Western Australian rowing has seen a resurgence in recent years, particularly in women’s rowing. Athletes like Annabelle McIntyre, Bronwyn Cox, and Giorgia Patten were regulars on the national team up to the Paris Olympics, while a seriously talented group of youngsters have made the national junior teams in recent years.
Plenty of talent will be on display at this year’s Rowing WA State Championships, particularly in the women’s open single scull, with five Australian representatives throwing their hats in the ring.
Fremantle Rowing Club
Juliet Kelly and Chloe Fleay represent the Cambridge Blue of Fremantle in this event. Kelly has had a big 18 months, making the Australian U19 quad in 2024. She then finished seventh in the U19 sculls at this year’s Australian Rowing Championships, represented WA in the Bicentennial Cup, and has continued to do well at local regattas. She followed a third-fastest in Pennant Regatta three with a highly credible fourth in Pennant Regatta four behind two Olympians and another Australian junior representative. An outside chance of a medal if things go right.
Fleay has had decent results herself over the local regatta season. She has been competitive in her races and set her season-best time in Pennant Regatta four.
Swan River Rowing Club
Former Australian junior representatives Rebecca Pretorius and Sina Metzger headline the four-strong Swan River Rowing Club contingent, joining Emma O’Neill and Isabella Edinger. Pretorius was part of the Australian bronze medal-winning U23 four in 2023 and has plenty of form this season with wins in Pennant Regattas one and two, and third behind Cox and Patten in Pennant Regatta four. Metzger may well be the dark horse of the event, with no racing this season so far.
O’Neill and Edinger are evenly matched, with O’Neill finishing third for Fremantle and Edinger fifth in the B-final of the U21 sculls at this year’s Australian Rowing Championships. They’ve traded wins against each other through the local season, leaving season bragging rights down to this last event.
University of Western Australia Boat Club
She’s a two-time Olympian, the reigning Australian singles silver medallist, yet Bronwyn Cox might not be the favourite here. She’s taking a year off from the national team, but still won silvers in the open and interstate singles at the Australian Rowing Championships. She finished second again in her only sculling race of the WA season, nine seconds behind fellow Olympian and Henley Royal Regatta pairs partner Giorgia Patten.
Kayla Kalweit is another up-and-coming WA rower. She’s twice finished third-fastest in the pennant season before a creditable sixth in the final pennant race. An A-final appearance is achievable; however, matching or beating last year’s fourth may be a challenging prospect, given the stronger field in 2025.
West Australian Rowing Club
Two-time Olympian Giorgia Patten leads a robust WARC contingent – but don’t take your eyes off Joely Patterson, Imogen Hubbard or Aquilla Ambrosino, though. Patten rowed with Cox in the women’s eights at the Tokyo and Paris, and you can guarantee there will be some serious bragging rights up for grabs here.
Club captain Patterson had a strong Australian Rowing Championships, finishing second in the B-final of the open single sculls and winning bronze in the Queen’s Cup for WA. A win in Pennant Regatta three showed her class, before fifth behind Patten, Cox, Pretorius and Kelly in Pennant Regatta four. She’s also the reigning silver medallist in this event.
Hubbard’s also been in good form, generally sitting in the 8:30s throughout the season, other than one race in tricky conditions. Ambrosino has been a little slower, but should be competitive with Fleay if they’re in the same heat.
Prediction
You can’t go past the Olympians, can you? You could try rock, paper, scissors to pick one of Bronwyn Cox or Giorgia Patten. We will go off form though, and pick Patten for gold and Cox for another sculling silver. The battle for bronze will be fascinating – we’re tipping Rebecca Pretorius to finish ahead of Juliet Kelly and Joely Patterson.
