ROWING: Rowing Australia today announced the coaches appointed to the 2016 Australian Rowing Team, subject to final crew selections at the upcoming National Selection Trials.
In addition to Rowing Australia announcing the the appointment of its coaching team for the 2016 season, Australian Olympic Team Chef de Mission Kitty Chiller confirmed the appointment of Jaime Fernandez as the Team Leader for the Rowing Section of the Australian Olympic Team.
Mr Fernandez, himself a three-time Olympian and Olympic Silver Medallist, will be responsible for the overall leadership of the Section, while dual Gold Medal winning coach Chris O’Brien will assume the role of Head Coach of the 2016 Australian Rowing Team, along with coaching the Australian Men’s Four and Men’s Pair in 2016.
“I am absolutely delighted to be appointed the Team Leader for the Rowing Section of the 2016 Australian Olympic Team. To once again be involved in an Olympic campaign albeit in a different capacity is truly a privilege and honour that is very humbling. I look forward to supporting and working with our athletes, coaches and staff though the excitement, challenges and the journey that is in front of us.
“Chris and I have worked together for many years and we look forward to guiding our rowing section in Rio de Janeiro later this year,” said Mr Fernandez.
Mr O’Brien added: “In my role as National Team Performance Director I have worked closely with Jaime and I believe that this will make for a great team when it comes to the upcoming rowing season which of course culminates in the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
“I am excited by the months ahead with the opportunity to coach our top rowers hopefully to victory once again.”
The seven Olympic-qualified crews will be based at the Reinhold Batschi National Training Centre (RBNTC) in Canberra from 23 February to 17 May. Rowing Australia has also confirmed the coaches that may attend the Final Olympic Qualification Regatta in Lucerne, subject to crew selection at the upcoming National Selection Trials.
For those boats who do not yet have coaches appointed, RA will make further announcements of appointments subject to crews being selected.
The list of appointed 2016 Australia Rowing Team coaches is below:
BOAT COACH (in brackets Club or SIS/SAS) TRAINING BASE
W1x Lyall McCarthy (RBNTC) RBNTC - Canberra
M2x and W2x Rhett Ayliffe (WAIS) RBNTC - Canberra
M4x John Driessen (Huon Rowing Club) RBNTC - Canberra
W4x Tom Westgarth (QAS) RBNTC - Canberra
M4- and M2- Chris O’Brien (RBNTC) RBNTC - Canberra
Olympic Underpinning Mark Prater (Sydney University Boat Club) RBNTC - Canberra
Olympic Underpinning Andrew Randell (ACTAS – Canberra) RBNTC - Canberra
LW2X Ellen Randell (UTS Rowing Club) UTS Rowing Club and NSWIS
LM4- Brett Crow (TIS) Hobart/Huon, hosted by the TIS
M8+ Simon Cox (RBNTC) Penrith and NSWIS
W8+ Mark Fangen-Hall (RBNTC) Mosman Rowing Club and NSWIS
W2- Alfie Young (Mosman Rowing Club) Mosman Rowing Club and NSWIS
Rowing Australia
