Nine athletes, eight races, 250m, $10,000 up for grabs. Those are the headlines for this weekend’s Sprint Eliminator race in the lunchbreak of the NSW Schoolboy Head of the River. The interesting new format will see athletes compete in a knockout format; nine will start the first race, and last place will be eliminated after each 250m sprint. The field consists of various skill, experience, and fitness levels, from Olympic gold medallists to those looking to make their first Australian team in the coming years.
Alex Hill
Olympic gold and silver medallist Alex Hill is undoubtedly the most experienced athlete in this field. Having rowed at three Olympic Games, Hilly has been a cornerstone of the Australian sweep team for over a decade. He’s no slouch in the single though, making regular appearances in South Australian colours to contest the President’s Cup at the Interstate regatta over the years, taking that trophy home on four occasions. Hill is known for his aggressive style – could this help him gain the edge over the one-eighth race distance?
Nick Whalan
Rowing NSW’s very own Programme Coordinator, Nick Whalan, will be looking to make an impact on Saturday at his employer’s first running of this novel format. Nick is somewhat of a dark horse in this field but could certainly be in with a chance at a top-three position. A former lightweight and winner of the youth eight for NSW last year, Nick has proved himself a deft hand in both sculling and sweep boats. Nick is one of only two scullers to have qualified for this event via racing at the NSW Small Boats Regatta in January, and so finishing anywhere in the top five would be an excellent result for the King’s alumni.
Marcus Della Marta
2024 men’s double representative Marcus Della Marta certainly arrives on the start line as a favourite for this event. In a new-look NTC group, Marcus is the top sculler in the country at the moment, fresh off having won the NSW State Titles just a month ago. Marcus’ closest competition will likely come in the form of Alex Hill, who took the win the last time these two faced off at last year’s interstate regatta. The question is, who will fare best over the shortened 250m distance?
Spencer Turrin
One of the most successful Welshmen to have ever held an oar, Spencer Turrin will take to the course this weekend for the first time since the Paris games. An Olympic gold medallist from Tokyo and seven-time winner of the King’s Cup for NSW, Spence is never one to be counted out of a high-stakes battle. His talent is not limited to the bigger boats, either. In 2017, the first year of the NTC system, Spencer shocked many by dominating the field and winning the open men’s single scull at the National Championships. Whilst officially he is taking a break from competitive duties this year, the killer instinct of the man from Dungog should not be underestimated.
Paddy Holt
A year off from the NTC has certainly not deterred Paddy Holt from making his presence known on the NSW circuit this season. Fresh off competing at Paris 2024 in the men’s pair, Holt has had a more low-key year of training, but that didn’t stop him from securing a hard-fought win in the men’s elite pair at the NSW Championships two weeks ago. With a wealth of international medal-winning experience, don’t expect the Queenslander to be left for dust in the early rounds of racing.
Prediction
It’ll be interesting to see how this event plays out. At first glance, 250m seems like a very short race distance, but the short five-minute intervals between rounds mean pacing may come into play by the halfway point. Anyone looking to conserve energy in the early rounds must be cautious, though, as I’d be surprised if the field is separated by more than a length, meaning a challenge could come from anywhere.
This event will be tight in my opinion, and I’d bet on seeing a big name or two eliminated early. I’m going to bank on the experience of Alex Hill to play this one right, with Marcus Della Marta contesting the final match race alongside him.
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