Seven Sydney Uni rowers will be in action as part of the Australian team when the World Rowing Championships kick of Sunday morning at Lake Dorney just west of London. For the past three months since the final selection trials the team has been preparing at various locations around Australia.
Mat Ryan ( No 3 Men’s Eight) and Marty Rabjohns ( Cox Mmen’s Eight) along with Francis Hegerty ( Men’s Coxless Four) have been preparing in Canberra while Dan Noonan (Men’s Quad)has been preparing under Nick Garrat in Sydney. Brooke Pratley and Liz Kell ( Women’s Double Scull) have been training in Adelaide while Tim O’Callaghan has moved to Perth where he has been stroking the Men’s Lightweight Four.
All teams have had a trip to Europe for warm up competition and at least one World Cup Regatta.
At the World Cup in Poland the Men’s Eight won in the slick time of 5.35 and now go into the World Championships as a favourite for a medal depending on the speed and form of the two nations missing from that World Cup, USA and Canada.
2006 sees Sydney Uni rowings largest contingent in the Australian team ever and finally surpassing the efforts of that outstanding group from the mid 70’s when Chris Shinners, Ted O’Loughlin, Steve Newnham, Tim Conrad, Ian Luxford and cox Joe Donnelly represented our nation.
Daily racing updates are available at the FISA website http://www.fisa.org and your correspondent will be in attendance and attempt to procure exclusive behind the scenes photos of the action on and off the water.
2006 also sees the third senior representation of Uni of Qld rower Sam Conrad. Sam son of SUBC alumnus Tim Conrad( who represented in the Montreal Olympics) won the gold in the Coxed Pair at the 2005 Worlds and in the middle of the Aussie Eight will be looking for a second successive medal this year. We understand father Tim and lontime SUBC VP and FISA Board Member John Boultbe will be on hand to encourage the team.