Fremantle
As one of the younger crews, Fremantle has a few notable school rowers coming straight from their successes at the All Schools State Championship Regatta, with two seat Briar Froud, stern pair Oceane Jeannerat, and Olivia Hansen-Knarhoi already having experience racing and winning together in the Schoolgirls Open Coxed Eight. Aside from victory on water, this crew includes Lily Lucas, the reigning champion of the U17 2000-metre at the WA Indoor Rowing Championships earlier in the year. Throughout the lead-up regattas, this crew has been battling through each race, stealing a convincing win and snagging a bronze medal this season. And while they will need to up their game a bit more to seize a podium position in this race, we’ve seen what they can do before, so perhaps they can pull out another great row this weekend.
Swan River Rowing Club
The Swan River Rowing Club crew has been our most consistent medalists in this category, starting the season strong with a win, then settling for third place more recently. They are undoubtedly aided by the sweep powerhouse Greta Spencer, the current Australian Champion in the U21 Women’s Pair, the U21 Eight, and the Open Eight Sprint. And while it takes more than one person to row an eight, if this crew has found a way to shave a few seconds off their pace in these last two weeks, they could be definite challengers, and might have a chance to end the state season how they started it.
University of Western Australia Boat Club (UWABC)
The UWABC crew has been our rising stars this season, improving each regatta and finishing in first place most recently. They have a considerable amount of experience and skill in the boat, with Lara Glendinning holding the current title of State Champion in the Masters Eight and the Mixed Masters A-B Grade Double, Bronwyn Cox seated as the current Australian champion in Open Coxless Four and the Open Eight Sprint, and their coxswain, Maisy Dawson, also working as a school coach. If they can maintain their newfound strength during the race, they might have the opportunity to break in their newly christened eight with a state title.
WARC
The Western Australian Rowing Club has spent this season nipping at the other crews’ heels. They are a constant competitor, pushing the other crews to move faster, but not yet having a chance to stand in the centre of the podium themselves.
