A liaison between the athlete development program at Launceston College and Tamar and North Esk rowing clubs produced a crew which has already broken new ground at Lake Barrington.

At the Tasmanian club championships last weekend, they won the schoolboys eight by 2.54 seconds from Hutchins and Scotch Oakburn and are seeking to repeat the feat at this weekend’s North-West schools championships and next weekend’s open schools titles.

Mark Padgett runs the program at LC with Jacinta Hall and Caz Robinson and said the newly-formed crew was keen to double up.

“It would be amazing because rowing has traditionally been dominated by private schools but this makes it more accessible for public school students and now we’ve got a crew that’s a real chance to win the schoolboys’ eight,” Padgett said.

“The clubs recognise that for their sport to grow they need to work together. There needed to be this connection and it has worked perfectly.

“We can field an eight whereas in the past we have only ever been able to field composite teams.”

Padgett said the program has been supported by Grant Pryor, Rowing Tasmania state development officer.

“Grant believes they are a real chance. He cannot remember the last time we’ve had a competitive crew like this.”