William O'Connell
Sydney Rowing Club (NSW) and Oxford University Boat Club (UK)
Deciding to pursue rowing rather than attempt to make the tennis team at his school, St. Joseph’s in Sydney, William O’Connell found success in rowing. He rowed in the 1st VIII for his final two years at school, taking medals in the Schoolboy VIII at the 2014 and 2015 Rowing Australia National Championships and a win in the 2015 AAGPS Head of the River.
The lure of warm water in Sydney Harbour and the pursuit of rowing success kept O’Connell involved at Sydney Rowing Club. William rowed in the 2016 Sydney Rowing Club Thames Cup crew which won the second round of the event against NSR Oslo but was disqualified for a blade clash. NSR Oslo went on to be the losing finalist in the event. In 2017, he rowed in the Sydney Rowing Club Coxed Four that won the 2017 Rowing Australia National Championship, and also raced at Henley Royal Regatta in the Britannia Challenge Cup. On the Thames, they were knocked out in the quarter-finals by eventual winners NSR Oslo.
Along with rowing, William worked on major civil engineering projects such as the Snowy Hydro II project. In 2024, he was accepted to Oxford University’s Said Business School to study for an MBA and trialled for OUBC. Rowing at 5 in the losing Trial 8s crew “Wallace”, O’Connell was selected into the OUBC Men’s Blue Boat for the 2025 Boat Race. After a tight first mile, OUBC was defeated by CUBC by 4 and ½ lengths.
William O'Connell (2nd from right) sitting at 2 in the 2025 OUBC Men's Blue Boat
Photo credit: Row360
Some rowing highlights
2015 - AAGPS Head of the River (St. Joseph’s) Second, Rowing Australia National Championships (St. Joseph’s) Schoolboy 8+ Third
2015 - AAGPS Head of the River (St. Joseph’s) Won, Rowing Australia National Championships (St. Joseph’s) Schoolboy 8+ Second
2016 - Henley Royal Regatta (Sydney Rowing Club) Thames Cup, disqualified in second round
2017 - Rowing Australia National Championships (Sydney Rowing Club) Men’s Coxed Four - Won,
2017 - Henley Royal Regatta (Sydney Rowing Club) Britannia Challenge Cup, quarter final, led eventual winner until after Fawley
2025 - Universities Boat Race, Oxford Men’s Blue Boat - Lost
Alister Taylor
June 2025
Sources
- https://www.theboatrace.org/athletes/william-oconnell
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-o-connell-144b5a1ba/?originalSubdomain=au
- https://www.sydneyrowingclub.com.au/news/sensational-results-for-src-at-sirr-by-coach-carter/
- https://www.britishrowing.org/2024/12/intense-internal-rivalries-on-show-in-2025-boat-race-trial-eights/
- https://www.rowinghistory-aus.info/school-rowing/nsw/aagps-head-of-river/2014
- Personal Communication, 04.06.2025