Young Balmain rower brings back silverware

Three years after first putting oar to water, Balmain Rowing Club’s James Waldersee has come back with a silver medal from this year’s Australian Youth Cup championships.

Representing NSW for the first time, the 18-year-old university student was part of the men’s coxed eight that came second at the eight-team competition for young rowers held earlier this month at Penrith Lakes.

The only rower to hail from the Balmain club, Waldersee was a member of a NSW team that came overall second in the standings behind runaway winners, New Zealand.

The Blues also took the honour of pipping last year’s champions and perennial rivals Queensland by one point.

“My earliest memory of rowing is my Year 6 teacher raving on about how enjoyable it was,” he said.