Battersby was first selected to represent New South Wales in the 1978 youth eight contesting the Noel F Wilkinson Trophy at the Interstate Regatta within the Australian Rowing Championships.

[3] In a composite New South Wales selection four with Jordi Martin, Graeme Jones and Graham Edmunds, Battersby won the 1981 Australian national coxed four title.

With Steve Evans, Craig Muller and Rick Goodrich, in an all-Mosman crew Battersby won the Australian national coxed four title in 1984.

In the final at the World Championships the Australian crew drew a bad lane and lost the benefit of the tail breeze however they raced a strong second 1000m and finished in third place for a bronze medal.

[7][6] The Australian eight selected for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics was built around the national champion Mosman Rowing Club coxed four and included Evans, Muller and Battersby.