Australia’s para-rowers had a strong start to their international season over the weekend, with the Australian Para-rowing Team taking home four gold medals, four silver medals and a bronze medal at the FISA International Para-Rowing Regatta.
The Australians were crowned the overall winners of the points score at the event held in Gavirate, Italy – in cold and wet conditions.
VIS scholarship holder Alex Vuillermin was a member of the team and raced in the PR3 Mixed Coxed Four qualification race on Saturday alongside crewmates James Talbot, Ben Gibson and Alexandra Viney.
Full report below courtesy of Rowing Australia;
James Talbot (SUBC) and Ben Gibson (Sydney RC) doubled up for the regatta, winning both a bronze in the PR3 Men’s Pair and then two silver medals in the PR3 Mixed Coxed Four.
The latter boat class took two iterations at the regatta – Saturday saw Gibson and Talbot joined by Alexandra Viney (Barwon RC), Alex Vuillermin (Powerhouse RC) and coxswain Renae Domaschenz (ANU BC), while on Sunday, Viney was replaced with Canberra’s Nikki Ayres.
Paralympian Kathryn Ross made a strong return to the international competition after a three-year hiatus, picking up two gold medals in the PR2 Women’s Single Scull.
Meanwhile, the Australian PR3 Men’s Pair of Jed Altschwager (Torrens RC) and Will Smith (Adelaide Uni BC) picked up two gold medals in their boat class.
Finally, five-time World Champion in the PR1 Men’s Single Scull – Erik Horrie (Sydney RC) – picked up two silver medals in his first two international races of the season.
