That's oar-some

University of Queensland Boat Club (UQBC) representatives have experienced a taste of international rowing after competing in the Trans-Tasman Varsity Challenge this month.

UQBC hosted this year’s event, squaring off against Sydney University and a combined New Zealand universities squad across 3 days of racing on Lake Wyaralong near Beaudesert and on the Brisbane River.

Twenty-two UQBC rowers were selected for the Trans-Tasman Varsity Challenge, competing in teams ranging from pairs to 8s, and in distances covering one, 2 and 4 kilometres.

This year’s event also included mixed 250-metre and 500-metre sprint races along the Brisbane River, with men and women competitors from all squads joining forces in teams of 4.

Keep scrolling to see all the action from the sprint races on the Brisbane River.

While no official results were recorded, UQBC senior age coxswain and assistant high-performance coach Lilee Lunney said the Trans-Tasman Varsity Challenge allowed student-athletes to gain valuable international racing experience as they vie for future national selection.

“The Trans-Tasman Varsity Challenge was modelled on the annual Trans-Tasman Regatta series, held between the Australian and New Zealand Under-21s national teams,” Lunney said.

“There are no World Championship events for the Under-21s age group as it’s not considered an official international age group.

“Australia and New Zealand recognised the huge jump from the Under-19s age group to Under-23s competition, so the countries created an opportunity for the best Under-21 athletes to continue representing their country, gain international experience, and create a pathway to continued elite rowing as they move into senior and Olympic categories.

UQBC rower and first-year Bachelors of Engineering/Commerce student Bayley Clarke is one of those competitors hoping this experience will help him take that next step after missing out on national selection this year.

“I made the Queensland Youth 8s team but missed out on Australian selection, which was pretty disappointing,” he said.

“It's good to know there's another platform for international competition that isn’t ultra-competitive.

“[World championships] are extremely serious and you can't take your foot off the gas for a second. While we had some serious racing in the men’s 8s events, it was nice to get down to the river and enjoy ourselves a little bit, have a chat and get to know everyone who had made the trip to Brisbane.”

For fellow UQBC rowers Lucy Hope and Isabelle Drewe, the Trans-Tasman Varsity Challenge allowed them to try their hands at events they are less experienced in.

Hope, a Bachelor or Exercise and Nutrition Sciences (’22) graduate, and Drewe, a third-year Bachelor of Occupational Therapy student, mostly compete in the 2-kilometre pairs events, but were excited to step into the women’s 8s races at Lake Wyaralong.

“We typically race in pairs, so it’s great to branch out into the bigger boat and row with new people,” Drewe said.

Hope said it’s not often that she gets to compete in sprint events, like the teams did along the Brisbane River.

“It was great to hop in and out of a boat, meet new people, and row with new combinations each time.”

UQBC Trans-Tasman Varsity Challenge squad

Men's:

• Max Taylor
• Lex Tucker
• Monty Martin
• Clancy Doe
• Ned Weightman
• Rupert Barrett
• Bayley Clarke
• Finlay Harris
• Edward Miles
• Lenny Tune
• Priscilla Russell (coxswain)

Women's:

• Laura Chancellor
• Lucy Hope
• Tylah Hutton
• Nancy Duncan-Banks
• Isabelle Drewe
• Elly Ready
• Imogen Walker
• Una Murphy
• Jemima Powell
• Sophie Lucas
• Lilee Lunney (coxswain)