By Nick Jones at the Lake Barrington International Rowing Course
Day Three of the 2026 Australian Rowing Championships, presented by Events Tasmania, delivered a pivotal day of racing at Lake Barrington, with Open semi-finals locking in finals fields and the regatta shifting up a gear as big boats made their long-awaited debut.
With the continued support of Hancock Prospecting and Rowing Australia Patron Mrs Gina Rinehart AO, Australia’s top athletes once again took centre stage across a full day of high-performance racing.
The Open Women’s Single Scull semi-finals confirmed a stacked A Final, led by reigning Interstate Champion Tara Rigney (Mosman) who controlled her race from the front to win in 7:46.38.
Close behind, Paige Barr (Mercantile / HPNTC) stamped her authority on the second semi-final, taking the win in 7:44.07 - the fastest time across the two races.
She will be joined in the final by Romy Cantwell (MUBC), Grace Sypher (Sydney), Emily Sheppard (SUBC / HPNTC), Catherine Khan (ANU), and Sarah Fahd (UTS), setting up a high-quality showdown between established Rowsellas and emerging contenders.
In the Open Men’s Single Scull, the racing remained tight and tactical as Cormac Kennedy-Leverett (Sydney) produced a composed performance to win Semi-Final 1 in 6:58.10. He held off strong challenges from Alex Rossi (WARC / RBNTC) and Nick Blackman (AUBC / RBNTC) in a race where less than five seconds covered the top three.
Across the semi-finals, margins remained slim, and execution proved critical under the World Rowing progression system, with the top four in each race progressing to finals - leaving no room for error.
Across the Under 17, Under 19 and Under 21 categories, semi-finals delivered high-quality racing as the next generation of Australian rowing booked their places in A Finals.
Standout performances included Luca Storgato (Marist College) in the Under 17 Men’s Single Scull, winning convincingly in 7:37.03, while Elouise Stephens (Mosman) and Elyse Coates (Mosman) led the charge in the Under 19 Women’s Single Scull semi-finals, both progressing strongly to finals.
In the Under 19 Men’s Single Scull, Oliver Kent (Brisbane Grammar) and Samuel Bredell (Fremantle) set the pace, both breaking 7:30 in their respective semi-finals - a clear indicator of the depth and speed across the schoolboy field.
Strong performances across the Under 19, Under 23 and Open small boat events this week will play a critical role in shaping invitations to the upcoming Australian Rowing Team Selection Regatta, with athletes using ARC26 as a key opportunity to stake their claim for national selection.
The afternoon session saw the arrival of the big boats, with Under 17 and Under 19 eights taking to Lake Barrington for the first time this week - and they did not disappoint.
Across both divisions, crews delivered blistering speed, with multiple races showcasing aggressive, high-rate rowing and impressive cohesion this early in the regatta.
The standard across the eights signalled just how competitive the later stages of the week will be, particularly as tension build toward finals and the Interstate Regatta.
These performances reinforced the strength of Australia’s school and pathway system, with depth across states and clubs on full display as crews laid down early statements in marquee boat classes.
Off the water, Rowing Australia hosted its Learn & Load session, with over 100 attendees enjoying a free dinner while hearing directly from Australia’s top athletes about life at the National Training Centres.
The panel - featuring Pat Long, Ella Bramwell, Nick Blackman and Hayley Verbunt, and hosted by Olympic champion Duncan Free OAM - provided valuable insight into daily training environments, racing preparation, and each athlete’s journey to the NTC system, offering a unique opportunity for aspiring rowers and the community to connect with the sport’s high-performance pathway.
With small boat semi-finals complete and finals fields now locked in, attention turns to Day Four where the first national champions of ARC26 will be crowned and Australian Rowing Team trial invites are decided.
From Open A Finals to pathway events, the regatta now moves into its most decisive phase - where preparation meets opportunity, and the first gold medals of the week will be decided.
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