Cooper set for World Rowing Under 23 Championships
July 22, 2015 | Women's Rowing
July 22, 2015
MADISON, Wis. - When the 2015 World Under 23 Rowing Championships get underway on Thursday for Badger rowers, women's openweight Gillian Cooper will join Badger lightweights Helena Randle and Gabriella Purman in Plovdiv, Bulgaria as first-time rowers for their respective national teams.
Cooper's path to the women's eight for Great Britain includes stops at Wisconsin, her current "home" after transferring from Oregon State. The Auckland, New Zealand native boasts British heritage, which allows her to row for the islands.
One of Wisconsin's team captains for the 2014-15 season, Cooper has rowed in UW's varsity eight both years as a Badger, helping the boat and the team to a 13th-place finish at this year's NCAA championships.
Cooper is scheduled to race on Friday in the women's eight, an exhibition event at the championships.
Randle, in the lightweight women's double sculls, and Purman, in the lightweight women's quadruple sculls, both race for Team USA for the first time on Thursday.
Players Mentioned
