THE OPEN SCULLS
The Single Scull is the ultimate test of sculling ability - with nobody else to help pull you down the course, it forces rowers to take sole responsibility for every race - incredibly rewarding when it goes well! At State Champs, the Championship Single Sculls were hotly contested, with 25 entries in the CMO1x and 18 in the CWO1x. We also present the Sculling Ladder trophies at this regatta - prestigious prizes given to the most consistently successful scullers across the Pennant season.
WARC's Alex Rossi has had a big few years - medalling at U23 Worlds in 2023, and valiantly campaigning the Aussie Men's Quad earlier this year at World Cup 1 and the Final Olympic Qualification Regatta. His return to Perth meant he was able to contest not only States, but the Sculling Ladder - clubmate Blake Whyatt took this home last year, and no doubt the club were keen to keep it on their side of the river! Well - Rossi certainly lived up to the hype, winning the A Grade 1x at Pennant 3 and 4, then at States he put an 11 second gap into second place, MUBC's Harry Fox, and in third, ANA's Kyle Fram. Alex was presented with the Neil Smith Memorial Sculling Ladder Trophy by Ali Paterson.
Freo's impressive women's squad continue their run of success, starting with Holly Cannon's back-to-back CWO1x State Championship wins. (In 2023, Holly won every single Open Women's event - now that's range!!). Holly took on a huge field of strong women but ultimately pried open a massive gap of almost 15 seconds back to Wests' Joely Patterson, then to UWABC's Thea Adamson.
Young superstar Emma O'Neill was FRC's other sculling sensation, taking home the Lynne Bayliss Sculling Ladder Trophy. This award, won by FRC's Charlotte Broad in 2023, was earned through a top 3 performance in the WA1x at every '24 Pennant Regatta. Emma was unable to take this run all the way to State Champs, coming up with some illness in the days prior - we would have loved to see another head-to-head battle with Holly! Emma was presented with her trophy by Lynne Bayliss herself.
THE OPEN PAIRS
Smaller fields, sure, but the level of competition in these races was up there with the best. The six men's crews and 4 women's crews boasted some of WA's finest sweep rowers, most of whom went on to win or contest the Open Eights on Sunday. In the men's race, UWABC were the best represented club with two crews, but there was one clear champion on the day - recent Aus rep Sam Marsh and Pat Boere took their first win of many in convincing style. Their 7:23.19 - 9 seconds back to WARC and a further 5 back to UWABC - made them back-to-back OM2- State Champions!
In the women's race, it was one crew a piece from SRRC, WARC, Freo and UWABC, and FRC's Holly Cannon and Charlotte Broad were back to try and reprise their performance from last year. However, it was not to be, with SRRC taking the race firmly by the scruff of the neck - State Team veteran Clare Netherway teamed up with up-and-comer Isabella Edinger to ensure Swans went home with the silverware. It was SRRC in 8:17.17, back to WARC, then FRC, then UWA.
THE OPEN DOUBLES
These open small boat fields are for the bravest among the club set - just four men's crews on the line, and six in the women's. The OW2x field boasted two Paris Olympians, WARC's Giorgia Patten and UWABC's Bronwyn Cox, and FRC's recent Aus Junior Team athlete Juliet Kelly. Swans' crew were a repeat from their OW2- and Clare and Isabella would have been keen to go back-to-back, but in the end, Giorgia Patten and Joely Patterson were too strong for their competition and cruised home in 8:21.20. Bronnie and Kayla were next across, followed by SRRC, UWABC, FRC and UWABC #2.
In the men's race, Dejan had a crack at the Pair the day prior where it wasn't his day - he was back for more on day 2, this time with sculling sensation Alex Rossi in the stroke seat. This powerful combination were challenged by FRC's Liam Davis and Remy Payne (2024 ARC Schoolboy 1x Champ), but proved too strong and took the win in 7:25.71, followed by FRC, UWABC and FRC #2.
 
THE OPEN QUADS
OW4x | The Quad Queens were out in full force! The WARC women were bolstered by the addition of Olympian Giorgia Patten, who teamed up with 2024 U21 Team athlete Sinead Reading and State Team stalwarts Joely and Tanika. The FRC, UWABC and SRRC crews were well credentialed but were perhaps saving themselves for their crack at the Eights later that day - either way, WARC took the race on early and had a 5-second margin back to SRRC and then to UWABC in Third.
OM4x | Quad Kings 👑 FRC pulled off one of the more impressive wins of the weekend with a 13.55 second gap back to UWABC and a further 23 seconds back to Swans in third. With WARC's A Crew a late scratching, and one eye on the OM8+ for many of the remaining athletes, we expect there would have been some tactical conversations happening before these crews took to the water!
 
THE OPEN FOURS
OM4- | In the Fours, it was SRRC that showed bright signs of things to come for their sweep squad. Both the Women's and Men's Fours were won by athletes who would go on to win in the Open Eights. The Men's race was decided by just three clubs, with UWABC scratched, but some big names across the field meant that we were still in for some entertainment! SRRC's Marsh and Rees-Turner, and WARC's Rossi, were the most recent Aus reps in this race - but the rest of the list read like a who's who of WA up & coming talent. In the end, the finish order for the hard-fought podium was SRRC first, 3.2 seconds back to WARC, and FRC bringing up the rear.
OW4- | WA's female sweep rowers are some of the strongest in the country - making this a hot event. Many of the crews in the Women's race boasted athletes with exceptional resumes - WARC with Paris Olympian Giorgia Patten, SRRC's Greta and Becky, and FRC's Juliet, just back from World Champs - and a heap of local legends to round the crews out. UWABC's crew was 3/4 of the 2024 State Team Vic Cup crew! Swans raced hard in the first half to establish a convincing lead, which they held to the line - WARC were 7 seconds back, and UWABC crossed in third.
*Unfortunately we have not been able to track down photos of these crews - please enjoy these artistic impressions of what presentations would have looked like...*
 
THE OPEN EIGHTS
SRRC's pink Empacher was escorted down the course in fine fashion by the crew of Swans women. Olympian Jacqui Swick's raceday switch-out had spectators spectulating, but it is testament to the crew's adaptability that they rolled with it and got the job done. 2023 winners Fremantle had a positive start and were battling for the lead in the opening stages of the race, but SRRC stamped their authority to come home a length clear of the next crews - Freo, then Wests, then UWABC.
It was a 24-peat for the SRRC Men's Eight! In one of WA's greatest sporting winning streaks, the men in navy blue had plenty on the line, with nobody keen to be part of a crew that brought it all to a halt! After a close race at Pennant 4, they made sure to take control of this race from the start - Freo and WARC both had a respectable crack at the lead, but it was SRRC up by half a length for most of the race, and they held their nerve all the way to the finish line to finish ahead of Wests, then Freo, then UWABC.
 
THE GRADE EVENTS
With so much racing going on across the weekend besides the Open events, it would be remiss not to mention some of the amazing Grade performances. The biggest event of the weekend by entries was the Men's C Grade 1x - 26 scullers went head to head in the deepest field of the weekend, and ultimately it was ANA's Banjo Morris-Luck who took out the win, back to UWABC's Fergus McCallum and SRRC's Thomas Coles. The Women's C Grade Double was almost as well-attended, and our regional friends from Bunbury Rowing Club, Ella Scott-Higgins and Elianna Cross crushed their competition to win that event in 4:28.18, back to Freo's Riley and Grace, and UWABC's Lara and Elise. The C Grade Eights are always a sight to behold, with full and colourful fields of big boats stretching across the lake - out of the 10 crews entered in the WC8+, it was UWABC's women who were stronger against good crews from ANA and Fremantle (and a shoutout to the Guildford schoolgirls who came in fourth!). In the men's race, UWABC came back from last year's second place and raced well to go one better.
A huge thank you to the volunteers from our host clubs - ANA Rowing Club and Canning Bridge Rowing Club - who kept everyone fed and watered, and helped us keep the regatta rolling along by providing boat holders, first aiders, bow number hander-outers and much more. And as always a massive Thank You to our amazing Boat Race Officials who did their utmost to ensure a safe and enjoyable regatta!
Finally, a thank you to our fantastic Major Partners, The City of Armadale, who have supported all our Championship regattas this year. It was great to have their visitor centre staff out to spread the good word about the Perth Hills and Armadale area!
Full results can be found on our RowingManager site, and full photo albums on our Facebook page (unfortunately we lost all the photos from Day 1 of presentations - please send them through if you'd like your photos included in the album!)
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