ARC26 Day Five Wrap: West Australians overcome wind and rivals in Women’s Four Final to claim first Gina Rinehart AO Trophy

By Rupert Guinness at the Lake Barrington International Rowing Course 

The 2026 Australian Rowing Championships (ARC26), presented by Events Tasmania, saw Giorgia Patten OLY and her crewmates claim a magnificent win in the Women’s Four Final on Friday to also become the first winners of the Gina Rinehart AO Trophy.

The race was one of four Finals in Open events on Day Five of the regatta at the Lake Barrington International Rowing Course.

The other Finals were the Women’s Double Scull, and the Men’s Double Scull and Four. The Men’s Four ended in controversy with the South Australian crew stroked by Alex Hill OAM that crossed the line first being relegated after the medal ceremony when their boat was declared illegally underweight.

After the Women’s Final, Patten, in her first year back since the 2024 Olympics, said it was fitting the Gina Rinehart AO Trophy, named after Mrs Rinehart, who is the Patron of Rowing Australia and awarded to the event winner, was won by a West Australian crew.

West Australia is the home state of Mrs Rinehart and Hancock Prospecting who, with Mrs Rinehart, have been Rowing Australia’s major supporter and sponsor for 10 years.

The continued support of Mrs Rinehart and Hancock Prospecting enables Australian athletes to pursue excellence on the world stage and strengthening the foundations of the sport from grassroots through to high performance.

On Friday, Patten and her crewmates Jacquie Swick OLY, Bronwyn Cox OLY, and Rebecca Pretorius (Swan River-HPNTC/WAIS) won the Gold medal in a time of 7:54.69. In second place for the Silver was the crew of Ella McKenzie, Lily Alton OLY, Kamile Kralikaite and Laura Chancellor (KAND/HPNTC) at 9.13, while third for the Bronze was Rhianna Sumpter, Lila Anderton, Gaby Morton and Samantha Morton (Sydney) at 12.31.

On a day that saw racing in the morning suspended due to excessive winds, the West Australian crew led from start to finish in what were still challenging head winds.

“It was really tricky out there, similar to the small boat finals yesterday,” said Patten who placed second in the Women’s Pair Final on Thursday, crewing with Swick.

 

“At least today, being the four, we were in a little bit bigger boat, but there is a lot of passion in that boat …. [it is] a ‘WA’ four. We wanted to put out. We've had a few really good wins in that bone, so it's nice to get it together and get the win today. “

Asked what it meant to win the Gina Rinehart AO Trophy, Patten said:

“It is extremely special. Mrs Rinehart is the patron of our sport. We couldn't do what we do without her, and we're so grateful for her support. To have won a trophy in her honour today is really special. She's very patriotic to ‘WA’. So, to have the first Gina Rinehart AO Trophy presented to a WA crew means a lot. So, we're really, really honoured.”

Patten, who raced in the Australian Eight at the 2021 and 2024 Olympics, said she is enjoying her return to the sport in which she is a member of the Hancock Prospecting National Training Centre squad that is based in Penrith, Sydney.

“A couple of us had the year away last year. We're back in it, training hard,” Patten said. “It's nice to see that work paying off out there and getting some good results.

The Men’s Open Four Final, saw the Adelaide/RBNTC crew of Hill, Angus Dawson OLY, Mitch Salisbury, and Angus Widdicombe OLY (a late entry to cover for illness) finish in first place in 6:57.32. But the crew was relegated to sixth and last place after the medal ceremony when their boat officially weighed-in under the legal limit.

That saw the crew of Jack Robertson OLY, Darcy Watter, Fergus Hamilton OLY and Alex Nichol (Sydney-NTC/QAS) which initially finished close behind in second place in 6:57.81 being declared the official Gold medallists. The Silver then went to the crew of Ben Canham OLY, Nick Smith, Paddy Holt OLY and Rohan Lavery (Melbourne Uni/UTS) who were third to finish; while the crew of Winston Hooper, Mackenzie Thompson, Henry Blackwell and Joshua Wilson (UTS/Melbourne Uni) won Bronze.

The Women’s Open Double Scull Final saw the race led from start to finish by Tara Rigney OLY and Sara Fahd (Mosman/UTS Haberfield) who were also first and second respectively in Thursday’s Single Scull Final. On Friday, they won in 8:22.77

In second at 3.03, was Romy Cantwell and Sara de Uray (Melbourne Uni/VIS), while third was Emily Sheppard and Catherine Khan (ANU/Sydney Uni-ACTHP/NTC)

The Men’s Open Double Scull Final saw Jackson Free and Cormac Kennedy-Leverett (KAND/Sydney-RBNTC) get a profitable return for their 14-year rowing partnership to win the Gold medal in 7:32.11.

They beat Dom Frederico and Nick Blackman (Adel Uni/Mercantile-RBNTC/VIS who took the Silver; while Marcus Della Marta and Jack Cleary (Sydney Uni/WARC-RBNTC/WAIS) won the Bronze.

Performances across Friday’s finals in not only Open events, but in underage will play an important role in shaping the Australian Rowing Team for the 2026 World Rowing Cups and the Under 19 and Under 23 World Championships.

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