Happy long weekend all! This week there is lots going on at the club so here’s a little round-up and reminder to sign up to help us with organisiation:
Thursday night beer and pizza – following normal Thursday night training we will be opening the bar and ordering some pizzas for anyone who wants to stay around and enjoy some relaxed post-exercise drinks and chat.
Saturday Quiz night – it’s the club’s big annual fundraiser and we’re looking forward to a big night involving mind boggling trivia, games and auction prizes, make sure you contact Shern to book your table/ticket.
Sunday morning Club Races – the fun continues this time on the water with club races. Please sign up and add a comment on sportsplanner if you are able to help out. The plan is to use the infamous sorting hat to select crews and we need people to arrive at 9:30 to get organised and on the water. As usual all this events are open to everyone and the more the merrier! These short sprints will get everyone tuned up and ready to go for sprint racing at Essendon next weekend, or at least we’ll have fun trying. Brunch and prizes for the winners will follow the racing and there will be a small donation for food required (normally $5). Any volunteers to help with races and brunch please contact me, president.
So sign up now on sportsplanner and I look forward to seeing you all at the clubhouse this week.
So the Victorian State Championships for another year are complete. This year we were all excited to head back to Lake Nagambie but with the windy conditions that greeted us on Sunday you would be forgiven for mistaking it for Lake Wendouree at Ballarat. If you think I’m exaggerating you should ask Vicki Brennan and Jodie Naisbitt what it was like just getting to the start line for the WD2X 😉
The morning session saw a few Richmond crews in straight finals with six or seven total crews entered per event. So with no warm up race they took to the water and battled the conditions and the other crews each proudly coming away with bronze medals. There was the hotly contested Female C8+ (Sophia Robinson, Karen Doggett, Ainsley Raggatt, Kate Cooper, Geraldine Goss, Michelle Joy, Rochelle Stokes, Kate Dyball and cox Mike Numa), Male C2- (Sam Morrison and Ben van Biljon) and Male D4+ (David Micallef, Kieran Burke, PJ Eadie, Daniel Meka and cox Roy Zhang) which had some inter as well as intra club competition. WC8+ and MD4+ The medals kept coming in the afternoon session as well with more bronze bling going to the Female C2X (Michelle Joy and Karen Doggett), Male B4+ (Tim foster, Sam Morrison, Ben van Biljon, George Hartley and cox Vanessa van Biljon) and Female D4X+ (Ainsley Raggatt, Catherine Hardie, Lindsey Beck, Caroline Manning and cox Mike Numa). Along with her quad medal Carolyn Manning also braved the conditions in the single finishing an impressive fourth in the C1X final and going one better over the 2km course picking up bronze in the B1X. WC2X and MD4X+ We didn’t just stop at bronze medals though we had some excellent results for the Female D4+ (Emily Dunn, Kate Cooper, Catherine Hardie, Lindsey Beck coxed by Derek Begg), Male D4X+ (Michael Calvert, Michael Gehling, Alan Randall, PJ Eadie and cox Rebecca Lionnet) and Female D8+ (Erin Faulkner, Stephanie Dudczig, Sarah Ryan, Thalia Marshall, Sarah McNicol, Shern Timmins, Karin Bouvin, Elaine Hynes and cox Derek Begg) who all fought their way to silver medals. WD8+ and WD4+
The competition was strong and although we may not have come away champions this year I think the spread of medals, and other great results across so many different competitors in different grades and different classes of boats is a real testament to a great season at RRC. As usual a big thanks to everyone who contributed to the success on the day and in all the training and build up to the event – rowers, coxes, coaches and supporters. A special mention to Tim Evans who towed the trailer and Barry Campbell who completed our BRO duties. WB1X and MB4+
Don’t forget the sprint season isn’t over yet and if you want to attend either the Footscray and Essendon sprint regattas or the Mildura Easter weekend away regatta please contact [email protected] as soon as possible for more information and then there’s Masters Season…. WD4X+
Due to Moomba disruptions this week and a few people taking a well deserved rest following our exploits at state championships last weekend (look out for a blog round-up coming soon on those results) we have postponed the club social until next Thursday.
So on Thursday 12th March the bar will be open and we will organise to get some pizzas (with everyone chiping in some cash) after training. This evening is designed to be a very informal catch-up and chance to just sit back and enjoy an evening with friends at the clubhouse after a pleasant evening row. Make sure you sign up on sportsplanner for the row or if you can’t make it to training you are of course welcome to come and join us for some drinks afterwards. It will be a great chance to say cheers to all those who put in so much effort in the Vic states and sprint season campaign.
For anyone who has been rowing this week you will have noticed new buoys and landings appearing as extra obstacles to negotiate and there will soon be a water ski jump appearing, this is all in preparation for Moomba. The Melbourne festival held next week and over the labour day long weekend (6-9th March).
I would ask everyone to take extra care especially in coxless boats at present. Along with this you should all be aware that the river will be closed at multiple times and parking restrictions will be in place. All this information is displayed on the noticeboard at the rowing club or can be accessed at the Parks Victoria website.
However here are some of the important times that I know will impact peoples training:
River closed between east end of Princes Wharf to Morrell Bridge – Transit times are scheduled during this closure times each day. Please verify with Parks Victoria
Wed 4th Mar – 8.00am to 7:30pm
Thurs 5th Mar – 8.00am to 10.00pm
Fri 6th Mar & Sat 7th Mar – 7.00am to 10.45pm
Sun 8th Mar – 10.00am to 10.45pm
Mon 9th Mar – 7.00am to 10.00pm
As a result there will be no training on Thursday evening, 5th March, instead we will be holding a social night at the club, with the bar open and a chance to celebrate the end of Summer and the sprint season. Obviously there’s nothing to stop you from using the gym and the ergos whilst the river is closed but if you have any questions about on water training please contact your coach.
In case the Sydney Morning Herald Business Day is not on your regular reading list here is a link to a recent article about our very own beautifully designed boathouse. Read the full article.
This weekend the sprint season hits its pinnacle with the Rowing Victoria State Championships, taking place at Nagambie. Richmond will be competing on Sunday 1st March in mens and womens sweep and sculling events and we wish everyone taking part good luck and a great day of racing.
For those attending Boat loading will be this Friday at 6pm.
Don’t forget to check ROMS for the up to date schedule, event times and to check out your competition.
A quick congratulations to everyone who took part in last Saturdays Australian Henley regatta too. With both male and female crews winning heats or qualifying in time trials to progress in a fiercely competitive event with total seats up from 740 last year to 1109 this year. Geraldine Goss was a final winner in a composite female masters coxed quad scull.
The sun and humidity definitely had a lot of us keen to make use of our new air conditioned clubhouse and refreshing bar after racing and a big thanks to Cat Hardie and her team on the bar and bbq who organised the afternoon activities. Also thanks to Justin Thomas who once again took on RRC’s BRO duties and stood through scorching sunshine and torrential rain – only in Melbourne.
Until next week….. MC8+ Henley
For the past two weeks RRC has taken part in a couple of sprint regattas getting that all important race practice in the lead up to the Victorian State Championships. There have been some fun races and great results.
Sunday 1st Feb was spent at a very cold, wet and windy Lake Colac regatta on the Barwon river. This regatta was a tale of second places for the FD4+, FD8+ and Mix8+ with RRC being involved in some very close and exciting finishes. One crew of Michelle Joy and Karen Doggett in the C2X came out on top in a final sprint for the line finishing less than a second clear of their rivals from Footscray. Wins also went to Geraldine Goss in two Hawthorn composite masters crews in the Coxed E Quad and E-F Four.
A week later we descended on Ballarat, this time as hard as it is to believe at Lake Wendouree the sun shone (but their is photographic proof ). I think everyone was fired up from the racing a week earlier and Kieran was so determined he pulled so hard he snapped his oar in half during the MD4+. However with a drive to succeed the wins kept coming. There were medals for the WC8+, WC4X+ and WD4+. Not to be out done the men waited for both their coaches to arrive and cheer them on from the bank to bring home the title of the MD8+.
I must thank our BROs for both events – Sam Morrison, Micheal Gehling, Karen Doggett and Rochelle Stokes and trailer drivers Charlie Burke and Time Evans. As always a lot of work goes in to organising these trips to regattas and we hope everyone who took part had fun. Only a few weeks left til the state championships and clearly things are looking good for RRC! Keep up the good work and see you all next Saturday rowing or cheering on RRC at the home Yarra based regatta of Australian Henley which will be followed by a club social on the deck.
Full crew lists of winners at Ballarat:
WC8+ – Sophie Robinson, Karen Doggett, Ainsley Raggatt, Michelle Joy, Geraldine Goss, Lindsey Brown, Rochelle Stokes and Kate Dyball. Cox: Derek Begg
WC4X+ – Sophie Robinson, Geraldine Goss, Rochelle Stokes and Kate Dyball. Cox: Derek Begg
WD4+ – Ainsley Raggatt, Catherine Hardie, Emily Dunn and Lindsey Brown. Cox: Derek Begg
MD8+ – Daniel Meka, Andy Harrison, Laurant Demay, Ben Scarlett, Nic Forte, Jon Roberts, Kieran Burke and Matt Ebattson Cox: Caroline Manning
Those who attended the fabulous New Years Eve party at the club now know that there is no better venue in Melbourne for celebrating this occasion. What an amazing view of the fireworks, sipping champagne on our fabulous deck! Thanks to all who brought along such good cheer on the evening, and special thanks to Vicki Brennan for her hard work in making the event happen. The good news is that the committee has decided that New Years Eve will be reserved as an evening for members to enjoy our wonderful facility and will not be available for outside hall hire. So mark your calendars now!
Even more fabulous is that the event was also a significant fundraiser for the club. Firstly, we have been able to pay the balance owing on the Woolcock; this lovely coxless quad was purchased late last year and has been an excellent addition to our fleet. Money raised will also enable the refurbishment of this boat. Finally, the club can now purchase some rolling steps to replace the aging black steps; anyone who accesses boats on the top racks will greet this news with joy.
The next major fundraising event will be the Quiz night on Saturday 14th March, and the goal from this will be the purchase of new sculling oars and ergos. So bring along your family and friends and enjoy a great evening. Finally, the club will run the Bunnings sausage sizzle at the Hawthorn store on May 2: we will be calling for volunteers to help out on this day.
Geraldine Goss, Fundraising Co-ordinator
For everyone attending the Lake Colac Regatta this Sunday you should have received information from Rowing Victoria regarding road closures occurring in the Geelong area due to the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race. (If you didn’t get sent the information and are entered to race it will be because Rowing Victoria does not have a current correct email address for you so could you please contact them and update your details so you do not miss important communications like this in future – thanks).
If you go to the ROMS event page for the Lake Colac regatta under latest documents (right side of page) you will find all this information and the race schedule.
Don’t forget boat loading is on Saturday at 3pm. See you there.
Summer is officially in full swing! So to celebrate and as another excuse to socialise on our “oarsome” deck we will be holding a club social on Saturday 21st February to coincide with the Australian Henley regatta.
Racing runs from approximately 9:30am to 3:30pm so we will have the bar open from noon to cater for racers and spectators a like. We will also run a BBQ for a gold coin donation.
Hopefully we will have a number of RRC successes to celebrate on the day!
Liquor licence is sorted, crews will be selected shortly, but if you can help out on the bar or run the BBQ on the day, please contact Cat Hardie ([email protected]) by Wed 4th Feb!
Also please mention to all your friends, family, rowing widows / widowers, contacts in other clubs, and anybody else who would like to hang out in the best and most reasonably priced beer garden in Melbourne!
Click here for more information on the Regatta
