Rowing Australia has confirmed that performances of heavyweight women rowers at the Australian Rowing Championships in Perth (March 5-11) will be considered as part of the national selection process for a women’s eight at the 2012 London Olympic Games.
Rowing Australia has confirmed that performances of heavyweight women rowers at the Australian Rowing Championships in Perth (March 5-11) will be considered as part of the national selection process for a women’s eight at the 2012 London Olympic Games.
If the women rowers who are currently outside the shadow squad are able to meet the agreed performance standards at the national titles, they may be added to the shadow squad for the London Olympics and be invited to trial for selection in the team. The Olympic selection trials take place at the Sydney International Regatta Centre from March 23-April 1.
“The current shadow squad was announced following performances at the first selection trial in December of last year,” said Andrew Dee, Chief Executive of Rowing Australia. “So far we have 13 heavyweight female athletes in the shadow squad and subject to performances at the Australian Rowing Championships we may have more.”
Rowing Australia has agreed the priority boats for the London Olympics are the women’s double scull, the women’s quadruple scull and the women’s pair. These boats have already qualified for the 2012 Olympic Games.
“In the first instance, RA remains committed to selecting athletes into its priority boats which it believes are medal prospects,” said Andrew Dee. “This will require a minimum of eight athletes, however if more athletes are able to make the shadow squad following the regatta in Perth, then it may be possible to consider trialling a women’s eight at the next selection trials in March.
“But it’s important to understand that the women’s eight is different to the priority boats in that it is not currently qualified for the Games. For the women’s eight to make it to London we would need to win or place second in the Final Olympic Qualification Regatta in Lucerne, Switzerland in May.
“But before that happens there are a few steps that need to be completed. We need more women in the shadow team and that will all come down to their performances at the National Championships.”
Rowing Australia
