AUSTRALIA’S BIG GUNS TAKE TO THE WATER TODAY This team is all business, class

SIMON KING

After the soul searching and sub- to bring a touch of cricket’s baggy sequent rebuilding following a green tradition and history to the dismal London Olympics, Rowing sport, when in October it Australia will now be marked on launched the McVilly-Pearce pin. its new direction. to recognise all its athletes who Today on the bumpy, salty and have represented the nation at the often windy waters of Rio’s stun- highest level. ning Lagoa lagoon, Australia’s The pin is named for the first big guns take to the water — look- rower to represent Australia and ing to bring home the gold the the first to win gold. class of 2012 failed to achieve. “One of the lessons we learnt World champion single sculler from London was the retention of Kim Brennan is top of the list, fol- personnel in boats — particularly lowed by the men’s quadruple some of our smaller boats,” sculls crew of , O’Brien said. James McRae, Cameron Girdle- “We almost went from year to stone and year reinventing ourselves. and the men’s pair, Alex Lloyd and “What we’ve invested in this Spencer Turrin. cycle is trying to get greater per- “We’re in it for medals — we’re formance knowledge over the looking for performances out of Olympic cycle and not putting all of our crews,” head coach Chris those boats out without enough O’Brien said. knowledge about what they are In London, the return from 13 capable of. boats was three silver and two “It’s almost been about allow- bronze. This time there are eight ing some boats to go out and get crews, but O’Brien says it’s a case some races wrong, then to get of quality not quantity. some races right and then to front “By the time we got to London, up at the . we only had one boat that was “This is what we need to do to truly in gold medal contention — deliver our best performance.” the men’s four,” he said. Practical steps have also been “Our belief this time is we’ve added — the athletes for the first got more than just the one boat time flew into town business class capable of delivering gold.” and, unlike their competition, Driven by London disappoint- have been housed in a hotel min- ment, Rowing Australia has re- utes from the venue to avoid the invented itself. heavy traffic on the 30km drive New chairman Rob Scott has from the athletes village. broken down the decentralised They’ve also been given plenty model that largely had athletes of time to get used to the chal- and coaches training in isolation lenges of a natural course. around the country. “It’s a saltwater course which This overhaul included a three- adds buoyancy so we’ve made sure we’ve had time to adjust to month camp in Canberra courtesy that,” O’Brien said. of the deep pockets of the nation’s All the homework has been most generous sports philanthro- done. The exam begins today. pist, Gina Rinehart. The camp was a first in the an- nals of Rowing Australia, and DON’T MISS helped unify the team. Women’s single sculls heats The organisation also moved TONIGHT, 10.30PM AEST Medal hope Kim Brennan