The 2025 Rowing WA State Championships mark one of the first regattas of Australia’s domestic season, although they culminate the West Australian club season, which runs through winter. One of the standout races of the regatta will likely be the Championship Open Women’s Coxless Quad, with the crews being well and truly familiar with each other. Having the title of state champion on the line, and some rivalry to spice things up, it looks like we could see one of the tightest races of the regatta on Sunday.
West Australian Rowing Club
These women are a strong contender for this season’s state championships. Last year, WARC took out this event by five seconds. The crew has undergone some changes, with Stella Wandel and Imogen Hubbard joining last year’s winning crew. The new combination has shown some recent speed with their win in the coxless fours at the most recent Rowing WA Pennant Regatta, and look to be in contention to defend their title.
Swan River Rowing Club
The women from Swan River are looking promising for a potential upset to WARC’s recent wins. The crew from Swan River has made some changes to the four that came up short against WARC last Pennant Regatta, with the addition of Emma O’Neill and Emma Pittman. This reshuffle could give them the upper hand on their upstate rivals.
UWABC
The sole university club contenders for the quad this year come from UWABC, with two entries. The crews haven’t raced together yet, so accurate predictions could be difficult. With the Australian University Games closing in, these women are likely deep in heavy training and selection. The extra depth and interclub competition from UWABC could provide much-needed support to break up the rivalry between traditional favourites Swan River and WARC.
Predictions
With WARC’s recent results in the four and their previous championship experience, I will play it safe and put them down as my prediction for first place, with Swan River Rowing Club for second and one of UWABC’s crews coming in third.
