Ballarat rowing continues to go from strength to strength following Laura Foley and Sophie Reinehr's selection in the under-23 and under-21 Australian teams.
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Foley, a former Head of the Lake winner for Loreto College, has been picked to row in the under-23 women's coxed eight and coxless pair.
Reinehr, a former Head of the Lake winner with Ballarat Grammar School, has been selected in the under-21 women's coxed eight.
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Reinehr told The Courier the news has not quite hit home after such a hard 2020.
"It hasn't actually sunk in yet, it's pretty surreal. Considering the year we had with COVID-19 it's kind of nice to have all our hard work pay off. It's definitely been quite exciting," she said.
The news came following a long season with their respective clubs, Foley with Melbourne University and Reinehr with Mercantile.
The pair had to meet ergo benchmarks and compete in seat racing to find the best combinations.
The final hurdle was a strong performance at the Australian Rowing Championships, one that the two rowers passed with flying colours.
Foley told The Courier it was her goal all season and specifically heading into the nationals regatta to be picked.
"It was always the goal. We went into each of our races knowing that we had to put our best foot forward so that we could get invited, because that was definitely a goal to make the under-23 Australian team for this season," she said.
Foley won two gold medals with Melbourne University, in the under-23 women's coxless pair and coxless four.
Reinehr won a silver medal for Victoria in the interstate women's youth eight, a gold medal for Mercantile in the under-21 coxed four and a bronze in the coxed eight.
The ladies will now train ahead of the World Rowing Cup 3 simulation regatta from June 11 to 13 in Penrith, New South Wales.
It will feature Australia's senior rowing team as they prepare for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Loreto College firsts crew member and 2020 Head of the Lake winner Casey Dodd is also trialing in Canberra next week to hopefully be selected in the under-19 Australian team.
She is rowing in a coxless four with competitors from Marcantile, St Catherine's and Geelong College.
Loreto's head of rowing Taylah Blake is coaching the crew alongside Sam Fennessy from Mercantile.
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