Gippsland Grammar’s rowing team are drying their paddles and boarding a plane, first stop the UK, second stop Italy.

Year 12 students Lindsay Hamilton, Billy Osborne, Cameron Rule and Anthony Smith are getting their passports ready, headed for Henley-on-Thames in the UK to represent Gippsland Grammar in the Open Men’s Quad at the Henley Royal Regatta from June 28.

Making good use of their passports, Hamilton and Osborne will have just three weeks following the Henley Royal Regatta, running from June 28 to July 3, until they set their sights on Varese, Italy.

Hamilton and Osborne are among the 40 rowers representing Australia at the World Championships in Italy from July 25-31.

While Hamilton and Osborne are flying straight from Henley-on-Thames to Varese; there will be no time for gelato and pizza.

Instead, the Gippsland Grammar boys will join Under-19s Men Quad Scull teammates Jonah Nelson and Chad Willett from St Joseph’s Nudgee College for an intensive three-week training camp.

Gippsland Grammar rowing coach Nick Bartlett will be joining Hamilton and Osborne at the World Championships in Italy after being selected as the Under-19s Men’s Quad Scull coach.

This year Bartlett has undeniably proven himself an irreplaceable asset to Gippsland Grammar rowing, coaching teams in the most successful national campaign in the school’s history at the Australian Rowing Championships in Nagambie.

Bartlett took Gippsland Grammar’s rowing teams to the Australian Rowing Championships and bought home two national titles in the Under-19 Men’s Double Scull and the Schoolboys Coxed Quadruple Scull and two silver medals in the Under-17 Women’s Double Scull and Under-19 Men’s Quadruple Scull.

Expressing admiration for his rowers, Bartlett said the two upcoming international competitions are an incredibly satisfying achievement for the school’s senior rowers, following years of dedication and early morning training.

“To be selected to represent Australia at a World Championships is one of the highest honours that you can achieve in rowing,” Bartlett said.