22 Jul 2010

The Australian Under 23 Team, including 2 AIS athletes, commences their tilt at international success tonight as the 2010 Under 23 World Rowing Championships commence in Brest, Belarus.

Eight Australian crews will line up at the sixth running of the Under 23 World Championships, with close to 900 athletes representing 57 nations entered in the 2010 regatta.

Australia’s charge will be led by the men’s four crew of Joshua Dunkley Smith (VIC), Nicholas Purnell (NSW), Will Lockwood (VIC) and Dominic Grimm (NSW), who enter the regatta fresh off their successful senior World Cup tour.

Dunkley Smith, Purnell and Lockwood claimed gold with Sam Loch in the men’s four at World Cup 2 in Germany, before backing this result up with a silver medal in the men’s eight at World Cup 3 in Switzerland.

Grimm, meanwhile, won gold in the men’s coxed pair at World Cup 3 and replaces 26 year old Loch in the crew.

Australia will also enter crews in the men’s eight, men’s quad scull, men’s lightweight double scull, men’s lightweight four, women’s quad scull, women’s lightweight quad scull and women’s four.
National High Performance Director Andrew Matheson says the results of these eight crews will be watched closely.

“The Under 23 World Championships are always a hard regatta to gauge and there are a lot of very talented athletes floating around from a number of nations,” Matheson said. “Our eight crews contain many athletes who will have the 2012 London Olympic Games in the back of their minds.

“They have had a good preparation and now have a chance to test themselves against some quality international competition.”

Racing commences today at 10am (6pm AEST) in Belarus with the heats of the women’s four, while the regatta will conclude with the final of the men’s eight on Sunday 25 July.

For more information please call David Polglase on 0401 453 041