The Australian University Games is a unique competition featuring a mix of elite athletes, former schoolgirl rowers and club athletes competing for their respective universities. While some rowers may regularly compete for their university’s affiliated boat club, for others, this regatta involves swapping their club colours for those of their university team. The combination of seasoned athletes, club-level competitors and recreational rowers within this field creates fun racing and makes the event’s outcome difficult to predict. That being said, several top contenders emerge from this field.
The Australian National University (ANU)
A top contender in this event will be the ANU double of Jacinta Essam and Ellora Kelly. Ellora, a seasoned sculler, had a successful Australia Rowing Championships this year, where she took home a Bronze in the open women’s double and reached the A-final of the open women’s single. Her doubles partner in this event is Jacinta Essam, who competes as a sculler for the ANU Boat Club.
The University of Melbourne
The Melbourne University double, stroked by Zara Lavery, will be a favourite to win. Zara has recently returned from the U23 World Rowing Championships in Poznan, where she competed in the coxless four. Although predominantly a sweep rower, Zara does compete in the occasional sculling event. Most notably this year, she won the Victorian State Championships in the double scull alongside fellow Australian team member and U23 World Championship single scull medallist Romy Cantwell. Zara is joined on this occasion by teammate Leila Hucker, an under 21 athlete who competes for Melbourne University Boat Club.
The University of Western Australia
The University of Western Australia’s Emma Pittman and Emma O’Neill will likely be the crew to beat. This combination has spent more time together than any other in this field. At this year’s Australian Rowing Championships, the pair found success, taking home bronze in the U21 double. While last season O’Neill competed for Fremantle Rowing Club, both athletes now train together at Swan River Rowing Club.
Prediction
In a race filled almost exclusively with new combinations of athletes who have never competed together and crews with athletes of varying skill levels, it is difficult to look past the established combination from the University of Western Australia of Pittman and O’Neill. Their experience racing and training together this past season will likely set them ahead of the rest of the field.
However, Lavery’s skill and international racing experience should not be overlooked, and this could guide the University of Melbourne to the top step of the podium.
