The Australian Senior A Rowing Team departs Australia this Sunday (13 June) to compete in two World Cup events in Europe.

The 39-person team will compete at World Cup 2 in Munich, Germany (18-20 June) and World Cup 3 in Lucerne, Switzerland (9-11 July), whilst also completing a 15-day training camp between events at the Australian Institute of Sport’s European Training Centre in Varese, Italy.

The four-week tour will serve as a crucial phase in preparations for the 2010 World Rowing Championships in New Zealand (31 October-7 November), with all crews set to gain valuable international racing experience.

Following a successful 2009, which saw Australia blood many new rowing stars, a number of the 2008 Beijing team have returned to action in 2010, which has created strong competition for seats.

National High Performance Director Andrew Matheson says the squad has a good blend of youth and experience.

“Over the last year some of the young guys have put their hands up and begun to establish themselves as part of the main team and it is great to see,” Matheson said.

“We are reaching the middle of the current Olympic cycle and the more rowers we have vying for seats, the greater strength and depth we will have across all categories.

“The World Cup tour will provide us with some quality racing and I know the whole team is eager to take to the water in World Cup 2 in Munich.”

In Munich the men’s eight crew will break up into two separate men’s coxless fours, as well as racing in the men’s eight boat.

William Lockwood (VIC), Sam Loch (NSW), Nicholas Purnell (NSW) and Joshua Dunkley Smith (VIC) will form one consolidated crew, while Tom Larkins (VIC), Tom Swann (VIC), Fergus Pragnell (NSW) and Brodie Buckland (NSW) form the other crew.

The women’s lightweight double scull of Hannah Every-Hall (QLD) and Alice McNamara (VIC) will race in the heavyweight category, while the women’s pair of Phoebe Stanley (VIC) and Pauline Frasca (VIC) will not attend World Cup 2, but will instead meet the team at the training camp in Italy at the end of June.

Following the conclusion of the World Cup tour, the team will return to Australia ahead of the final round of selection trials for the World Championships.

The trials will be held at the Sydney International Regatta Centre (August 23-26) and will provide an opportunity for a number of athletes that missed the previous selection trials through injury, to vie for World Championship selection.

Full Australian Team for World Cup 2 in Munich

Men’s Single Scull
Nick Hudson (NSW)

Men’s Quad Scull
Chris Morgan (SA), Dan Noonan (NSW), David Crawshay (VIC), Karsten Forsterling (VIC)

Men’s Double Scull
Danjels Reedman (NSW), Jared Bidwell (QLD)

Men’s Pair
Bryn Coudraye (SA), Dominic Grimm (NSW)

Men’s Four
Matthew Ryan (NSW), James Marburg (VIC), Cameron McKenzie-McHarg (VIC), Francis Hegerty (NSW)

Men’s Four
William Lockwood (VIC), Sam Loch (NSW), Nicholas Purnell (NSW), Joshua Dunkley Smith (VIC)

Men’s Four
Tom Larkins (VIC), Tom Swann (VIC), Fergus Pragnell (NSW), Brodie Buckland (NSW)

Men’s Eight
William Lockwood (VIC), Sam Loch (NSW), Nicholas Purnell (NSW), Joshua Dunkley Smith (VIC), Tom Larkins (VIC), Tom Swann (VIC), Fergus Pragnell (NSW), Brodie Buckland (NSW), Toby Lister-cox (NSW)

Men’s Lightweight Four
Anthony Edwards (TAS), Sam Beltz (TAS), Blair Tunevitsch (TAS), Todd Skipworth (WA)

Men’s Lightweight Four
Ross Brown (WA), Perry Ward (WA), Michael McBryde (QLD), Angus Tyers (VIC)

Women’s Double Scull
Kerry Hore (TAS), Kim Crow (VIC)

Women’s Double Scull
Hannah Every-Hall (QLD), Alice McNamara (VIC)

Women’s Single Scull
Sally Kehoe (QLD)

Women’s Lightweight Single Scull
Ingrid Fenger (TAS)

Women’s Pair
Sarah Tait (VIC), Sarah Cook (ACT

Rowing Australia