ROWING: New Zealand, Great Britain and Australia took control of the medal pool in the AYOF rowing finals on Saturday.

President of the AOC John Coates is very confident in the future of the sport from what he saw at the AYOF finals.

“We’re getting a good spread from the different countries that participate at an exceptionally high standard,” Coates said of the talent on the first day of competition.

Women’s Single Scull

Seventeen-year-old Eleni Kalimnios of Tasmania made a great comeback to win gold in the women’s single scull in a time of 7:50.04 after a rough night having suffered damage to her boat before the race.

“Another boat fell on top of it and someone had to work on it all night,” an out of breath Kalimnios said. “He’s amazing,” she said of the person responsible for repairing her boat. “I couldn’t have done that without my boat, really I’m speechless, really I’m sorry that was the best race of my life.”

South Australian Narelle Badenoch picked up the silver medal with a time of 7:59.66 and bronze went to Lucy Trembearth of Victoria 8:01.77.

Men’s Single Scull

Great Britain’s Jack Beaumont got what he wanted winning gold in the men’s single scull in a time of 7:05.29.

“I came here for gold and I got it,” said Beaumont who shared his win on the podium with fellow teammate Luke Moon who won silver close behind in a time of 7:07.69.

Peter Koster of New South Wales came away with bronze clocking in at 7:13.12.

Women’s Coxless Pair

New South Wales pair Jessie Allen and Genevieve Horton picked up gold in the women’s coxless pair on Saturday showing their appreciation the opportunity to race international competition.

“It’s amazing,” Allen said of her competition at the AYOF. “It’s so much better and it shows you and puts an emphasis on how much your hard work at home is actually helping now that we’ve got to race other nations. Everyone we race every weekend is good, it’s just good to get another group around us.”

Allen and Horton completed the race 7:26.23 - a great result for the pair who are only recently teammates.

Great Britain’s Anastasia Merlott Chitty and Nicole Lamb collected the silver medals in 7:35.96 and New Zealand’s Kirstyn Hay and Holly Greenslade picked up bronze with a time of 7:37.64.

Men’s Coxless Pair

New Zealand dominated the men’s coxless pair final with their team picking up gold and silver.
All four boys were happy to share the podium. Gold medal winners Andrew Potter and Tom Jenkins completed the course in 6:47.69 and were glad to have two Kiwi boats come out on top.

“We hoped for it,” said Potter and Jenkins about sharing their win with fellow teammates Lois van Velthooven and Jefferson Haldane who picked up silver with a time of 6:51.62.

South Australian pair Drew Clements and Jed Nicolle won the bronze coming in close behind with a time of 6:54.74.

Lightweight Women’s Double Scull

New Zealand pair Lucy Jonas and Jackie Kiddle loved the experience, winning gold with a time of 7:23.17 and the pair are eager to promote the course back home for the world cup.

Jonas who only found out she was in the team 10 days earlier is looking forward to competing again in the eight.

Despite being a lightweight, Jonas says that the pair will “definitely pull our weight” in the race to come.

Western Australian pair Georgia Wheeler and Emma Jones finished just behind at 7:24.89 to pick up silver and New South Wales pair Emma Thomas and Holly Lawrence grabbed bronze with a time of 7:27.02.

Lightweight Men’s Double Scull

Winners of the gold medal Benjamin Board and Jamie Copus of Great Britain have noted that Australia’s warm climate helped them achieve their time of 6:36.67 the pair was very happy with their result.

“We knew that if we rowed well we would have a very very good chance of winning,” said Copus.
“So we just stuck to our guns and just held on there and when we chose the moment to go we just went and didn’t stop till we were ahead.”

Joining them on the podium were New Zealand pair Rowan Jackman and Daniel Bridgewater who won silver in a time of 6:38.59 and Western Australian pair Nicolo Maurogiovanni and Thomas Mears winning bronze with a time of 6:45.99.

The rowing competition continues on Sunday at the Sydney International Regatta Centre, Penrith.

Hayley Williams
olympics.com.au