Medals for Spartans Rowers at Regional Championships

Somerset Spartan Rowers won seven medals at the South Queensland Regional Championships with two athletes selected in the South Coast Team.

The Championships saw 430 athletes from 27 different schools take part in at Wyaralong Dam on July 15 and 16. This regatta is the start of the Championship Term with the State Championships coming up in September. The competition has taken a step up from Term Two with athletes now needing to progress from heats to finals and with a greater number of schools involved the higher the standard of competition. With half the entries making it through to finals, Somerset Spartans continue to match the standard being set and it was fantastic to see the two Silver and five Bronze Medals won over the two days.

This year the event kicked off with the Year 11 Schoolgirl Double Scull with Maya Pearse and Sage Stevenson winning their heat and setting up the first final appearance for Somerset Spartans for the day. As the morning progressed a total of 12 Spartan Crews had made it through to finals. The first medal of the day was a Silver Medal for the Year 10 Schoolboy Quad crew of Luke Oishi, Max Ward-Harvey, Angus Riddle and Bowen Mansell, coxed by Zoe Benson. The following race Brooke Bowden and Maddi McLaughlin teamed up in the Year 9 Schoolgirl Double Scull to win Bronze. The Year 11 Schoolboy Quad of Alex Newing, Bowen Mansell, Callum Miles and Luke Oishi, coxed by Zoe Benson won Bronze with another Bronze Medal also going to Angus Riddle in the Year 9 Schoolboy Single Scull. The Year 8 Schoolgirl Quad narrowly missed out on a Bronze having survived a collision with the Umpire Boat after the finish of their heat, with the last medal of the day going to the Year 9 Schoolgirl Quad of Brooke Bowden, Maddi McLaughlin, Bella Vujanovic and Anna Zeng, coxed by Zoe Benson who won Bronze.

Sunday morning started with the Time Trial to select the Inter-Regional Quads for the South Coast Team that will compete at the School State Championships. A big congratulations to Bowen Mansell and Maya Pearse who have both been selected for the Under 17 Schoolboy Quad and Open Schoolgirl Quad respectively. 

Once the Heats had been completed in the morning it was once again time to see how the Somerset Spartans would fair in the Finals. With an understrength Year 8 Schoolboy Quad no one was expecting a repeat of their Trophy Regatta performance, but they still came away with a Silver Medal. A great result especially with two Year 7 rowers in the boat. Ed Hoult and Ethan Hu teamed up with Luis Pearse and Xavier Brand, coxed by Josh Rosentreter. Backing up his coxing skills Josh Rosentreter then steered the Year 9 Schoolboy Quad of Will Hoult, Angus Riddle, Benji Strong and Byron Taylor to a Bronze Medal to finish up the Medal tally for the Somerset Spartans.

Not satisfied with their results, the Spartans have started the term training harder than ever keen to step up for the Queensland School State Championships at Bucca Weir, Bundaberg on September 15 to 18.

Silver Medals

• Year 10 Boys Quad – Max Ward-Harvey, Luke Oishi, Bowen Mansell, Angus Riddle and Zoe Benson
• Year 8 Boys Quad – Ed Hoult, Ethan Hu, Xavier Brand, Luis Pearse and Josh Rosentreter

Bronze Medals

• Year 11 Boys Quad – Alex Newing, Bowen Mansell, Callum Miles, Luke Oishi and Zoe Benson
• Year 9 Boys Quad – Will Hoult, Angus Riddle, Benji Strong, Byron Taylor and Josh Rosentreter
• Year 9 Boys Single Scull – Angus Riddle
• Year 9 Girls Quad - Brooke Bowden, Maddi McLaughlin, Bella Vujanovic, Anna Zeng and Zoe Benson
• Year 9 Girls Double Scull – Brooke Bowden and Maddi McLaughlin