Photo Credit: Rowing NSW
The NSW State Championships always provide a thrilling opportunity for elite female scullers to contest the NSW State Title for the Ellen Randell Cup in the single scull – an event that is always highly anticipated and is certain to deliver a showcase of immense talent and fast speed. Unlike previous years, this race will feature athletes who are not currently training at the Women’s National Training Centre in Penrith, opening the door for some fresh faces on the podium. Tara Rigney will be the standout entry in this field of 12, returning from a bittersweet Paris Olympic Games, where she secured a fourth-place overall finish in this boat class. As this will be many athletes’ first opportunity to race on the Sydney International Regatta Centre course this season, this race will be fierce and, indicators suggest, fast.
University of Sydney Boat Club: Tara Rigney
Rigney, who has held this title since 2020, is undoubtedly the favourite in this field. The two-time Olympian will return to SIRC for the first time since the Paris Olympic Games, having stepped away from the National Training Centre for the year to train back at Sydney University with coach Alfie Young. While her focus may be elsewhere this season, it’s still difficult to imagine anyone ending her reign just yet.
As Australia’s leading female sculler over the most recent Olympiad, Rigney’s exceptional technique and skill sets the benchmark for aspiring young scullers, making even the most demanding and most brutal races appear effortless. As a true standout athlete on this course, her return will be highly anticipated and a welcome sight for all but her competitors.
Mercantile Rowing Club: Emmie Frederico
Mercantile’s Emmie Frederico has recently returned to Melbourne upon completing her studies at Syracuse University in the US. Since returning to the Yarra, Frederico has made an immediate impact, trading in the sweep oar for the sculling alternative. As a U23 World Champion in the coxed four in 2022, Frederico boasts international racing experience and credentials; she will look to make a mark in her first race at SIRC since 2021.
Frederico appears to be in strong form, having recently claimed a commanding win in the single scull at the Ballarat Small Boats Regatta. Following a training camp at the Women’s National Training Centre, we can expect that she will provide a solid contest, though it remains questionable if she has what it takes to overthrow Rigney and grab the Randell Cup.
Australian National University Boat Club: Catherine Khan
The Australian National University sculler Catherine Khan had a breakthrough last season and continues to show promising form. Increasingly, this makes her a dangerous contender to deal with, and it seems this momentum will continue as the season’s most crucial races approach.
Khan, who trains out of the ACT Academy of Sport, claimed bronze in this event at Nationals last year, behind Rigney and Thompson. With Thompson absent from the field this year, Khan will emerge as a frontrunner, and will look to challenge for a podium position despite the talented additions to the field. Khan has consistently impressed in the NSW Time Trial Series at the conclusion of last year, finishing as the top female prognostic in November and second in December. Worth noting is that in all three time trials contested, Khan was the fastest open women’s sculler, demonstrating both her endurance and consistency over the five-kilometre Nepean course.
Like Frederico, Khan has recently attended a training camp at the Women’s National Training Centre, ensuring she will be physically prepared for whatever is thrown at her on Saturday.
University of Queensland Boat Club: Elizabeth Newell
Perhaps better known for her outstanding results in a coastal boat, Elizabeth Newell will be the only QLD entrant in this field. Newell, who placed seventh in this event at Nationals last season, shifted her focus to the Australian Coastal Rowing and Beach Sprints Championships in August, securing gold and National Champion status in the open women’s solo, the mixed double and the mixed quad.
Newell then represented Australia in the mixed double at the World Coastal and Beach Sprints Championships in Genoa, securing an impressive fourth in a highly competitive field of 35 crews. More recently, she showcased her versatility in moving between boats, picking up an array of silverware at the Queensland State Championships two weeks ago, with bronze in the single, silver in the double and coxless four and gold in the eight and quad.
Canberra Rowing Club: Cara Grzeskowiak
Cara Grzeskowiak will return to this State Championship event, undoubtedly aiming to improve on last year’s performance, where she won the B-final placing tenth overall. Grzeskowiak also contested the Nell Slater Trophy last year, representing ACT as the women’s interstate sculler after five years away from the event. Showcasing her class and experience, Grzeskowiak finished a notable third behind Rigney and Thompson.
A seasoned competitor, Grzeskowiak made her international debut nine years ago at the 2016 World Rowing U23 Championships in the single scull. She is no stranger to high-pressure racing and will be one of the most experienced in this field, with both underage and senior Australian representation to her name. Impressively, she further showcased her talent on the international stage in 2023, winning the George Innes trophy at Henley Women’s Regatta. Results from the Daramalan/BRMC Regatta and Radford/CGS Regatta last November indicate that she was in strong form to close out the year, with a win in the single over Khan. With her experience and proven racing ability, it would be naïve to overlook the impact Grzeskowiak could have on the rest of the field.
Prediction
I anticipate Rigney from Sydney University will lead from the front early and reclaim the title for a fifth year in a row, though the margin may be narrower than in previous years. Grzeskowiak will push the pace and keep the pressure on Rigney, while the battle for the final podium position will be tight and go all the way to the line between Khan and Frederico.
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