NSW Small Boats Regatta – U19 Women’s Single Scull Preview

The U19 Women’s Single Scull features an exciting line-up of athletes who recently graduated from the U17 age category. These athletes represent clubs and schools that have been working hard to rebuild their programs since the pandemic. Although the field is missing a few of the usual names, this weekend’s race will give athletes a great opportunity to lay down their intentions for the season against their competition before the State Championships.

Mosman Rowing Club (E. Coates)

Mosman Rowing Club’s E. Coates comes into the season an undeniable favourite after claiming three gold medals at last year’s national championships. She’s entered the 2025 season with just as much potency, posting impressive times throughout the winter at the NSW High-Performance Pathway Time Trials on the Nepean River. Coates took out the U17 women’s single, double and quad scull last year; in moving up to the U19 age slot, it would be surprising if she wasn’t looking at junior selection trials, and she’ll continue to be a fierce competitor and a shoo-in for this weekend’s podium.

Mosman Rowing Club (E. Stephens)

Another Mosman prodigy in the works, E. Stephens, will be a close challenger for the win this weekend. After coming in five seconds behind Coates at Reindeer Regatta, you can expect she will have been training hard to close the gap over the summer. Stephens experienced success last season as the bow seat of Mosman’s National Championship-winning U17 women’s double. The duo will almost certainly want to continue their medal streak this season, and a top-three finish at Small Boats is the perfect place to start it.  

Newcastle Grammar School (A. McKensey)

A. McKensey from Newcastle Grammar School rounds out our preview field, returning to the start line after taking away the win in the schoolgirl single scull at last year’s All Schools Championships. Another successful sculler from the Hunter region, Newcastle Grammar, has seen an uptick in performance this season under Brad Smith’s guidance, who moved up the coast after time at Glebe Rowing Club and Cranbrook School. McKensey is undoubtedly an athlete benefiting from this change in leadership, leading her quad to a bronze medal against tough competition from three Kinross quads at the All Schools Championship. McKensey is an exciting new addition to the junior women’s sculling lineup and will be eager to leave a mark.

Prediction

Several big hitters are missing from this weekend’s roster. Presumably, this is because of the summer training camps happening in and around the State, with scullers such as Loreto Normanhurst/Glebe Rowing Club’s P. Boland and Ascham School/Glebe Rowing Club’s L. Yablsey, who have both been stalwarts of the junior women’s circuit for a few years now, not in attendance this weekend. Both scullers will be definite competition, providing a serious challenge for the Mosman girls should they meet later in the season.

As for this weekend’s results, it’s an easy call to put Coates on top of the podium. Stephens will surely be hot on her heels, but it’s altogether possible that McKensey could challenge her for the minor placings.

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