NSWIS under 23 rowers making their mark on the world

Australia’s elite Under 23 rowers have soared into the first day of racing at the World Championships in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, with the Men’s Coxless Pair, Men’s Coxed Four and the Women’s Coxed Four all winning their opening races.

The Women’s Coxed Four – with New South Wales Institute of Sport scholarship athlete Emily Sheppard in the crew – were sporting a new combination but are steered by 2022 Under 23 World Champion coxswain Nicholas Dunlop.  Dunlop piloted the crew of Katherine Easton, Sophie Houston, Zara Collisson and Sheppard as they took hold of their preliminary race, leading from start to finish to progress straight to Saturday’s final.

Next to race was the Men’s Coxless Pair of Jarrod Lord and Mitch Salisbury. The Australian combination was pushed early by the New Zealand pair showed their class in the final 500m, opening up a three-second lead to earn direct qualification for Friday’s semi-finals.

The green and gold rush continued in the Men’s Coxed Four, with  NSWIS athletes Torben Ungemach, and Alexander Wood joining Riley Rees-Turner and Dylan Rhodes and coxswain Hannah Cowap in holding out a fast-finishing German crew to directly qualify for Saturday’s A-Final.

Rowing Australia Deputy Performance Director Jaime Fernandez OLY said he loved the positivity from the crews as they attacked their racing to set the tone for the regatta.

“That was a positive and strong start to our Under 23 World Championship campaign, with all three crews confidently leading from the outset and winning their respective heats,” Fernandez said.

“Most pleasing was the way the crews responded to challenges throughout their races, particularly through the middle 1000m, where all crews remained composed, worked within their framework and were able to ultimately push away from their competitors.

“We now look forward to the remaining boats racing in what will be some very competitive fields.”

Day two on Thursday will see the start of racing for the Women’s Lightweight Single Scull, Women’s Coxless Four, Men’s Coxless Four, Men’s Quadruple Scull and the Men’s Eight.

Check out World Rowing’s guide on how to listen and watch the racing from Plovdiv and stay up to date with all of the Australian action on the RA website and social media channels.

Story courtesy of Rowing Australia