Perth’s oldest rowing club is set to send a big contingent of athletes to the Australian National Rowing Regatta this weekend.
Sixteen athletes from the WA Rowing Club, which is located next to the Barrack Street Jetty in Perth, will head to the regatta in Adelaide which starts on March 7.

Seven athletes have also been named in WA State crews, which is a recent record for the 143-year-old club.

Club president Sten Campbell said it was a big turn-around for the club which just a decade ago lacked a presence on the national stage.
“To have seven athletes named in WA crews, including both the Kings and Queens Cup crews, is a huge achievement for the WA Rowing Club,” Mr Campbell said.
“I’m particularly proud of our senior rower, Nick Wakeford, who at the age of 32 has been named in the WA Kings Cup squad for the second consecutive year.
“Nick has returned to the sport as a mature athlete and is proof that with dedication and hard work, age does not have to limit achievement in elite sport.”

The WA Rowing Club athletes on the State team include:
- Hannah Vermeersch, 19, Youth 8 and Queens Cup (Esperance/Claremont)
- Nick Wakeford, 32, Kings Cup (Shenton Park)
- Sarah Steger, 17, Youth 8 (Edgewater)
- Teresa-Courtney Maguire, 17, Youth 8 coxswain (Newman/Claremont)
- Sam Hughes, 19, Youth 8 (Rivervale)
- Zak Campbell, 19, Youth 8 (South Perth)
- Matthew Cochran, 18, Youth 8 (Maddington)

The WA Rowing Club team is rounded out by:
- Amy Walters, 23 (Mandurah)
- Emma Harding, 21 (Kensington)
- David Moo, 17 (Kensington)
- Megan Downes, 18 (Scarborough)
- Bridget Colby, 21 (Orange Grove)
- Phillipa Colby, 27 (Orange Grove)
- Maegan Thompson, 16 (Mt Claremont)
- Darci Miller, 18 (Beverley)
- Alex Winch, 17 (Bayswater)
- John Ciccarelli, 24 (East Perth)

Club captain Michael Jones said the latest success came on the back of international recognition when young club member Hannah Vermeersch achieved a gold at the Junior World Championships in 2009. Teammate Matthew Cochran joined another WA rower to place third at the Youth Olympics in a pair late last year. Cochran also achieved third at the Junior World Championships in the Czech Republic in a coxed four.
The team is coached by former state coxswain and Youth 8 coach, Mathieu Higgins.


- Mike Jones
WARC Captain 2010-11