Rowing Australia today confirmed the Senior Australian Rowing Team set to race at the 2018 World Rowing Cups. The team will be reviewed post-World Cups, with a further announcement later in the year on the crews that will compete at the 2018 World Rowing Championships.
 
Confirmed so far are five men’s crews and five women’s crews for World Rowing Cups 2 and 3, while para-rower Erik Horrie, who was earlier this month selected for the 2018 World Rowing Championships, will compete in the PR1 Men’s Single Scull for World Rowing Cups 1 and 2.
 
The 2017 World Rowing Championships winning Men’s Four return to 2018 competition, with Alexander Hill, Jack Hargreaves, Spencer Turrin and Joshua Hicks selected to represent Australia in the Men’s Four at World Rowing Cups 2 and 3.
 
Meanwhile, the 2017 World Rowing Championships winning Women’s Four has had one crew change, with Rosemary Popa joining Molly Goodman, Sarah Hawe and Lucy Stephan for the World Cups this season.
 
Australia’s Women’s Eight squad, which will be finalised into a crew before World Cup 2, boasts 2017 World Rowing Champion in the Women’s Four, Katrina Werry, along with four U23 World Championships medallists in Annabelle McIntyre, Addy Dunkley-Smith, Georgina Gotch and Leah Saunders. They will be joined by senior team debutants Jacinta Edmunds, Georgina Rowe, Ciona Wilson and Emma Fessey.
 
Australia’s Men’s Eight this season sees the return of two Olympians; Joshua Booth (Rio 2016 Olympic silver medallist) and Nicholas Purnell (London 2012). 2017 U23 Men’s Four World Champions Liam Donald and Robert Black, make their senior debut at the World Cups and join 2017 Australian Rowing Team members Angus Moore, Simon Keenan, Timothy Masters and Angus Widdicombe. Kendall Brodie, who will make her Australian Rowing Team debut at the World Rowing Cups, will cox the crew.
 
Australia will also be entering Lightweight Men’s and Women’s Quadruple Sculls at this year’s World Cups. Sarah Pound returns to the Lightweight Women’s Quad, joining Amy James, Georgia Miansarow and Georgia Nesbitt. The Lightweight Men’s Quad has been named as a squad, with further trialling to decide on the final crew to take place shortly. The squad of is made up of Jack Kelly, James Kerr, Michael McNamara, Blaine Heseltine and Cameron Fowler.
 
Madeleine Edmunds will race the Women’s Single Scull and Hamish Parry the Lightweight Men’s Single Scull, while 2016 U23 Men’s Quadruple Scull World Champions, Luke Letcher and Caleb Antill, have been named in the Men’s Quadruple Scull alongside Hamish Playfair and Olympian David Watts. The Women’s Quadruple Scull for the World Cups will feature Olympians Genevieve Horton and Olympia Aldersey with Caitlin Cronin and Rowena Meredith.
 
Rowing Australia Performance Director, Bernard Savage said, “We’re pleased to have a total of 11 crews competing across the three World Rowing Cups this year.
 
“While Erik will be competing at World Rowing Cups 1 and 2 as part of his preparation for the World Rowing Championships, the ten other crews will race at World Cups 2 and 3.
 
“We’re delighted to have been able to name a men’s and women’s eight, alongside our other crews, highlighting the depth of talent we are now cultivating within our two National Training Centres. It is also pleasing to see the addition of some athletes from outside the centres who have trained hard this year to win selection into the World Cup crews.”
 
Savage admitted the weeklong trials have seen some positive outcomes, not just from selection: “The quality and depth of the athletes’ performances this week is really pleasing and demonstrate a positive step forward from last year. We look forward to working hard here in Australia and in Europe ahead of the World Cups beginning in June.”
 
The coxswain for the Women’s Eight will be announced post the 2018 Aon Sydney International Rowing Regatta, while the final Women’s Eight crew and Lightweight Men’s Quadruple Scull will be confirmed in the lead up to World Cup 2.

Australia’s Senior Para-Rowing Team (minus Horrie who has already been selected) will be selected for the 2018 World Rowing Championships at the April selection trials.

The World Rowing Cup dates and locations are as follows:
World Rowing Cup 1 – 1-3 June 2018, Belgrade, Serbia
World Rowing Cup 2 – 21-24 June 2018, Linz Ottensheim, Australia
World Rowing Cup 3 – 13 – 15 July, Lucerne, Switzerland

The full team for the 2018 Australian Rowing Team for World Rowing Cups is available here.