Kim Crow (VIC) became Australia’s first international medallist in the women’s single scull as she claimed bronze at Rowing World Cup 2 in Munich, Germany.

Crow’s bronze medal capped a successful day for Australia, after the men’s four of Joshua Dunkley Smith (VIC), Nicholas Purnell (NSW), Sam Loch (NSW) and Will Lockwood (VIC) won gold. 

Crow, who was only entered in the women’s single scull field after double scull partner Kerry Hore (TAS) was ruled out with injury last week, executed an excellent race to win bronze behind Belarus’ Ekaterina Karsten and Russia’s Julie Levina.

Fellow Australian sculler Sally Kehoe (QLD) finished in fifth place, but it was Crow that re-wrote Australian rowing history.

She led the field across the first 500m, before falling just behind Karsten at the halfway mark. Crow managed to do enough across the closing stages to hold on for an excellent third place, finishing in a time of 7:43.58. National High Performance Director Andrew Matheson reflected on Crow’s achievement.

“Kim rowed three great races across the regatta and to walk away with a bronze medal is a fantastic effort,” Matheson said.

“To have both Kim and Sal in the final is a great achievement and is a good stepping stone for this tour and also the rest of the year.”

The Four crew featuring stroked by Dunkley Smith upstaged their more fancied rivals to claim the gold medal in calm and cool conditions.

Australia 2 entered the race off good form in the heat and semi-final but faced reigning world champions Great Britain in the final, as well as the other Australian crew of Francis Hegerty(NSW), Cameron McKenzie-McHarg (VIC, James Marburg (VIC) and Matt Ryan (NSW), the current silver medallists at World Championship and Olympic level.

Australia 2 led the race from start to finish to beat home the USA in a time of 5:59.91, while Great Britain won the bronze medal.

Australia 1, stroked by Hegerty, finished in fourth place, two seconds shy of the British crew.

Lockwood, who rowed bow seat in Australia 2, said the start of the race was key.

“We have had really quick starts in the heat and semi-final and definitely went into this race with the same mindset,” Lockwood said.

“We wanted to get out by a boat length and then sit on the lead and see the rest of the field.

“We’re a pretty young crew, with three of us still under 23, and came here to gain further race experience, but to win it is great.”

Earlier in the afternoon the men’s quad scull of Karsten Forsterling (VIC), David Crawshay (VIC), Daniel Noonan (NSW) and Chris Morgan (SA) finished fourth in the final, while the men’s lightweight four of Todd Skipworth (WA), Blair Tunevitsch (TAS), Sam Beltz (TAS) and Anthony Edwards (TAS) recorded a fifth place finish.

The Australian team will now head to Varese, Italy to attend a 15-day training camp at the Australian Institute of Sport’s European Training Centre, before then competing at World Cup 3 in Lucerne, Switzerland from 9-11 July.

Rowing Australia