With the 2007 Australian Rowing Championships now over attention turns to the selection trials which are being held at the Sydney International Regatta Centre, Penrith 13 - 22 April.
With over 150 athletes invited to compete in the trials for selection into the Senior A and U23 squads, competition will be fierce.
With the 2007 Australian Rowing Championships now over attention turns to the selection trials which are being held at the Sydney International Regatta Centre, Penrith 13 - 22 April.
With over 150 athletes invited to compete in the trials for selection into the Senior A and U23 squads, competition will be fierce.
The 2007 World Rowing Championships, held in Munich in August, are an important stepping stone on the “Road to Beijing”.
They mark a chance for Australia, along with all the other nations competing, to qualify boats for the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008.
Australia enters the 2007 season as the number one nation in Olympic boat classes. This is a title that Australia will be looking to maintain in the lead-up to Beijing.
Australia’s prospects are looking excellent and this was only reinforced by strong performances at the Australian Rowing Championships in Nagambie, Victoria.
The women’s squad is moving from strength to strength ahead of the selection trials, with Queensland’s Pippa Savage at the forefront of the proceedings.
Savage, who is looking to make her first Australian squad, walked away from the Australian Rowing Championships with three titles to her name.
Along the way she teamed with Tasmania’s Kerry Hore to topple Liz Kell and Brooke Pratley, the reigning World Champions in the women’s double scull. This result shows the depth in the squad at present and sounds a firm warning to other nations.
The men’s squad is also at full strength and will provide some headaches for the selectors in Sydney.
World Champions Duncan Free and Drew Ginn are continuing to combine well in the men’s pair and the nation’s most successful rower, five time Olympian James Tomkins, has returned to the fold.
Tomkins, Free, Ginn and Sam Conrad were very impressive when combining to win the four at the Australian Championships Although there will be some selection difficulties, these are good problems to have approaching the international season.
The increased rivalry has improved training times and race performances and this can only be good for Australian rowing.
Rowing Australia
