Launceston rowers Henry Youl, 19, and Caitlin Bloomfield, 18, who will row for Australia. Picture: GEOFF ROBSON
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THREE Tamar rowers will represent Australia in the Trans-Tasman Challenge against New Zealand.
Caitlin Bloomfield, 18, and 19-year-olds Henry Youl and Oli Cook all made their first national team after impressing at national championships and subsequent selection trials at Penrith.
‘‘That was my goal,’’ said Youl, who began rowing with Cook seven years ago at Launceston Church Grammar and will contest the single scull, quad and eight.
‘‘To be able to pull on that zootie is such a special feeling and there will be a lot of pride competing at that level.
‘‘Cookie and I started rowing together and now we’ll be representing Australia together. To be in the same Australian crew as your best mate, what more could you ask for?’’
Bloomfield, who started rowing at St Patrick’s College and will be in a double crew with Sydney’s Kate O’Gorman, added: ‘‘I’m so happy and excited to be representing Australia. Kate is great to row with and also really easy to get along with.’’
All coached by Ron Woods and the Tasmanian Institute of Sport’s Anthony Edwards, Youl, Bloomfield and Hobart-based Cook will compete in the first round of the series in Sydney from July 2-4 and the second round at Lake Karapiro, New Zealand, from August 27 to 29.
Having won the under-21 national single title, Youl said the pressure was on to repeat the feat at the selection trials.
‘‘I had been thinking about it 24-7 and was really nervous because I wanted to perform. Eddie [Edwards] kept telling me I should be fine because I was the national champion and they would all be trying to beat me. I got in the zone, stuck to my race plan and managed to pull it off again.
‘‘It was totally different to the nationals. There was no crowd and the coaches aren’t allowed to talk to you, it’s just you and the course.’’
Rowing Australia has also announced the under-23 squad for the world championships in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, in August with Huon’s Wilson Mure in the men’s quad scull crew.
In further good news for Tasmanian rowing, 2008 Olympic champion Scott Brennan has got engaged to Victoria’s 2013 single scull world champion and two-time London Olympic medallist Kim Crow.
Australian under-21 rowing team: men’s sculling, Henry Youl (TAS), Jacob Bicknell (NSW); sweep, Darcy Wruck (QLD), Harley Moore (QLD), Oliver Smith (QLD), George Lethbridge (QLD), Tom McLellan, coxswain (QLD); lightweight, Oliver Cook (TAS), Sean Murphy (NSW), Blaine Heseltine (QLD) reserve.
Women’s sweep, Miller Ferris (QLD), Tyler Ferris (QLD), Ellen Pozzi (QLD), Eloise Parker (QLD), Sarah Ben-David (VIC); s culling, Annabelle McIntyre (WA), Serena Cox (NSW); lightweight Kate O’Gorman (NSW), Caitlin Bloomfield (TAS), Meghan Hester (VIC) reserve.