St Joseph's Nudgee College

March 12, 2009

St Joseph's Nudgee College's rowing community are making final preparations for Saturday's Head of the River competition.

Nudgee College will this year field thirteen crews in the event with the Open 1st and 2nd VIII and Year 10 3rd, 4th and 5th Quads being seeded number 1 in their respective races. 

Director of Rowing Mark Partridge believes that each of these crews, particularly the Open 1st and 2nd VIII’s, are good chances of adding to their already positive winning record with strong performances at Stockland Park Kawana on Saturday.

"Both the Open 1st and 2nd crews have been very dominate all season," he said.

"The Open 1st VIII has an excellent chance of winning Saturday's O'Connor Cup. The crew has won all but two of their eleven races this season and are considered favourites."

Nudgee College's sole O’Connor Cup win was back in 2003. Five of last year’s Open 1st VIII, who finished third, are back this year.

The results from all Nudgee College crews throughout the season have given the entire rowing shed confidence that this weekend will see them finish in their best position to date.

"Nudgee College look likely to have their best ever results in the GPS competition this year. In the overall points score, the best that we have ever done is 6th so we are very excited," Mr Partridge said.

Regardless of the results come Saturday, Mr Partridge believes that Nudgee College rowing has had an excellent season that should fill both rowers and coaches with pride.

"Whatever happens on Saturday, Nudgee College rowing has already proven that they are no longer the 'whipping boys' of this competition. Nudgee College rowing has come of age and the rowers and coaches deserve to be given credit for their consistency of performances. Roll on Head of the River day!"

Providing further inspiration for the College’s current rowers in the lead up to Head of the River is 2005 Old Boy Brenton Canning, who made the Queensland King’s Cup crew recently. Brenton is the first Nudgee College Old Boy to make a King's Cup team.

The Queensland team competed at the 2009 Australian Rowing Championships held at Lake Barrington, Tasmania last week and finished fifth.