Mercantile was again represented on day 5 of the World Championships. 

Kat Werry raced in the women's four which qualified for the final through the semi-finals. Rowing Australia reported: Four crews in the Women’s Coxless Four Second Semi-Final – Australia, Netherlands, and Romania and Denmark – went “toe to toe” to qualify for this weekend’s A-Final.   The Australian quartet of Annabelle McIntyre OAM, Bronwyn Cox, Katrina Werry and Lucy Stephan OAM were in second position for most of the race but were pipped on the line by the fast-finishing Romanian crew.  Australia came third and qualified for the A-Final. 

Kat Werry in the two seat

Red Matthews raced in the lightweight double which qualified for the C final after finishing second in the C/D semi-finals. 

In other races, the men's four, men's pair and women's quad also qualified for the finals.

Rowing Australia reported:

The first A-Final qualification of the day came from the Men’s Coxless Pair in a two-horse race against the Spanish combo.  Our Australian duo of Alex Hill OAM and Harley Moore raced well and finished second to qualify for the A-Final. 

With similar times in their respective Semi-Final heats, the Olympic Champion crew of Jack Hargreaves OAM, Spencer Turrin OAM, Alex Purnell OAM and Olympic Finalist, Jack O’Brien raced against old rivals from Great Britain (GB) in the Men’s Coxless Four A/B Semi-Final. Although our boys led at the 1000m mark, GB managed to push out in front to take the lead and finished in first position.  Australia came second and will race again in the A-Final. 

Men's Four in the Semi-final

Men’s Head Coach, Rhett Ayliffe said of the Men’s Pair and the Men’s Four, “We are excited to make the two A-Final’s and know both crews can improve from their respective performances today.  We just need to make some minor adjustments, in both boats, to achieve the desired results this weekend.”  

Rhett Ayliffe calming his nerves cleaning the boat

The Women’s Quad of Kate Rowan, Amanda Bateman, Rowena Meredith, and Harriet Hudson started off slowly in their A/B Semi-Final. The crew kept progressing on the leaders of the field from GB, moving from sixth off the start and into second by the time the bow ball went through the finish line – a length behind GB in first and qualifying for the A-Final.  

After the race, Harriet Hudson, and Kate Rowan both said, “We did not make it easy for ourselves out of the start, but we trusted our solid race rhythm and we managed to get back in the fight.  We need to make some small tweaks before the A-Final and just focus on keeping it simple.”  

In the Men’s Lightweight Single Scull, Hamish Harding put on a brave performance and finished fourth in his A/B Semi-Final.  Harding was in third position at the 1500m mark but was unable to hold off a high rating French sculler, he will next race in the B Final.  

Coach David Fraumano provides last minute instructions to Hamish Harding

Despite their best efforts, the Women’s Pair of Eliza Gaffney and Georgie Gleeson, who are also the Women’s Reserves, finished in fourth position. They will race in the B Final, which is a good result for their first World Championship ‘bib’.  

The Women’s Lightweight Double of Lucy Coleman and Anneka Reardon, who only joined the Hancock Prospecting Women’s National Training Centre earlier this year and formed as a crew only a few months ago, raced in the A/B Semi-Final. A tidy technical performance and a last push just squeezed them into fourth position but still into the B Final, as top three went through to the A-Final. 

The agony of a fourth placing

The Women’s Lightweight Single of Georgia Nesbitt came third in her C/D Semi-Final and will next race in the C Final.