The 2011 NSW Rowing Championships were held last weekend 11-13th Feb. The championships were blessed with attendance of many of Australia’s top rowers including athletes from the AIS, QAS, VIS and SASI squads. On a club basis there were strong contingents from Mercantile, Vic, Melbourne University, Qld University, Brisbane and GPS as well as local clubs Sydney and Mosman.
In the final points score for the NSW Championships Honours Trophy Sydney Uni came out on top for the ninth successive year. The points:
Sydney Uni 193.25 Mercantile 98.25 Newcastle Grammar 66.00 Brisbane and GPS 63.00 Sydney Rowing Club 62.25
In all the club won or shared in 12 Gold, 12 Silver and 12 Bronze medals over the weekend.
Some of the highlights included: 1. Winning the double – the Men’s and Women’s Champion Eights. 2. Regaining the Colleagues Cup in the Men’s U21 Eights with a near 8 second win. 3. A smashing win by a full SUBC crew in the men’s elite four with Francis Hegerty, Matt Ryan, Nick Purnell and Brodie Buckland finishing just over four secopnds ahead of their remaining two AIS fours. 4. Coming first and second and fifth in the final of the Men’s U21 pairs. 5. Wining the women’s elite quad as our Aussie team members Sarah Cook and Brooke Pratley teamed up with former U23 national rep Renee Kirby and new recruit Ellie Winstanley to record a 12 second victory. 6. Second (Nick Hudson) and a close third – Cam Girdlestone and Sasha Belonogoff in the men’s elite double. 7. Ed Alexander – gold medal in the Men’s Elite lightweight single. 8. Gold and Silver in the men’s U21 Quad 9. Jo Wood – gold in the women’s lightweight double.
Over the whole weekend we need to thank our athletes who race tirelessly, our coaches who worked hard in arranging boats, race plans, de briefs and our supporters including all the parents and our governing body – Sydney Uni Sport and Fitness. Special thanks for the athlete lunches and refreshments Sunday lunch should must go to QM ( Quartermaster) Warwick Girdlestone and the parent organizers, Rebecca Wilson, Julie Playfair and our SUBC President Tom McCann and VP Alex Wilcox. Also thanks to all the other parents who bought plates of food for the lunch on Sunday. Our photo shows some of our 2011 State Champs squad with the NSW Honours Trophy.