#ARC25 Interstate Preview – The Big Dance arrives at Barrington

By Nick Jones at the Lake Barrington International Rowing Course

As the curtains of the 2025 Australian Rowing Championships close, the 2025 Interstate Regatta curtain opens, the tension is rising... and the banter is peaking.

The blue riband King’s and Queen’s Cup races will once again close the Australian Rowing Championships, and if the past week is anything to go by, they’ll be nothing short of dramatic.

Victoria returns as the defending champion in both events.

The Queen’s Cup crew is eyeing a fourth straight title, and confidence is quietly simmering within the boat.

“Excited, but nervous,” said Paige Barr, who returns in the two seat. “It’ll be a tight race, but hopefully Victoria can get up.”

Her fellow Victorian Nick Smith, sitting in the bow of the King’s Cup, gave little away: “I think you know my answer to that one. I’ll leave it at that.”

But challengers are circling.

New South Wales, last year’s Silver Medallists in both events but winners of the John Coates AC Cup (Interstate point score), have made no secret of their intentions to unseat the Big V. 

“I’m pretty excited for the Queen’s Cup race. I think we could really push on Victoria this year," Laura Gourley, sitting in the six seat, said. 

“It’s hard to ignore Victoria’s strong history in it but I think this year we could give them a good run for their money.”

Georgie Rowe, two seat for NSW, framed it clearly: “It’s Victoria versus the rest of the country.”

In the King’s Cup, Victoria is going for back-to-back titles and returning key athletes, including Fergus Hamilton in the stroke seat and James Rook as coxswain.

Hamilton stirred the friendly fire with NSW’s Nik Pender, saying on Thursday: “I just won’t speak to Nik again [between now and Sunday’s King’s Cup race] for the rest of the week.”

Pender returned serve: “ You can’t back down on the New South Wales spirit.”

South Australia is hoping to surprise. Despite missing Tokyo Gold Medallist Alex Hill OAM, Oscar McGuinness is feeling optimistic.

His crew mate Nick Blackman echoed the sense of opportunity: “I think the Victorians have a really strong crew this year but same goes for New South Wales.”

Coaches, meanwhile, played their cards close to their chests.

Men’s Head Coach Chris O’Brien, himself a Victorian, said: “It’s a tough question, isn’t it? I think we all know I’m from Victoria but let’s see… whoever wins on the day will win on the day.”

Women’s Head Coach James Harris has kept a close eye on both top crews.

“I think the Victorians have quietened down a little bit and New South Wales have been a bit vocal, but I think that might come down to who has the best race tomorrow,” Harris said.

“It’s provided good banter at the centre for the last month or so… I’m sure there’ll be one-up-man-ship."

In the Interstate PR3 Single Sculls, a rematch of Thursday morning’s final is expected, with Victoria’s Susannah Lutze looking to take full advantage of the post-Ayers era.

“I think we have really strong King’s and Queen’s going out as well,” Lutze said. “I’m hoping I can take out the Interstate now that Nikki’s [Ayers] is gone.”

Para Head Coach James Loveday is eager to see how these athletes stack up again.

“We’re going to see a repeat of the finals that we saw in the Men’s and Women’s PR3 Singles… it will be really interesting to see how each of the athletes has learned.”

The Youth Eights are equally compelling, with Queensland’s women tipped to be front-runners.

The Western Australia women are also shaping up strongly. And on the men’s side, every state has something to prove, especially New South Wales and ACT, who have assembled hungry crews.

With state pride on the line and rivalries that go far beyond the water, Sunday’s racing promises to deliver the best of Australian rowing.

Morning: Australian Rowing Championships Finals

• Club Women’s Coxless Four
• Club Women’s Double Scull
• Club Women’s Coxed Eight
• Club Men’s Coxless Four
• Club Men’s Double Scull
• Club Men’s Coxed Eight
• Schoolgirls Coxed Eight
• Schoolboy’s Coxed Eight
• Schools and underage: various boats

Afternoon: Interstate Championship Regatta

• Interstate Women's PR3 Single Scull
• Interstate Men's PR3 Single Scull
• Interstate Women's Single Scull
• Interstate Men's Single Scull
• Interstate Lightweight Women's Quadruple Scull
• Interstate Lightweight Men's Coxless Four
• Interstate Women's Youth Eight
• Interstate Men's Youth Eight
• Interstate Women's Eight
• Interstate Men's Eight

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