Australians are building for Beijing

Kehoe and Bradley at Australian trials

Despite the distances involved, a team of 16 athletes have made the long journey from Australia to compete at this week’s BearingPoint World Cup regatta at Eton’s Dorney Lake.

The Australian presence at the World Cup is part of an experiment at the start of the new Olympiad. Traditionally the team has not made the trip to Europe this early on in a regatta season, but high performance director Noel Donaldson said Australia is examining which regattas the team will race at in the build-up to the Beijing 2008 Olympics.

?It’s the start of four years and it’s all a part of our strategic philosophy about what regattas we race at,? Donaldson explained.

The Australians will race in five events in Eton, including the women’s eights and men’s quadruple scull. Olympic bronze medallist in the women’s quadruple scull, Amber Bradley, competes in the double scull event along with exciting new talent Sally Kehoe. Kehoe, 19, won the women’s single scull title at the World Junior Championships in Spain last year, and was named as Australia’s Female Crew of the Year for her performances.

Thanks to 2005 RWC : ETON / Matchtight

The World Rowing team values feedback.