Eights to face Great Britain as Australia contests #HRR25 semi-finals

By Chris McCarthy with the Australian Rowing Team at the Henley Royal Regatta

The Australian Rowing Team is set to contest six semi-finals on day six of Henley Royal Regatta 2025.

The day will be headlined by the first races in the Remenham and Grand Challenge Cups for Australia’s Men’s and Women’s Eights, where both crews have drawn Great Britain.

The races come two weeks after both eights achieved Bronze medal finishes at World Cup Lucerne.

The Men’s Eight sees a fresh lineup, with the inclusion of Gold-medal-winning coxless four Nikolas Pender, Fergus Hamilton OLY, Austin Reinehr, and Alexander Hill OAM.

They join Jack Roberton OLY, Charles Batrouney, Angus Dawson OLY, Alex Nichol, and cox Nicholas Dunlop.

Speaking on the new line-up, Men’s Head Coach Chris O’Brien said the crew were looking forward to the challenge.

“They’ve had some really good paddles this week and done some good pieces, they’re happy with how it’s been going, but they are going up against a combination that’s raced really well internationally already," O'Brien said.

“We’ve got nothing to lose, they’ve got everything to lose. We’re going to go out there and have a crack at it, try rattle the cage and see what happens.”

The Women’s Eight see’s a similar matchup, facing most of the Great Britain combination that were victorious at World Rowing Cup - Varese.

Laura Gourley OLY will back up a spectacular come-from-behind behind victory in the quarter-finals to face Denmark’s Frida Nielsen in the race for a finals berth in the Princess Royal Challenge Cup.

Gourley was grateful for the experience on Friday that will prepare her for her semi-final.

“This year’s been more of a learning year for me than anything, so yeah, lots of learnings today,” Gourley said. 

Men’s Double of Oscar McGuinness and Mitchell Reinhard will face off against fellow former lightweights, Belgians Tim Brys and Neils Van Zandweghe.

Following a confidence-inspiring race on Friday, Reinhard wasn’t putting too much pressure on the duo.

“We’re just going to go out there, do what we’ve been doing well and find out. But we are definitely going to go hard," Reinhard said. 

The Men’s Quad and Pair will also take on international competition in the Spanish and Dutch respectively.

In the club events, Sydney Rowing Club’s Wyfold Challenge Cup Four will contest Thames Rowing Club ‘B’ in a bid to make their first Henley Royal Regatta final since 2019 when they last won the event.

Kinross Wolaroi are set for a showdown with British National Schools Champions Shiplake College.