Last weekend saw 8 competitive and determined tigers travel across the state border to South Australia to compete in the 2014 Australian Masters Rowing Championships. Our representatives were Ray Dennis, Geraldine Goss, Charlie Burke, Carolyn Manning, Barry Campbell, Michelle Joy, Michael Gehling and Karen Doggett. We may have been few in number but with friends from many other clubs in Victoria we made an illustrious team with a total of 36 entries between us. We even covered the the masters age catorgories of A (youngest, minimum age of 27) to J (average age of 80 or more).
Over the four days Adelaide displayed the best and worst weather conditions for us and at times the rowing was put on hold while the storm blew down the course. There were lots of memories of Ballarat amoungst the Victorian rowers as we huddled under our tent around the gas heater but I think everyone would admit that on the final day of competition, when the sun was shining and the wind was just a pleasant breeze the course, facilities and competition was great.
Some of the Richmond highlights on the water were a great race on day 1 which saw Racheal Button edge out Michelle Joy in the fight for silver and bronze in the Women’s A1x. Carolyn Manning was really pleased to make the final of the D1x finishing just outside the medals in fourth place. Another hard fought fourth position went to Michelle Joy and Karen Doggett in the A2x, just unable to repeat their states success. There was years of history and competition on the line when Ray Dennis lined up in the I8+ in a Banks composite which annually challenges the Drummoyne composite crew, in this case the richmond man came away with a silver. Ray Dennis was very proud to be competing in an all Richmond crew at the regatta when he paired up with our illustrious captain and hard working trailer driver, Barry Campbell (yes he towed everything to Adelaide for us) in an E2x. Sitting in the bow of an A8+ with a predominantly Latrobe University crew Karen Doggett picked up a gold medal and backed it up the next day with a silver in the B8+. With doubles, quads, fours and eights heading up and down the lake all the time it was hard to keep track of all of Geraldine Goss’s events but she had a impressive win in the D4X, along with great races in the C and B4x’s picking up medals in each. There was another gold to Geraldine in a mixed double race where Carolyn also featured to collect the bronze.
The highlight of this National event is always the interstate challenges which see the best crews from each state in both male and female quads and eights race off against one another. Victoria dominated winning three out of the four races and Geraldine Goss was an integral member of the victorious Women’s eight crew.
Congratulations to everyone who took part and thanks to everyone for their help and support over the course of the competition. Next year we head to Penrith and I hope Richmond will have another strong showing.
In event order the complete list of RRC medal winners were:
Womens masters A1X – Bronze medal to Michelle Joy
Women’s masters C2X – Silver medal to Geraldine Goss
Mixed masters D4X – Silver medal to Geraldine Goss
Mixed masters A & B 2X – Silver medal to Michelle Joy
Womens masters A8+ – Gold medal to Karen Doggett
Mixed masters D4X – Gold medal to Geraldine Goss
Womens masters B8+ – Silver medal to Karen Doggett
Mens masters J2X – Gold medal to Ray Dennis
Womens masters A4- – Silver medal to Geraldine Goss
Womens masters B4X – Bronze medal to Geraldine Goss
Mixed masters D2X – Gold to Geraldine Goss, Bronze to Carolyn Manning
Mens masters I8+ – Silver medal to Ray Dennis
Womens masters D8+ – Silver medal to Geraldine Goss
Womens masters C4X – Bronze medal to Geraldine Goss