The shores of Lake Burley Griffin are bustling, but not with the normal hustle of regattas. This weekend, as a large crowd weaves between food stalls to find a seat under the spectator marquees, the sounds of laughter and excited conversation drift over the water, between hoots and cheers as athletes power down the course. Children dash between activities, and the light clink of wine glasses rises above the deeper tones of a local music act.
With that description, you would be correct in thinking that this sounds more like a festival than a rowing competition, but the Golden Oar promises to be no ordinary regatta. Each event will consist of three different races: a head-to-head 1500m, which determines the starting order of the endurance 3000m time trial; and the combined results of the two races divide the crews into their A and B finals, which will race over a 450m sprint. The crew that wins the A-final will be rewarded with $10,000, with second and third place receiving $5,000 and $2,500, respectively. However, if the winner from the B-final finishes with a faster time than the winner from the A-final, they will also be awarded $5,000.
The mixed club quad promises to be a spicy event, considering that we have multiple athletes who have competed at the world level, and one international crew joining us.
UTS
This UTS crew is hard to look past, with the likes of Sarah Tisdall, a former Brisbane Girls Grammar rower, who placed third at the 2019 U23 Worlds in the coxed four, and Jack Power, who won the U23 single at the renowned international Holland Beker regatta. And let us not forget about Patrick Burke, who is the reigning national champion in the club double. With a lineup like that, this crew will be the ones to beat.
Sydney
Another team with international racing experience, this Sydney crew not only includes Charlie Hine, a current Australian champion in the club eight and Henley Royal Regatta finalist, but also Ella Spaulding, who raced the double at the World University Games. Rounding out this crew is Nicole Vance, who, aside from having more successes at nationals than can comfortably be listed here, also represented New Zealand in the eight at the U19 World Championships. With the amount of experience atop of a podium in this boat, this crew is definitely one to watch.
Sydney University
This Sydney University crew is not shy of high-stakes competition, with both Tom Anderson and Finlay Mitchell having raced at the UniSport Australian Nationals, and Alexandra O’Brien going as far as placing third in the coxed four at the 2023 U19 World Championships. With their unique perspective from university racing, it will be interesting to see how this crew measures up in a club event.
Uganda Rowing Federation
The crew from the Uganda Rowing Federation could be the sleeper in this event. There aren’t many comparable results to go by; however, several of the crew have competed internationally before. Susan Nubakenya qualified for the Youth Olympic Games in 2014, and Sharifu Lukwago at the FISU Championships last year – alongside an illustrious career in the Ugandan Handball Super League. Without concrete results to compare, it’s challenging to assess this crew; however, I doubt they would have come all this way for nothing. The Uganda Rowing Federation could throw down a surprise challenge.
Prediction
It’s easy to see that this will be an absolute blinder of an event, considering the sheer experience that each crew has to offer. My prediction is that the 1500m race will see the Sydney University and UTS crews battling it out at the front of Sydney and Uganda Rowing Federation, with UTS just slipping in front before the finish. The 3000m, however, will be Uganda Rowing Federation’s time to shine, with them overtaking and finishing in front of Sydney University and beating UTS by time, with all four crews making the A-final. In the fast-paced sprint finale, it will be a very close field, with all four crews up at the front of the pack and narrow margins between them. As they cross the finish line, however, UTS will just steal the lead off Sydney, with Uganda Rowing Federation coming in third, less than a second ahead of Sydney University. No matter the result, this is sure to be an exceptional category to watch, with some fantastic, fast-paced rowing visible from under the spectator tents.
