SYDNEY UNI SPORT & FITNESS MAGAZINE SPRING 13

ROAR | THE FINAL SAYGraham Croker has been chronicling sport for various campuspublications and websites at Sydney University for over 20 yearsOVER THE LINEFunds managementSydney University Boat Club legendsand dual Olympians Matt Ryan and SamLoch recently raised almost $20,000 forthe Leukemia Foundation when theybroke the world record for kilometresrowed in tandem in a 24-hour period onan erg machine. With no internationalrowing commitments, Loch and Ryan –winners of six consecutive Kings Cupsfor NSW – decided to raise some moneyfor a special cause by completing atandem 24 hour erg machine worldrecord attempt. And for the record,they rowed 380.274km in 24 hours –amounting to 1:53.6 per 500m, smashingthe record set by Stefan Verhoeven andMatthias Auer of Germany by 13.438km.Their efforts must have inspired the 175people attending a Sydney UniversityBoat Club luncheon that raised $50,000to fund the Junior (Under 19) and Under23 athletes who will travelling aroundthe world in 2013 representing Australia.The SUBC and the parents of the 11athletes selected on Australian teamsheld a fundraiser lunch at The ScotsCollege Boatshed to raise the funds.Three SUBC coaches have also beenselected to represent Australia.Cross PurposesNot content with resting on its laurels,Sydney University Athletics Club(SUAC) goes from strength to strength,as evidenced by the rare doubleat the recent NSW Cross CountryChampionships at Nowra where the clubwon the men’s and women’s events. Thewin lifted the men’s team well clear atthe top of the winter premiership table,while the women closed to within threepoints of leaders Athletics East. Themen’s “A team” included Jack Colreavy(fourth overall), Russell Dessaix-Chin(fifth), Hugh Williams (seventh) and EdFernon (11th on debut). The women’steam included Milly Clark (secondoverall), Eliza Barton (sixth), MelindaWitchard (eighth) and Anne Harrison(20th). To highlight the depth of theclub, the SUAC men’s “B Team” ofPeter Costello, Nick Bellemore, DaveHutchinson and Miles Waring finishedthird overall to collect the bronzemedal. And the men’s and women’steams competed without their mosthigh profile distance athletes, JamesNipperess and Lara Tamsett, who werein Europe preparing for the WorldChampionships.Across the ditchSydney University Women’s Rowing Club(SUWRC) representatives Holly Lawrence,India Evans and Candice Williams turnedthe screws in Aussie-Kiwi rivalry with theirefforts in round one of the inauguralUnder 21 Trans-Tasman series held at theInternational Rowing Centre at Penrith.The three SUSF Elite Athlete Programscholarship holders were in crews thatpulled off four wins for Australian boatsat the regatta. Lawrence teamed up withEmily Carey, Leah Saunders and SophieJerapetritis to win the women’s quad andbacked up with Jerapetritis to win thelightweight double scull, while Evans andWilliams were part of the winning women’sfour. Evans, Williams and Lawrence werealso in the winning eight. Round two ofthe Under 21 Trans-Tasman Series will beheld at Lake Karapiro, New Zealand, inearly September, when SUWRC coachChris Holliday will coach the Australianteam.Kicking another goalSydney University Women’s Water Polo Club (SUWWPC)National League rookie Bronte Halligan is off to Greece inAugust with the Australian Junior team to compete in the FINAWorld Junior Championships in the port city of Volos. Sixteenyear-oldBronte, a centre back, is the daughter of former NewZealand and Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs rugby leaguewinger Daryl Halligan, who retired as the highest pointscorerin Australian premiership history. Her selection continued ameteoric rise through the Australian junior ranks – she waselevated from the Born ‘96 squad straight into the Born ‘93team to compete in the championships. Bronte plays withSydney Northern Beaches, an SUWWPC feeder club. TheAustralian Junior team is being coached by former SydneyUniversity National League player Ryan Moar.Meanwhile, three senior SUWWPC representatives, KeesjaGofers (previous SUSF Elite Athlete Program scholarship holder),Hannah Buckling and Lea Barta have been in Spain with theAustralian Stingers for the World Championships in Barcelona, while another three – Tahlia Bogg, Emma Lewis and goalkeeperGeorgia Rossettin – have been named in the Australian Born 95 squad to undergo special training and overseas travel.WWW.SUSF.COM.AU 47