Tomkins and Crew Win Kings Cup at Australian Champs

The Australian Rowing Championships came to an exciting end with the Victorian men’s eight winning the Kings Cup trophy in the last race of the six-day event.

The Victoria crew, which contained James Tomkins and Drew Ginn had a tough race against strong opponents Western Australia, but eventually took the lead by a comfortable three seconds. For Tomkins, this amazing win was his 14^th time as part of the Kings Cup winning crew.

The Champion Interstate women’s eight final was taken in nearly two lengths by New South Wales. The crew, stoked by world champion Kristina Larsen and containing four other world champions took the Grovenor General Plate from Victoria stroked by world champion Emily Martin and Western Australia containing Rebecca Sattin, Jo Lutz and Amber Bradley.

The women’s single interstate race was won by two hundredths of a second by Dana Faletic of Tasmania in front of Western Australian Amber Bradley.

The Presidents Cup, awarded for the men’s single sculls was taken by Sydney Olympian Duncan Free for Queensland in 6:59.73. He was followed two seconds behind by Tasmanian Brendan Long and Craig Jones from ACT.

World Championship quad crew member Amber Bradley was acclaimed Rower of the Regatta, having won gold medals in the quadruple sculls, the single sculls, the double sculls and the eight over the six-day event.

But she wasn’t the only outstanding woman in the race. All of the 2002 Australian women world champions put on some tremendous racing.

In the women’s coxless four, Sally Robbins, Emily Martin, Monique Hunke and Victoria Roberts had a lucky escape, winning the race in 6:45.46, just under a second ahead of Kristina Larsen, Rachel Taylor, Kyeema Doyle and Jodi Winter. Fellow world champions Rebecca Sattin, Jane Robinson, Julia Wilson and Jo Lutz rowed in third, in 6:47.73.

The women’s quadruple sculls race was taken by Sally Robbins, Donna Martin, Amber Bradley and Dana Faletic in 6:38.98. World champions Julia Wilson, Jane Robinson, Rebecca Sattin joined by Victoria Rogers rowed in seventh, in 6:54.74.

The most exciting race on Friday was in the women’s eight, where the 2002 world eight champion crew was split in half to row in two separate boats.

The Australian Institute of Sports crew stroked by Rebecca Sattin and rounded out by Amber Bradley, Dana Falecic and Donna Martin recorded a solid time of 6:17.9, two seconds ahead of their strongest opponent containing remaining World Championship eights crew Emily Martin, Jodi Winter and Kristina Larsen with their national championships pairs partners.

The Australian Rowing Championships took place at Nagambie Lakes, Victoria, Australia from March 5 to 10. For full results and reports, visit the official Australian Rowing Championships website.