. In the cover photo the crew races along the final reach of the race before the finish line at Melbourne University Boat Club on the Yarra.
What is remarkable about this crew is the stern four – Stroke and seven Cam Girdlestone and Sasha Belonogoff would be selected on the 2016 Australian Olympic Team and go on to win silver medals in Rio De Janeiro in the men’s quad scull. In this photo Sasha is six years out of school and Cam seven or eight years while Campbell Watts in the six seat is only two years from school rowing and Alex Purnell in 5 seat is three years from school.
At the recent 2018 Senior World Championships Alex rowed in the 3 seat and Campbell 2 seat in the Australian men’s quad who also gained silver in an exciting race.
At the 2015 Boat Race these athletes shared a combined 19 years in the Sydney University Boat Club Development program – with Cam and Sasha already established as senior national rowers and Alex and Campbell still a couple of years away from their first senior team.
Now in 2018 – all four of these athletes in the stern of this crew are silver medallists at Olympic or World Championships level in the men’s quad scull.
2015 Men’s Boat Race Eight passing under Swan St Bridge on the Yarra
Well done and congratulations to these rowers and their coaches.