Batten's first national representative selection was to the 1985 Match des Seniors in Banyoles, Spain – the equivalent at the time of today's World Rowing U23 Championships. Batten stroked the Australian men's eight to a silver medal. That same crew represented Australia in the men's eight selected for the 1985 Trans-Tasman U/23 regatta held on Lake Ruataniwha in New Zealand.
