2025 Interstate Championships
Lake Barrington, Tasmnaia
The championships were conducted again at Lake Barrington in mostly good weather for the full seven days. No events were concelled to complete the regatta on time.
A full copy of the 2025 regatta program can be found through this link.
Images of the Interstate Championships can be found on the Australian Rowing Images website following the 30th March racing and presentation links on that site.
Nick Jones reported for Rowing Australia as follows:
The sun has set on an unforgettable #ARC25 in Tasmania as the blue-riband Interstate Regatta delivered drama, pride and some seriously gritty rowing once again.
Victoria went back-to-back in the King's Cup while New South Wales broke a three-year drought to reclaim the Queen’s Cup.
Victoria also claimed the overall Interstate point score and with it the John Coates AC Cup, wrenching it back from New South Wales, while Sydney Rowing Club cemented their dominance with the Club Point score.
The Queen’s and King’s Cups were headline acts, but every race from PR3 Singles to Youth Eights had its flair.
King’s Cup: Victoria go back-to-back
The Rosemary Richardson hull lived up to its name as Victoria surged to a back-to-back King’s Cup win.
Coxed by James Rook and featuring Paris Olympian Fergus Hamilton, Angus Widdicombe, and Jack Robertson, the crew executed to perfection.
“It means everything,” Hamilton said. “Winning one is special but winning two? You can’t beat that. I said at the start of the week: Victoria’s going to win it – and we did.”
Victoria clocked a 5:31.33, holding off NSW and Queensland in a relentless contest.
Queen’s Cup: NSW break through the barrier
After three long years, New South Wales reclaimed the Queen’s Cup in dominant style.
They led from start to finish, crossing the line in 6:13.45, almost nine seconds clear of Victoria.
“It was just about getting out as hard as we possibly could and then just trying to hold on,” NSW’s Isabella Scammell said.
“There’s a lot of pride in the New South Wales zootie and this was particularly special today.”
Tara Rigney, the birthday girl and now four-time Nell Slatter Trophy winner, was instrumental in the Eight, backing up her Women’s Single Sculls title earlier in the day.
“You never go in expecting anything,” Rigney said. “I just love it. The racing, the people, the atmosphere. That’s what rowing’s about.”
Rigney celebrates with another sculling crown
Rigney continued her Single Scull supremacy, clinching her fourth consecutive Nell Slatter Trophy in a time of 8:12.38.
Western Australia’s Bronwyn Cox and Victoria’s Romy Cantwell rounded out the podium.
South Australia's Oscar McGuinness made history in the President’s Cup, becoming the first rower to win medals in all four able-bodied Interstate events.
His time of 7:16.29 earned South Australia the top spot, with VIC and ACT chasing.
“This is something I’ve wanted for ages,” McGuinness said. “The stars aligned, having the right people at the right time have lifted me up along to way.”
Para pride for Lutze
Victoria’s Susannah Lutze put in a gutsy performance to take out the PR3 Women’s Single in 8:42.08 after a comeback from injury.
“It’s a really special experience… it brings everyone together. I’m really excited for the season ahead,” Lutze said.
In the PR3 Men’s Single, NSW’s Flynn Wilkinson had to “change gears” halfway through to power home in 7:37.95.
“It sounds like an Oscars speech, but I’ve got so many people to thank,” Wilkinson said.
Continues next column.
Index to Results
- Men's Eight–King's Cup
- Men's Sculling–President's Cup
- Men's Lightweight Four–Penrith Cup
- Men's Youth Eight–Noel F Wilkinson Trophy
- Men's PR3 Scull
- Women's Eight–Queen's Cup
- Women's Sculling–Nell Slatter Trophy
- Women's Lightweight Quad Scull–Victoria Cup
- Women's Youth Eight–Bicentennial Cup
- Women's PR3 Scull
Team Victoria narrowly won the John Coates AC Cup as the most successful State team.
The final Interstate medal tally standing was as follows:
1st – Victoria 62 points
2nd – New South Wales 61 points
3rd – Western Australia 32 points
%20650.jpg)
John Coates congratulating the Victorian team after presentation of the John Coates AC Cup
Photo from the Guerin collection
Results (in pdf format)
Day 7 of the Australian Championships - Sunday 30th March 2025
Results of the National Championships can be found on the National Championships pages.
Commentary continues -
Youth Eights: Future looks bright
The NSW Women’s Youth Eight was on a mission, and it showed.
They charged out to an early lead and never looked back, taking out the Bicentennial Cup in 6:27.42.
Coxswain Chloe Jureta summed it up: “We just knew we were going to leave it all out on that water right from the beginning.”
The Victorian Men’s Youth Eight brought home the Noel F. Wilkinson Trophy in style.
A blistering 5:40.33 saw them hold off WA and NSW in a race that had everything.
“A lot of the boys I’ve rowed with for many years,” Victoria’s Alex Marrow said. “Where else would you want to be but Victoria?”
Lightweight firepower
Tasmania made the most of home water advantage, with Verayna Zilm and her crew grabbing gold in the Women’s Lightweight Quad. It was her first win in the Victoria Cup and an emotional performance.
Victoria showed strength in the Men’s Lightweight Four, executing their race plan to perfection to take the win by just over a second ahead of Tasmania.
Organising Committee and Umpires
The organising committee was led by Alice Williams (RA Events Manager) and key personnel included Fred Taylor (general manager), Brett Ralph (Technical Delegate) and Chris Grummitt (timing and IT).
Jury
President of the Jury and Referee: William Webster (VIC), Assistant President of the Jury: Catherine Garrington (ACT), Sarah Connor (ACT), Paul Diggerson (VIC), Ashley Dillon (VIC), Lauren Farnden (NZ), Grant Ford (WA), Phillip Fraser (TAS), David Grubits (VIC), Rene Klupacs (VIC), Duncan MacKinnon (VIC), Paul Knight (SA), Bruce McCarthy (QLD), Stewart McQuade (QLD), John Murdoch (WA), Geoff Northam (ACT), Rod Roy (QLD), Chloe Schauble (QLD), Greg Smith (NSW), Rob Stobie (QLD), Sophie Strachan (NZ), Chris Tucker (NSW).
2025 Jury
Men's Interstate Eight-Oared Championship–The King's Cup
5:31.33
5:33.44
5:34.01
5:40.78
5:47.98
5:58.33
1st Victoria – Nick Smith, Tom Foley, Charlie Batrouney, Jack Robertson, Angus Widdicombe, Austin Reinehr, Rohan Lavery, Fergus Hamilton, Cox: James Rook, Cch: Matt Ryan
2nd New South Wales – Joshua Wilson, Joe Lynch, Hamish Danks, Pasha Bevan, Alec Hoskin, Nikolas Pender, Jackson Kench, Miles Harrold, Cox: Kendall Brodie, Cch: Thomas Laurich, Matthias Ungemach
3rd Queensland – Monty artin, Mitch Salisbury, Jackson Free, Lex Tucker, Andrew Weightman, Paddy Holt, Darcy Watter, Miller Rowe, Cox: Jono Cooke, Cch: Christopher Holliday, Scott Rowe
4th Western Australia – Fergus McNamara, Blake Whyatt, Ben Clayton, Riley Rees-Turner, Jack Hansen-Knarhoi, Johnson Daubney, Alex Rossi, Jack Cleary, Cox: Elinor Scott, Cch: Tom Gatti, Luca Rossi
5th South Australia – Hugo Wurm, Oscar McGuinness, Hamish Allan, Henry Belcher, Adam Holland, Jasper Boyce, Nick Blackman, Mitchell Reinhard, Cox: Sophia Tayeb, Cch: Nicholas Mitchell
6th Tasmania – Samuel Mounter, Oscar Newbury, Harry Birchmore, William Birchmore, Matt Dikkenberg, Jack Barrett, Karl Breier, Rohan Fenner, Cox: Georgina Rumbel, Cch: Deon Birtwistle
%20650.jpg)
Men's Interstate Sculling Championship–The President's Cup
7:16.29
7:20.28
7:25.88
7:29.44
7:36.44
7:41.57
7:46.95
1st South Australia – Oscar McGuinness, Cch: Nicholas Mitchell
2nd Victoria – Dom Frederico, Cch: Matt Ryan
3rd Australian Capital Territory – Hamish Harding, Cch: Tom Westgarth
4th New South Wales – Nicholas Mirow, Cch: Thomas Laurich
5th Queensland – Sam Green, Cch: Tim McLaren
6th Western Australia – Alex Rossi, Cch: Jamie Hewlett
7th Tasmania – Samuel Mounter%20650.jpg)
Men's Interstate Lightweight Four Championship–The Penrith Cup
6:18.42
6:19.44
6:20.80
6:23.61
6:26.43
6:34.60
6:42.061st Victoria – Jordan Roberts, Lachlan Szigeter, Nick Szigeter, Thomas Hastings, Cch: Michael Cushion
2nd Tasmania – Sam Casey, Laurie Dean, Angus Paynter, Oscar Birtwistle, Cch: Jacob Crow
3rd New South Wales – Jason Waddell, William Gregory, Nikolaus Mathur, Luke Purdie, Cch: Robert Black, Peter Wawn
4th Western Australia – Ethan Bromley, Oliver Cliff, Jacob Cassey, Michael Orton, Cch: Olivia Jones
5th South Australia – Kyle Miller, Oscar Wurm, Jonathan McKay, Hugo Wurm, Cch: Brenton Terrell
6th Queensland – Sam Parry, Harry Dixon, Reilly Williams, Thomas Daly, Cch: Blaine Heseltine
7th Australian Capital Territory – Garvan Hayes, Oliver Manning, George Bowditch, Matthew Rickard, Cch: Renae Domaschenz
%20650.jpg)
Men's Interstate Youth Eight Championship–The Noel F Wilkinson Trophy
5:40.33
5:42.16
5:43.59
5:46.58
5:56.50
5:59.49
5:59.95
1st Victoria – Joshua Matheson, Alexander Williams, Max Currie, Amos Kirk, Nicholas Bryant, Alessandro Marro, James Simpson, Lachlan Idle, Cox: Josh Feferkranz, Cch: James Rook
2nd Western Australia – Oscar Lourie, Austin Vincent, Joshua Hantke, Harry Salfinger, Jack Hansen-Knarhoi, Harper Davies, James Young, Lachlan Brown, Cox: Helena Hurworth, Cch: John Gearing, David Vandas
3rd New South Wales – Henry Pursehouse, Matias Moloney, Tomas Moloney, Gus Ciesiolka, Jack Power, William Rogers, Jackson Gursoy, Maxim Moloney, Cox: Ryder Taylor, Cch: Franz Imfeld, William Raven
4th Queensland – Finlay Harris, Nicholas Barlow, Bayley Clarke, Thomas Stevens, Joseph Thynne, Mitchell Owen, Samuel Forbes, Jed Gallie, Cox: Thomas Coogan, Cch: Lachlan Johnston, Randall Martin
5th South Australia – Igor Zarubin, Finn Redman, Oliver Evans-Wood, Max Henry, James Williams, Henry Belcher, Jasper Boyce, George Griffith, Cox: Nicole Tesch Ornelas, Cch: Stefano Balosso
6th Australian Capital Territory – Angus Scott, Dylan Outram, Cameron Schmidt, Ben Haywood, Harrison Braithwaite, Max McAlpine, Darcy James, Jesse Rosin, Cox: Moira Geraghty, Cch: Mark Kwiatkowski, William Hatcher
7th Tasmania – Noah Haas, Hamish Clyne, Jack Connah, Oliver Hart, Oliver Quinn, Rowan Sanderson, Falcon Palmer, Cam Parker, Cox: Jamari Lockhart, Cch: Andrew Palmer
%20650.jpg)
Men's Interstate PR3 Scull Championship
7:37.95
8:00.91
8:04.59
8:09.34
8:46.231st New South Wales – Flynn Wilkinson
2nd South Australia – Sam Stunnell, Cch: Christine MacLaren
3rd Queensland – Mac Russell, Cch: Michael Russell
4th Victoria – Nick Bartlett, Cch: Mark Freedman
5th Tasmania – Michael Taylor, Cch: Peter Volker
%20650.jpg)
Women's Interstate Eight Championship–The Queen's Cup
6:13.45
6:22.17
6:29.97
6:36.85
6:39.85
6:49.06
1st New South Wales – Caitlin McManus-Barrett, Georgie Rowe, Jaime Ford, Eleanor Price, Emily Sheppard, Laura Gourley, Tara Rigney, Isabella Scammell, Cox: Hannah Cowap, Cch: Lachlan Carter, Judith Ungemach
2nd Victoria – Anna Morrison, Paige Barr, Laura Foley, Sophie Reinehr, Georgie Gleeson, Eliza Gaffney, Emmie Frederico, Lucy Stephan, Cox: Hayley Verbunt, Cch: Nick Lloyd
3rd Western Australia – Greta Spencer, Lyla Fievez, Joely Patterson, Brianna Murray, Holly Cannon, Jacqui Swick, Zoe McKellar, Bronwyn Cox, Cox: Rei Poon, Cch: Mark Beer, Rohan James
4th South Australia – Tamara Bates, Victoria Seidel, Daisy Holland, Grace Barrera, Georgina Taeger, Caroline McNally, Ella Bramwell, Sophie Barr, Cox: Emma Venus, Cch: Christine MacLaren, Nicki Plucinski
5th Queensland – Lily Alton, Nancy Duncan-Banks, Tylah Hutton, Alice Ready, Elly Ready, Wallis Russell, Astrid Thomas, Sophia Wightman, Cox: Kaitlyn Shields, Cch: Sally Kehoe
6th Tasmania – Amy Florance, Ella Spaulding, Courtney Blyth, Kate Oliver, Jane Hilliard, Jess Stephens, Hannah Dobbie, Isabelle Higgins, Cox: Claire Gregg, Cch: Shaun Finlayson
%20650.jpg)
Women's Interstate Lightweight Quad Scull Championship–The Victoria Cup
6:56.61
7:01.21
7:04.21
7:07.32
7:21.44
7:13.09
7:15.94
1st Tasmania – Imogen Stewart, Sophie Robinson, Phoebe Teale, Verayna Zilm, Cch: Abbie Crow
2nd Victoria – Ellie Brennan, Antonietta Di Cosmo, Elissa Mirabelli, Francesca Spano, Cch: Rhett Spiller
3rd Western Australia – Isabella Utley, Izzy Emery, Hayley Rowe, Lara Glendinning, Cch: Roland Warren
4th Queensland – Millie Campbell, Alice O'Toole, Kenzie Durbridge, Jemima Powell, Cch: Alex Field
5th New South Wales – Sarah Berechree, Neve Tierney, Annabel McKensey, Laura Sypher, Cch: Sam Fennessy, Rowena Meredith
6th Australian Capital Territory – Ronja Staerker-Ashby, Ruby Gray, Abby Richards, Alexandra Moylan, Cch: Renae Domaschenz
7th South Australia – Olivia Masters, Lulu Colgrave, Victoria Binns, Celia Cowan, Cch: Mitch Parker
%20650.jpg)
Women's Interstate Youth Eight Championship–The Bicentennial Cup
6:27.42
6:30.12
6:32.57
6:33.41
6:37.00
6:47.56
1st New South Wales – Liesel Page, Addison Roles, Alexandra O'Brien, Georgia Allen, Madeleine Manins, Madeleine Swain, Leila Gaston, Nicole Vance, Cox: Chloe Jureta, Cch: Florence Griffiths, Jarrod Watson
2nd Queensland – Scarlett Woodbury, Georgia Campbell, Gabrielle Ryan, Grace Turnbull, Eliza Bridgefoot, Sophie Malcolm, Georgia Montague, Sarah Bourke, Cox: Grace Bentley, Cch: Clare Raven, Andrew McNicol
3rd South Australia – Anja Felderhof, Emily Laing, Imogen Hawker, Felicity Cox, Grace Barrera, Tamara Bates, Caroline McNally, Daisy Holland, Cox: Emma Venus, Cch: Christine MacLaren, Daniel Ralph
4th Western Australia – Juliet Kelly, Isabella Edinger, Lara Connolly, Charlotte Hansen-Knarhoi, Lyla Fievez, Greta Spencer, Emma Pittman, Sinead Reading, Cox: Angelie Ng, Cch: Alex Thompson
5th Victoria – Lucinda Johnstone, Frankie Dever, Lulu Burney, Mackenzie Kopke-Veldhuis, Olivia Nairn, Lola Dahan, Chloe Nevins, Meg Dumbrell, Cox: Ivy Jones, Cch: Emma Dyke
6th Tasmania – Matilda Cocker, Noa Ravai, Olivia Yeates, Emma Johnson, Lilly Barker, Olivia Walter, Poppy Kennett, Alannah Edwards, Cox: Josie Johnston, Cch: Sarah Ashlin
%20650.jpg)
Women's Interstate Sculling Championship–The Nell Slatter Trophy
8:12.38
8:19.93
8:27.38
8:33.21
8:42.16
8:49.21
1st New South Wales – Tara Rigney, Cch: Alfie Young
2nd Western Australia – Bronwyn Cox, Cch: Jamie Hewlett
3rd Victoria – Romy Cantwell, Cch: Nick Lloyd
4th Australian Capital Territory – Catherine Khan, Cch: Nigel Harding, Tom Westgarth
5th Tasmania – Olivia Yeates
6th Queensland – Astrid Thomas, Cch: Michael Russell
%20650.jpg)
Women's Interstate PR3 Sculling Championship
8:42.08
9:09.13
1st Victoria – Susannah Lutze
2nd New South Wales – Lisa Greissl
%20650.jpg)
Sources
- Rowing Manager for results and names
- Australian Rowing Images for photos
- Commentary from latest news section Australian Rowing Championships website
- RA Umpires Commission records for jury