ACT Championships 2003

Big weekend of rowing in Canberra

Near perfect racing conditions saw more than 300 rowing crews hit the waters of Lake Burley Griffin over the weekend for the ACT Rowing Championships at Yarramundi Reach. In what is thought to be one of the largest Championships in it's long history, the regatta brought together elite, intermediate and novice rowers of all ages from Canberra's clubs, schools and elite programs.

"The event is certainly attracting a growing number of competitors each year and with Australian Institute of Sport and ACT Academy of Sport elite programs based in Canberra and supporting the championships the standard of competition is first rate," said Gordon Marcks Head Coach of the ACT Academy of Sport rowing program.

Saturday's racing featured the elite men's single scull where 11 current national team members fought it out in a field of 16 scullers for the 6-lane final. Queenslander Shaun Coulton proved to be the form sculler of the 2003 National Rowing season convincingly taking out the final with a blanket finish for the minor medals. ANU's Henry Gundry finished second only narrowly edging out fellow ACT and AIS scullers Mitchell Punch (CRC) by 0.4 seconds and Craig Jones (CRC) by 1 second. As the top ranked ACT sculler Gundry only 22 years of age is selected as the ACT's Presidents Cup single sculler for the National Kings Cup Regatta in Tasmania in April.

"Any of the three ACT scullers would have been a great representative and put in a strong showing in the Presidents Cup race," said Marcks commenting on the high calibre of the new breed of ACT scullers.

The elite women's single scull final saw the return to form of 2000 Olympian Kerry Knowler (CRC) who edged out Lake Tuggeranong rower Taryn Langdon. The pair also teamed up to take out the elite women's double scull.

Two other Olympians also on the comeback trail were 2000 men's eight silver medallists Jamie Fernandez and Michael McKay (former 'Oarsome Foursome' member) who had their first race back in the pair as they prepare to vie for selection for the 2004 Athens Games.

It was the lightweight rowers however who stole the show in the elite pair race with the AIS lightweight pair of O'Callaghan and Parker taking out race to AIS Johnson and Hegerty leaving McKay and Fernandez (CRC) to finish third. Admirably taking on the elite men in the pair race were junior men from the Canberra Grammar School Fergus Pragnell and Joe Power who put pressure on their senior counterparts finishing within 27 seconds of the winner over the 1800m course.

Stevens also from the Canberra Grammar School also looks to be an impressive rower of the future winning the year 10 boys single scull with a strong finish.

Other notable performers were the Black Mountain year 9 girls double scull that won their race in style by over 14 seconds. Miles Foran who took out a strong 7-second win in the junior men's single scull. Jane Quodling from ANU also took a strong win in the intermediate women's single. Canberra Rowing Club's Charles Lundy held off a good finish by up and coming lightweight rower Chris Ritchie (ANU) to take out the senior men's single scull event.

In a tight race the Capital Lakes double scull just edged out the Canberra Grammar School combination in the year 10 boys race. And in their first ever big championship the year 8 boys quad race was a good one with Daramalan winning in an excellent 1000m time of 3.53 just ahead of the CGS crew.

Not to be outdone by the younger rowers Canberra's top masters competitors also put on a top show with John Gasson of Black Mountain Rowing Club (BMRC) getting home just ahead of John Simpson form Canberra Rowing Club in the masters men's single scull. BMRC also took out the masters women's quad in superb style winning by 28 second in the 1000m event.

To top off a high class weekend of racing the ACT rowing community saw a fine display of elite rowing in the men's eight race with the ACT King's Cup men's eight crew posting a very credible time in the men's eight as they prepare to take on the Kings Cup regatta Tasmania in April. The eight last won the prestigious eight's race in Tasmania in 1997 as they return to the course this year it looks to be their best chance yet at gaining another title.

The ACT rowing season culminated with the championships the top crews will now look to the National Championships after Easter in Tasmania.

Taryn Langdon