The first big hit-out of the 2024/25 schoolgirl eights racing season is upon us. There are fewer events in Australian racing that are as turbulent and filled with possibilities as the schoolgirl eight, especially when the best crews from across the country come head to head. Never have we seen more extraordinary racing than when intra-state rivalries emerge on the big stage or when the best crews from each state get to test themselves against each other in the preliminary dance before the Australian Rowing Championships in March. Schoolgirl rowing has incredible depth and breadth of field that the best Australian crew can come from anywhere. While St Catherines NSW and St Catherines Victoria have both been incredibly successful in recent years, the entries for this year’s NSW State Championships suggest that this year will be perhaps the most hotly contested on the national stage in recent memory. For those flying or driving to the Sydney International Regatta Centre to race for the title of NSW Champion in the schoolgirl eight, the price of admission goes beyond seat fees and the months of training that have created the foundation for this season but requires years of dedication to a program and a culture of grit and proven success. Many crews come to Penrith with their eyes on gold medals, and more than a few of them happen to be entered in the schoolgirl eight. The best of luck to all competitors.
Recent Significant Regatta Winners: Schoolgirl Eight
2024 Australian Rowing Championships: St Catherine’s School (NSW)
VIC
2024 Head of the Schoolgirls Regatta: Loreto – Toorak
2025 Barwon Regatta: St Catherine’s (VIC)
NSW
2024 NSW Schoolgirl Head of the River: St Catherine’s School (NSW)
2024 Sydney Girls High School Regatta (November): Kinross Wolaroi
QLD
2025 Queensland State Championship Regatta: University of Queensland
Crews to Watch
Kinross Wolaroi
Schoolgirl eight coaches from across Australia would have seen or heard about Kinross racing the eight and slept rough that night. That boat’s number of national medals is enough to make it sink. Two rowers and the coxswain return from their gold medal-winning schoolgirl quad from last year’s Nationals. A rower from their bronze medal-winning second quad joins them, alongside an athlete from their U17 4x+ bronze medallist crew and a further three from their U17 4x+ A-finalist 10B quad. This is incredible pedigree, and it is hard to tell which boat class Kinross is prioritising at this point, but results and entries suggest all of them. Kinross have taken to the eight in classically stylish fashion and beat Pymble Ladies’ nicely towards the end of 2024. Although we haven’t had the chance to see them against the best so far in 2025, Kinross will come into this field as one of those crews that could do anything.
Pymble Ladies’
Pymble have been very impressive in recent history in returning to the forefront of schoolgirl eights rowing. They started the season very strongly and have remained towards the front of the pack ever since. With three returners from last year’s Nationals and NSW Schoolgirl Head of the River silver medal-winning crew, Pymble has the experience and the hunger to take it to the next level. The question is only if they can beat the best of the best. Luckily, NSW State Championships shall provide them with that very opportunity. Pymble’s two entries also suggest they have the depth to make a real run of it in the years to come.
St Catherine’s (NSW)
St Catherine’s School (NSW) are the reigning NSW Schoolgirl HOTR and Australian Rowing Championships champions. Enough said. If one wanted to say more, one would mention the five returning members from that crew who bring incredible experience and winning pedigree to a programme that has frankly dominated the schoolgirl eight in Australia in the past two years. St Cath’s haven’t started this season on the surest of footings, coming in third at the Loreto Normanhurst regatta behind the winners from Pymble. However, they overturned that result the following day and came out on top, swapping places with Pymble despite being down at the 500m mark. We haven’t seen much from St Cath’s since, which suggests they’ve gone deep into summer training with the desire to emerge into the new year ready to reclaim their titles. Let’s see if they can start at NSW Championships.
Notable Mentions
Outside of these three crews, there are many notable challengers. The University of Queensland crew are Queensland WU19 eight champions, beating fellow competitors from Commercial – both filled with incredible small boat talent. From Victoria, Geelong College warrant a mention, having come third at the Barwon behind other Victorian crews that surprisingly haven’t entered this weekend. Loreto Toorak also deserves your attention as the reigning Victorian Head of the Schoolgirls champions, although with minimal returners. Loreto Normanhurst are also not here to fill out the numbers, having performed well at their regatta in November alongside the Loreto Kirribilli regatta.
This year’s entries are hotly contested and should make for great racing. Good luck to all those who compete, especially those who will race at SIRC for the first time. Hopefully, it sparks a love for rowing at the top schoolgirl level that will keep you training hard and pushing on in rowing for years to come.
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