1983 World Championships- Duisburg Germany

Men's Eight

bow Sam Patten, 2 Bruce Keynes, 3 lan Edmunds, 4 David Doyle, 5 Jim Battersby, 6 Tim Willoughby, 7 Ion Popa, str John Quigley, cox Gavin Thredgold

The ARC decided to reduce the number of people who would be able to travel to twenty-four, and the selectors were then given the difficult task of selecting this group. The restriction was based on financial grounds as the recent large teams had proven to be beyond the resources of the ARC and the State Associations. Simon Gillett now joined the National Selection Panel.

The preparation again involved two trips with the first tour racing at Vichy (FRA), Ratzeburg (GDR) and Nottingham (GBR). In the first two regattas, the eight and single sculler performed excellently. Tim McLaren at the Ratzeburg Regatta got within 1.9 seconds of the current World Champion Peter-Michael Kolbe. Clyde Hefer was originally selected in the men's eight but had to withdraw due to back injury. Graham Jones entered the team as reserve.

Tim McLaren suffered back problems also which contributed later to his missing out on a deserved place in the final. Jim Battersby writing in Australian Rowing stated that his final ranking of seventh should be seen as one of the finest achievements of the Australian team after the difficulties and hardships endured.

Tim McLaren

However the highlights of the Regatta went to the heavyweight eight winning a bronze medal and to the lightweight eight who picked up a silver medal. The heavyweight eight had high expectations and unfortunately drew a bad lane in the final being sheltered from the advantageous tail breeze. Added to this was a bad start and it was only at about the one thousand metre mark did the eight settle down. Unfortunately New Zealand was well past them at that stage.

Australia finished well over the last five hundred but were 3.5 seconds behind the winners result which was disappointing to all members of the team. However it was a significant achievement considering the inexperience of the crew and they looked forward to the 1984 Olympic Games.

The lightweight eight led through the first thousand metre mark but Spain moved ahead by one second in the third five hundred. Australia eventually won the silver medal.

Results—Women's

Women's Single Scull

Final B: 7th GBR, 8th BEL, 9th NOR, 10th FRA, 11th NED, 12th AUT
Final: 1st GDR 3.36.51, 2nd URS, 3rd USA, 4th DEN, 5th CAN, 6th ROM

Women's Double Scull

Final B: 7th TCH, 8th NOR, 9th SWE, 10th USA, 11th FRG, 12th CAN
Final: 1st GDR 3.13.44, 2nd URS, 3rd ROM, 4th HUN, 5th NED, 6th BUL

Women's Quad Scull with Cox

Final B: 7th DEN, 8th FRG, 9th BUL, 10th ROM, 11th USA, 12th NED
Final: 1st URS 3.02.48, 2nd GDR, 3rd BUL, 4th ROM, 5th USA, 6th NED

Women's Coxless Pair

Final B: 7th USA, 8th NED, 9th IRL, 10th BEL
Final: 1st GDR 3.26.38, 2nd ROM, 3rd CAN, 4th FRG, 5th URS, 6th BUL

Women's Coxed Four

Final B: 7th POL, 8th GBR, 9th FRA, 10th TCH
Final: 1st GDR 3.11.18, 2nd ROM, 3rd URS, 4th CAN, 5th USA, 6th BUL

Women's Eight

Final B: 7th FRG, 8th GBR
Final: 1st URS 2.56.22, 2nd USA, 3rd GDR, 4th CAN, 5th ROM, 6th BUL