The British Commonwealth Face-off ? Commonwealth Rowing Championships

The men’s eight secures Australia’s seventh gold. Mike Finn-Kelcey/Getty Images

The Commonwealth Rowing Championships was raced last weekend at the National Watersports Centre in Nottingham, England. This followed on the heels of the Commonwealth Games in Manchester, which was unable to include rowing. Open only to members of the British Commonwealth, the entries from 10 different regions included a single sculler from English Channel Island, Guernsey, through to a full team from the host nation, England.

Entries were a mixture of A and B National Team members, some preparing for the World Championships, some part of the country’s development squad, and some gearing up for the World University Rowing Championships. A number of athletes doubled up, rowing in more than one event.

On the first day a moderate cross head wind made times a little slower, but the final day had perfect conditions with no wind.

World Cup winner for Great Britain, Kirsten McClelland-Brookes raced for Wales in two events. She gave Wales their only gold in the lightweight single and then went on to stroke the lightweight quad to silver on the same day. Under 23 gold medallist, Mitchell Punch, doubled up to win two golds for Australia in the single and quad.

With one race to go on the final day, the men’s eight, Canada and Australia were equal in the medal standing. The two countries battled it out with only one second separating them for 1500 metres. Australia, racing their crew that will compete at the World Championships next month, managed to pull ahead of Canada at the finish to secure gold.

Overall winners, Australia, finished with seven golds and one silver while Canada came second with six golds and four silvers. England won medals in 20 of the 23 events including five golds, ten silvers and five bronzes.

The Commonwealth Rowing Championships are usually run independently from the Commonwealth Games which does not have rowing as one of the core sports. The host country is able to choose if they will include rowing and 1986 was the last time it featured as part of the Games.