Uni rowers strike gold

Sport

Rowers from the University of Adelaide have made history by winning the Oxford and Cambridge Cup for the second year in a row.

The men's eights crew from the Adelaide University Boat Club won the cup - and the gold medal - while competing at the Australian University Rowing Championships, part of the Australian University Games in Perth.

The Adelaide crew again beat the University of Sydney in the finals, winning by one stroke (approximately 1.8 metres).

Coached by Boat Club President Mike Jeffries, the winning crew consisted of Lachlan Ward, Pat Maddern, Michael Shannon, Matthew Bolt, Ned Kinnear, Owen Giradi, Tom Sullivan, Nick Andrew, and Lucy Hyde (coxswain).

"This the first time since the cup race began in 1888 that the University of Adelaide team has won the coveted trophy two years running," said Mike Daws, Executive Officer of the Adelaide University Sports Association.

"Given Sydney University's stranglehold on the cup for several years now, we were thrilled to retain the cup for Adelaide."

The Oxford and Cambridge Cup is a solid silver trophy standing nearly a metre tall. It was donated in 1893 by Australians who rowed for the universities of Oxford and Cambridge.

Mr Daws said the rowing win was the highlight for Adelaide at the Australian University Games in Perth.

"This year, Adelaide Uni excelled in the team sports, bringing home a healthy collection of medals. The Adelaide rowing team finished third overall among the competing universities in a very pleasing all-round performance," he said.

The honours list comprised:

one gold (rowing - men's eights)
four silver (men's hockey; rowing - single scull; rowing - women's lightweight quad; and Ultimate Frisbee)
three bronze (women's hockey; rowing - women's eights; rowing - women's coxed fours).

Mr Daws said the University's success at the Australian University Games followed a series of premiership wins for our sports clubs - collectively known as "the Blacks" - over the winter season.

"University of Adelaide teams won no less than eight premierships - one in soccer, two in hockey, two for baseball, and three premierships for Australian Rules Football teams. It was a fantastic result for the University and was a great source of pride for all of our Blacks teams," he said.

For more information about sport at the University of Adelaide, go to: www.adelaide.edu.au/sports

Story by David Ellis