2016 World Rowing Championships underway in Rotterdam

A host of NSWIS athletes are in the midst of an historic world rowing championships in Rotterdam the Netherlands as the competition reaches its climax.

For the first time ever, the world rowings championships are combining the World Non-Olympic Senior events, the Under 23 World Championships and the Junior World Championships (details on www.worldrowing.com).

There are no NSWIS scholarship holders involved in the non-Olympic senior events but several are nearing the finals stage of the regatta in the U23 competition, while the juniors are headed towards quarter and semi finals.

Under 23s

This category will see the first of the finals taking place tonight AEST. Here are results for the NSWIS contingent:

• Sam Hardy (based at Harvard) is racing in the U23 Men’s Coxed Four at 00:15 hrs. The crew won their heat to progress straight through to this final.

• Rowena Meredith is leading the rapidly improving U23 Women’s Quad this year and they will race in the A final at 10:30 pm AEST, starting on an outside lane.
• Rob Black and Tom Schramko are racing in the U23 Men’s Quad (see photo) and have progressed confidently to the A final which will be contested on Friday night at 00:45 hrs AEST.
• Alex Purnell was a late selection to the U23 Men’s Eight (coxed by Frankie Gourlas of Sydney Uni) and will race in the B final at 21:35 hrs AEST tonight.

Juniors

This category is mid-competition and the sole NSWIS scholarship holder Tom Barnes and his crew are set for quarter finals on Saturday morning.

• Barnes and his Junior Men’s Quad Scull crew that includes emerging talents Pasha Bevan, Max Brenner and Jackson Kench need patience and consistent performance if they are to make the A finals on Sunday. They will start with quarter finals at 02:25 on Sat morning AEST.