Over 30 athletes from The University of Queensland Boat Club (UQBC) will be vying for national selection when they converge on Lake Nagambie, Victoria for the Australian Rowing Championships next week.
With a record 1576 rowers entering the national regatta, UQBC is hoping to rise to the occasion and repeat last year’s success of 10 medals.
Recognised nationally as one of Australia’s premier rowing clubs, UQBC is expected to perform well in the under 23 and open categories.
Gold medal winner in the under 19 men’s double scull last year, rising talent Hugo Struss, is aiming to this year repeat the feat in the under 23 division in the single and double scull.
Hugo represented Australia in the Youth Olympics in January, but will have to be at his best in the single scull to beat fellow UQBC representatives Sam Renton, Ben Cook, Graham Kolb, David Dancer and Jarred Bidwell, who are also competing in the event.
Bidwell claimed three gold medals at the New South Wales Rowing Championships in February, and the AIS scholarship holder looks to be the one to beat.
UQBC will also be well represented in the biggest showdown of the championships, the men’s elite pair.
UQBC rower Sam Conrad is teaming up with three-time Olympic gold medalist James Tomkins to compete in the event.
Fellow UQBC and AIS rowers Hardy Cubasch and Dan Ellice-Flint have also entered the pair and will join Conrad and Tomkins in taking on the reigning 2006 World Champions Duncan Free and Drew Gin.
In the women’s field, Sally Kehoe will be out to consolidate her position as one of Australia’s best rowing prospects and repeat the form that saw her win three gold medals at the National Championships last year.
Kim Brown will be busy competing in four events where she will be up against fellow UQBC member and Youth Olympics competitor Alison Scobbie in the under 23 women’s single scull.
Both athletes will also face off against each other and the national field in the under 23 women’s double scull.
Media: Melina Stephanos at UQ SPORT (07 3346 7519, melinas@uqsport.uq.edu.au)
