Rowsellas take experience from day three of Worlds

Day three of the 2025 World Rowing Championships in Shanghai provided the Rowsellas – the Australian Rowing Team  –  valuable experience and lessons to learn with the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics in mind. 

With 29 members of the 11-boat squad making world championship debuts, success in the medal count or places earned in A-Finals are not the only objectives for the team.  

Day three of the regatta reminded that the longer-term development of Australia’s world championship first timers is also an important aim here. 

On Tuesday, two Australia crews raced in Semi-Finals – the Men’s Quadruple Sculls and Women’s Pairs. Both missed the A-Finals and will now race in B-Finals on Thursday. 

Meanwhile, in the Men’s Pairs, Australia claimed victory in the D-Final. 

From the eight Australians who raced on Tuesday, six are in their first world titles. 

While Rowing Australia Performance Director Paul Thompson MBE said the world championships are still “about delivering” top results, the team also had three goals. 

“We said at the beginning that we’ll have crews going for Olympic qualifying times, some for the finals and some for medals,” Thompson said. 

“We knew for the boats we had racing today that there was going to be tough racing. 

“The two in Semi-Finals had their crack at the A-Finals and were in there at the start. 

“They didn’t get there. But we hope they can be competitive in the B-Final and produce a race they can be proud of.”

In the Men’ Men’s Quad Sculls the Australian crew of Nicholas Blackman, Johnson Daubney, Jackson Free and Alexander Rossi flew out from the start. 

At 500m they were third behind Italy and Ukraine. But at 1000m they were fourth and from there were unable to sustain the speed and fell back to finish sixth (5:54.74). 

Italy (5:43.89) won from the USA (5:45.95) in second and Ukraine (5:47.16) third. 

In the Women’s Pairs Semi-Finals: Australia Taylor Caudle and Eleanor Price (pictured), both New South Wales Institute of Sport scholarship holders,  put up a brave fight but like the Men’s Quad Scull, were overpowered in the second half. 

France (6:59.71) won from the USA (7:01.64) and Serbia (7:05.72). Australia (7:25.47) was sixth. 

In the Men’s Pairs D-Final, the Australian crew of Fraser Miscamble and Nicholas Smith (6:42.29) led from the start to win from Korea (6:52.72) and Malaysia (7:44.79). 

Australian crews racing on day four 

13.18 (AEST) – Men’s Double Sculls Semi-Final: Oscar McGuinness and Mitchell Reinhard

 13.28 (AEST) – Men’s Fours Semi-Final: Nikolas Pender (NSWIS), Fergus Hamilton, Austin Reinehr and Alexander Hill

Rupert Guinness, Rowing Australia

Photo: Brad Redfern and Rowing Australia