07 Dec 2011
World Champion Rowers Fighting For Australian Selection
Amber Halliday and Sally Causby heading for Australian women’s team selection in the lightweight double
A highly successful selection regatta for the AustralianTeam women’s crews for the World Championships and Nations Cup was conducted on the Westlakes course in Adelaide, Australia over three days 14th, 15th & 16th March.
Australia’s leading women rowers raced in both small boats (singles and pairs) and big boats (doubles sculls and fours) over 2000 metres on the man made course. The regatta was an important part of the selection process with the results going towards 20% of the National Ranking for the Senior A (Open) and 30 % for the Senior B (Under 23).
Current World Champions in the lightweight double scull and racing on their home course, Amber Halliday and Sally Causby showed that they have their minds set on defending their world championship title this year and then onto Athens. Halliday and Causby finished first and second respectively in the lightweight single and followed it up with a good win together in the lightweight double.
“It has a been a good regatta, well organised. It is great for us to have this regatta in our home town.” Said Causby, adding that they had to ensure they were at the peak of their fitness for the trial. “It was tough racing each day.”
Amber Bradley took the women’s single scull…before shaving her head!
Current national singles champion from Western Australia and now based at the Australian Institute of Sport Amber Bradley won the single scull in fine form. Bradley, who shaved her head during the regatta as part of the Leukaemia Foundation “Shave for a Cause” finished in front of Kerry Hore also from the AIS. Bradley teamed with Kerry Hore to win the double by 4.36 seconds.
Three times world champion Victoria Roberts and her partner Monique Heinke took out the pair. They then combined with second placed pair Krysten Winkley and Alex Doyle to win the four.
Harald Jahrling the women’s head coach who has directed the Australian women’s crews to six gold medals at World Championships over the last two years was pleased with how the rowers went over the regatta. “World class people producing good performances for this time of year.” Jahrling said. “They fight very hard, I like that. They will need that in August.” He added, referring to the 2003 World Championships to be held in Milan, Italy.
Following the regatta the invitees for the next stage, the April Selection Regatta was issued. Sally Causby like the others said: “I am really looking forward to the final selection regatta.”
Copy provided by Michael Wilson of Rowing Australia