The championship women’s pair event at the 2025 Queensland State Championships promises to be an exciting showdown with a competitive field of six entries. With the race scheduled for Sunday at 08:00 AM, the spotlight will be on crews looking to make a statement early in the regatta.
Commercial/Oxenford
Brieanna Bischof and Bronte Cathcart, coached by Jacinta Edmunds, enter the competition as an intriguing combination. Bischof secured gold in the Group 4 women’s single sculls at the Queensland Grade Championships in December, demonstrating strong individual ability. However, her performance in the Group 3 women’s double sculls saw her finish last. Cathcart remains an unknown quantity at this level, and their partnership will need to click quickly to contend with the more experienced crews.
KAND (Campbell/Turnbull)
The duo of Georgia Campbell and Grace Turnbull, coached by Charles Betts and Warren Rowe, will look to carry forward their winning momentum after taking gold in the women’s pair at the 2024 QSRC Club Series Regatta #2 in November. Campbell, having shifted from sculling to sweep rowing, brings experience from the U21 single and double sculls at the Australian Rowing Championships 2024 (ARC24), while Turnbull’s solid track record in the pair reinforces their potential as a strong contender.
KAND (Scott/Williams)
With Jess Scott and Madeleine Williams, KAND boasts a pair that placed fourth in the open women’s pair at ARC24, albeit 19 seconds off the podium pace. Their performance in the big boats, with bronze medals in both the open women’s eight and Queensland’s Queen’s Cup eight, indicates strength and consistency. Their coach, Scott Rowe, will look to fine-tune their race execution to bridge the gap to the top crews.
University of Queensland BC (Ready/Duncan-Banks)
This UQBC crew, coached by Phillip Bourguignon, pairs Elly Ready and Nancy Duncan-Banks, who have valuable experience in high-pressure races. At ARC24, they finished sixth in the open women’s eights, while Duncan-Banks claimed a bronze in the U23 women’s pair and featured in Queensland’s Queen’s Cup eight. Their familiarity with high-stakes racing could give them an edge in the final stages.
University of Queensland BC (Dollar/Russell)
The UQBC duo of Ruby Dollar and Wallis Russell, also under the guidance of Phillip Bourguignon, will be looking to build on their near-podium finish at ARC24. Dollar placed fourth in the U21 pair, narrowly missing bronze by less than a second. Russell’s performance remains a question mark, but their training within the UQBC system ensures they will be well-prepared for the challenge.
University of Queensland BC (A. Ready/Hutton)
Completing the UQBC trifecta, Alice Ready and Tylah Hutton, both medallists at ARC24, bring significant firepower to the event. Their silver in the U21 pair and coxed four, along with a gold in the Queensland Women’s Youth Eight, underline their podium potential. This pair has the race experience and technical precision to be among the frontrunners.
Prediction
The battle for gold is set to be tightly contested between the KAND (Scott/Williams) and UQBC (A. Ready/Hutton) crews, both of whom bring a wealth of experience and past successes. Given their recent form and tactical cohesion, the KAND (Campbell/Turnbull) duo should not be underestimated.
Predicted Podium:
- UQBC (A. Ready/Hutton)
- KAND (Scott/Williams)
- KAND (Campbell/Turnbull)
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