Griffith University Surfers Paradise Rowing Club News

Four of our girls joined four from UQ and rowed well to place second behind a composite Brisbane GPS and Commercial crew in the final of the Women's Under 20 Eights on Saturday at the State Championships - this marks an historic union of the two Universities.

Jessica Evatt-Davey (only 18 and currently on a GAP year) shocked the opposition and the selectors by winning the final of the under-20 single scull championship at the Queensland State Championships held at Bundaberg on Saturday and Sunday. After having a dreadful row in the heats and just qualifying with the eighth fastest time she won the start in the final and was not headed winning by just one tenth of a second. The second and third place getters had recently returned from rowing with Australian crews at the World Junior Championships and were shocked at the result. Chloe Hill - a past under 18 champion and member of Australia's Junior Quad said that she was rowed "legless" in an attempt to catch Jessica. Evatt-Davey rowed into third place in the final of the Champion Second Grade Single Sculls after hitting the bouys while leading just 150m from the line. Jessica teamed with Tiarne Augustine to finish fourth in the WU20 Pair, third in the WU20 Double Scull and second in the Women's Grade 2 Double Scull - quite an achievement and congratulations to Jessica on her inclusion in the State Under 21 Women's Squad for the National Championships next year!

 

Rowing Queensland just released a media item stating that Griffith was now standing second behind Toowong Rowing Club on the Regional Point Score (South Queensland) and third overall in the Queensland standings with Riverway Rowing Club from Townsville first. Riverway have a massive advantage on the Point Score, starting their season early and having more regattas with less opposition but even they are only a few points ahead of GUSPRC and our boat club has a huge lead over are old foe, the University of Queensland who are currently sitting in sixth position. This represents an amazing advance on last year where we finished in fifth place (which itself was greeted with disbelief by the Queensland rowing fraternity). The only regatta still to count for points is the Queensland Chamionships on December 3 & 4 and we hope that our band of rowers will do us proud and maintain or better the current result. Congartulaions to all those rowers and coaches who have worked so hard to get us to this point. 

Members of Griffith University Surfers Paradise Rowing Club travelled to Murwillumbah last saturday to compete in the Tweed Heads Rowing Club Regatta. Although many students were involved in exams and could not attend a record number of 44 rowers attended. The results were amazing with 12 wins, 10 second placings and 9 third placings for a total of 75 points on the Club Point Score for Queensland. Standout performances included a massive seven boat length win to Patrick Czakilew in his single scull race and a similar margin to Cameron Harrison in his single. Patrick is studying Medical Science and Cameron is in the Dentistry Faculty - I think they showed on Saturday that they both can operate very well indeed! Congratulations to our men's quad on their impressive win - showing that their victory at The Paradise Regatta was no fluke. All are in heavy training for the State Championships at Bundaberg on Decemebr 3 & 4, then we travel to the Sydney Plympic Course the following weekend for the NSW Sprint Championships.