WA Rowers Selected for World Champs
Western Australia is set to feature athletes in three crews at this year’s world championships after Rowing Australia announced its team for the titles to be held in Bulgaria next month.
Following stellar performances over the World Cup season, Joshua Hicks will combine again with Spencer Turrin, Jack Hargreaves and Alexander Hill in the men’s four with the crew seeking to defend the historic gold medal they won in 2017.
At last year’s championships in the United States, the men’s four became the first crew from Australia to win a world championship title in the event in 26 years.
Indications across regattas contested thus far in 2018, suggest they will again be favourites for gold in Bulgaria.
David Watts has continued his representative streak for Australia, with the Rio Olympian set to row in the men’s quad scull along with Caleb Antill, Alexander Purnell and Campbell Watts.
Watts won a silver medal in the quad scull at the 2015 World Championships and is now one of the most experienced members of the Australian team.
WA could potentially boast two members within the Australian women’s eight crew after 10 athletes were provisionally selected.
That group of 10 contains London 2012 Olympian Hannah Vermeersch and rising star Annabelle McIntyre – who is line to make her senior world championships debut if included in the final eight.
Selection marks a special return for Vermeersch who has battled back from a host of injuries to earn a spot earlier this year within the elite national women’s training centre.
A year ago, McIntyre won a silver medal in the women’s pair at the U23 World Championships in Bulgaria, en route to earning the title of WAIS Junior Athlete of the Year. A title she shared with crewmate Bronwyn Cox.
She will celebrate her 22nd birthday in Bulgaria during the championships if she is confirmed for a start.
The two members of the 10 not selected, will serve as reserves.
Australian Performance Director Bernard Savage said the team would aim to peak for the world championships and build on those performances ahead of a highly important 2019 campaign in the lead up to Tokyo.
“The Australian Rowing Team crews were all reviewed post World Cups with our view towards putting out our best performances at the World Rowing Championships and pressing into Olympic and Paralympic qualification next year.
“We’re very much focused on improving our performances across all boat classes and refining out strategies towards 2019. It is unfortunate that we were unable to select a Lightweight Men’s Double Scull, but we are still looking to explore this going into 2019 and the Olympic Qualification Regatta,” he said.
Photo: Rowing Australia ©