Conditions were favourable for the 15km race up the Georges River in Sydney on Saturday, October 12.

The Wombats open women's crew were up against the Canberra-Broulee Capitals and Cronulla - the reigning champions of the George Bass Marathon. The Broulee Wombats held the lead.

"We battled against the Canberra girls for the first couple of kilometers," sweep Rob Pollock said.

The Broulee Capitals told Pollock they had issues with a seat, and had dropped back in the pack.

"Coogee came at us fairly late, we all went exceptionally well - we were strong," Pollock said.

The Broulee Wombats crossed the line first, followed by the Capitals and Coogee.

Shanon Small had dusted cobwebs off her race gear and put in a solid effort with teammates Nikky Kemp, Michelle Cottington and Katie Hearne.

It was second-bow rower, Hearne's, first race effort.

"For a country girl from Harden, I was very happy for her," Pollock said.

"She stepped up and took on some leadership when one of the girls started fading."

As the Wombats crossed the finish line, the celebration was put on hold.

A struggling rower was sighted in a boat ahead.

"We were watching her come up to the finish line, she was crabbing her oar and starting to pass out as she was rowing," Pollock said.

"I saw her collapse in the boat and almost fell out."

The under-19s Queenscliffe rower was helped by Hearne, who is also a nurse at Moruya District Hospital.

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"There was a slow response time from officials," Pollock said.

"We took her up to the club as she was floating in and out of consciousness.

"Katie took the girl's temperature and said she was overheated."

Pollock said the rower had vomited from heat exhaustion and believed she hadn't eaten before the race.

"It was good for our girls to see the effect of what can happen if you don't have brekky before going into a race," he said.

"It's very important rowers look after themselves, especially in an endurance event.

"Hydration is so important, with these kind of races - you have to make the time to take a drink."

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Pollock said the exhausted rower was treated by paramedics and taken to hospital where she was undergoing heart tests.

Despite the win, Pollock said there's no time to rest before the upcoming George Bass Marathon.

"It has been a good lead up for us, with our crews winning this and the Pambula race - we will be up against much tougher competition in the Bass," he said.

"We will be looking out for the New Zealand crew, Torquay and the defending Champs - Cronulla."