Maties rowing exceeds expectations at USSA-R sprints

ANAKIN CURTIS & HOLLY MELLIN

Maties rowing team had a memorable and successful weekend at the USSA-R Sprints 2023 regatta. It was a culmination of hard work, dedication, and passion for the sport. This year's event was particularly special as the team achieved the best results in over a decade. For Maties women’s rower, Lee-Anne Cundill, making it into the grudge crew was a nervewracking experience, but one that paid off in the end. With an impressive 1km Erg (ergometer) trial time, Cundill was able to qualify for the finals, where she raced alongside some of the best rowers in the competition. Despite feeling nervous, Cundille's hard work and dedication paid off, and she was thrilled to be able to race with the grudge crew. Maties men’s rower, Campbell White, was equally surprised and happy to make it into the grudge crew, having been involved in rowing for nine years. He started off as a coxswain, the member of the team who is responsible for steering the boat and maintaining the rhythm of the rowers. After coxing for five of those nine years White felt like he finally got some recognition for his years of hard work. The Blues and Grudges race was a unique experience, based on the Oxford and Cambridge tradition. The race featured two eights for both genders, along with a coxswain, and pitted the best rowers against those who held a grudge against them.

“I was very surprised to