The bubbly bunch of San Franciscan rowers made the trip to Australia last week and have been training hard in preparation for the Australian Whale Boat Racing Championships.

Four clubs are represented in the American squad and all are eager to claim the new International Cup.

One of the teams — ITC Rowing — was studying the course yesterday ahead of the weekend’s race.

Coach Corny Foster said her group was slowly getting used to the south-west’s whale boat designs.

“The boats are a bit different, but they are shore-based whaling boats like ours are,” she explained.

“These boats are 25 per cent lighter than our boats at home but there are three fewer rowers, so it’s a heavier pull.”

While the “beautiful scenery” may have been distracting some rowers in their early-morning practice sessions, Ms Foster said they were taking the race seriously.