Sydney Uni participated in the Brisbane River Challenge on 5 July with a Women’s eight. The regatta is run as a time trial and is rowed over 12.5 km starting one end of the city, rowing through the CBD passing under all the bridges, finishing in front of the Regatta Hotel. Boats started with intervals of 30s between, in a head race format. Sydney Uni, starting some 30 seconds behind the Uni of Queensland women’s boat, took a gutsy start to quickly gain some seconds on them. The UQ boat however held our crew off and we could not get past them.
Our Sydney crew made up about 25 seconds and closed the gap but only 500 meters from the finish our team hit a massive ferry wash causing a few shipwrecks and making for a closer than anticipated finish.
The Sydney girls however, poised by the possibility of a win, regained their momentum quickly, dug deep for some extra power and managed to beat the UQ boat by 17 s.
The river race was run for the second time, and our girls are currently the holders of the women’s eights course record in the time of 52min:49.8s.
We thank the organisers for their hospitality and helping with accommodation and boat loan.
In the Sydney Uni crew rowed:
Stroke: Maddie Wallace
7 seat: Fiona Ewing
6 seat: Olivia Ashby
5 seat: Jess Richardson
4 seat: Fangqi Cui
3 seat: Carina Simpson
2 seat: Georgia Campbell
Bow: Peta Blundell
Cox (and coach): Esther Verburg
Our reserve, Anika Lalic rowed with the Bond crew in their mixed eight. Bond uni has just started their rowing program, and most of their crew (including Anika) have only rowed since March.
Results as per website www.brisbaneriverchallenge.com.au
8+ UQBC University Mens 00:48.57
8+ Griffith University University Mixed 00:48.97
8+ BSHS (Jones) Schoolboys 00:52.81
8+ Sydney Uni Womens RC University Womens 00:52.83
8+ UQBC Women University Womens 00:53.12
8+ Brisbane Grammarians Masters Men 00:53.65
8+ BSHS (Polichronis) Schoolboys 00:53.82
8+ Bris & GPS Masters Mixed 00:58.08
8+ Nudgee College Rowing Masters Men 00:59.48
8+ BSHS Schoolgirls 01:01.23
8+ Bond University University Mixed 01:01.23