Clean sweep for Otago rowers

Victory in China for top women’s team noticed.”

The University of Otago Women’s Senior Rowing Eight have much to celebrate following the International Universities Regatta in China, winning all three regattas of the series.

“The wins here in China are huge for this crew and Otago University Rowing,” says Otago University Rowing Club (OURC) CEO Glen Sinclair. The win extends Otago Women’s winning streak to nine wins over the last two years. The crew has remained undefeated since 2012, when they narrowly lost to Washington University.

Sinclair believed Otago’s competition was “really high,” noting that the crew from France included four Under-23 National Representatives.

The team’s first race in Xinjin City saw the team beat Paris University by nine seconds. Turin University from Italy came in third place and Yale University came fourth. The second race, taking place in Wuhan City, saw the Otago team claim yet another victory; this time they won in 42 degree heat.

According the team, the final race saw them take an “extremely strong start.” The team maintained their control throughout the race, sliding easily over the finish line and into victory.

The final regatta was broadcast live on China Television (CCTV) with an estimated audience of over 100 million people, according to Sinclair.

All three regattas required athletes to perform in extremely hot temperatures. The city of Wuhan, in which the women raced to their second victory, is often dubbed the “oven” of China, as noted by Sinclair. “[The oven] was certainly set too high for racing.”

In preparation for the intense heat and humidity of the racing conditions, the women spent time working in the University of Otago’s Environmental Chamber, a strategy that Sinclair says to be an “extremely important” component of the team’s training regime. In addition, the women used ice packs to remain cool before races.

Otago captain Lisa Owen says the victories ensure she ends her time with OURC on a positive note. “It is special to share this success with the team and I am very proud of how we worked together up until this point,” she says. Owen will now continue to represent New Zealand at the World University Rowing Championships in Gravelines, France for the Women’s Lightweight Single in September.

The team were able to compete in the International Universities Regatta with the financial assistance of OUSA and one of the Vice Chancellor’s special grants.
This article first appeared in Issue 18, 2014.
Posted 9:43pm Sunday 3rd August 2014 by Emily Draper.