Hello Rowers,
Well what a week. The sudden drop in temperature means I have temporarily abandoned my plans to chop up the Latham (boat not man, though how many murders have I seen on telly this week, mostly prostitutes and congressmen, anyhow I digress) and turn it into a giant pedestal fan and matching deck chair for out the front of the club to make the most of our non veranda and Melbourne Uni eye candy, instead I am now sending off for plans to turn it into a Swedish style hot tub and accompanying towel warmer.
One thing I have discovered is that the brown wooden boat we have, despite looking like the love-child of my childhood cubby house and a country kitchen, is in fact a racing boat in disguise!!! Well knock me down with a feather!! There is a strong likelihood that Nicole told me that as I was wolfing down an entire pack of chocolate coated teddy bears in despair after being told that the DS rowed better than the B team (or she simply may have been worried I would move on to the TV Snacks she’d hidden in her drawer for her morning tea). It will be our second post wedding row for Sharon this week, last week I was aghast when the latest edition of Women’s Weekly and New Idea fell out of her bag, fingers crossed this week she doesn’t arrive in a matching tracksuit and have baked us all cookies, actually might not be all bad…
Survey Time
ALL ROWERS – even those who are in retirement or on break and those that are coaches but still rowing – need to fill out the survey so we can plan for the season. There are big things coming up and we need to know who is interested … My boss can’t be organised if you aren’t and that means she’s cranky and starts timing my lunch break and noting how many dentist appointments I have each year (13 and we’re still in January), and how many grandparents / great aunts / step grandparents / step great aunts kick the bucket in far flung places which lead to lengthy periods of bereavement leave. So for crying out loud fill out the survey so she can pop you all in a regatta. Regattas are a great opportunity to wear tight clothing around a bunch of strangers and boat loading is terrific practice for the next time you need to move house, the weight of your fridge will fade into insignificance after you lug some of our big momma boats.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/NWF8H7Z
You need to do this by tomorrow, Thursday, if you don’t we can have a chat to Mike and Simon (man not boat) about putting together a fantastic time intensive erging program for you as you will have missed out on all rowing. So far only 37 responses but we have way more people than that rowing and not rowing.
Barwon
Barwon entries are closed (Barwon = Jan31), hope you’ve all taken out a second mortgage to help pay for your coffee from Mitre 10, muffins are good, but is it worth forgoing your children’s opportunities at a private school?
States
If you are interested in racing states (it sounds VERY cool when you drop it in conversation around the office, not once has anyone asked me if it was C division or in a tub that is our little secret) please let you coaches know. You’d better also pop it onto the survey link above.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/NWF8H7Z
Ok, we’re yellow, black and friendly, but it does come at a price. Keep your race fee account in the black and pay your membership. For this to work you need to know your password and login for the clubweb site. If you don’t know your login email the big boss will sort you out. If individual rowers are not financial – the whole crew won’t be entered in an event. It’s too hard to rejuggle things. This sounds serious guys, you’d better log on and do some transferring. Barry, Karin and I can lead the way with payday today!!
Safety
Check the safety board for current rowing condition – update it if you are the first crew on the water and don’t forget to log out. Also, wear thongs on the landing (oh I love it that we have non Australian born people in the club and I have NO intention of translating the word thong, just in renting out my new Latham deckchair) and protect yourself from sunburn (slip, slop, slap) or you’d look like a walnut by the time you’re my age (22 BTW) (If you believe that you’ll believe anything) (But I am LOADS younger than Simon man and the cubbyhouse / country kitchen boat).
TUBBY GRAY
PANT (PA to Nicoles Tudka, previously PA to JK until she was transferred to the Darwin Oar Rowing Society and now champions the DORC’s up there)
Gray Matters is back and looking to work off a bit of Christmas cheer
Can anyone beat my record of a large box of Lindt chocolates in 24 hours over Christmas Day to Boxing day? Also I positively ate a farmyard on Christmas day and as I sit hear my black and yellow pleated and tailored trousers (Nicole’s just updated the staff uniform catalogue) which swam on me early December are now giving me kidney / appendix / lower back / circulation trouble. The idea of a ham and salad sandwich bores me when I could have a croissant, some cake, left over scallop potatoes and a ice-cream.
Anyway as I am facing cheap perm ant tattoos from my polyester trousers I headed back on the water with the infamous B team, only to be told by the coxes with the mostest that we were ‘worse than a Rutherglen summer’. (Though keep in mind that no one actually did a background check on the DS, there is a chance there were all Russian rowing Olympians who are seeking Asylum in Melbourne in which case it should be expected that we would be worse than these superstars).
I suppose there could be a small chance that the incredible B team has lost some form over Chrissie in terms of skill and has gained some form in terms of our new wider shadows. Just in case I think it’s best that we start training again. If you have your own Lindt chocolate belly to consider click on the link to see when your racing and training is on.
http://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=29vs55sshnd9s5s8d3q4v1o0l4%40group.calendar.google.com&ctz=Australia/Sydney
If you have the memory of a goldfish and the computer skills of my Granny you can check out the hard copy of the calendar on the club notice board and in the men’s and women’s change rooms. It’s the same in each change room, so no need to ‘double check’. Keep in mind we’re all hairy and we wear HUGE, old, grey knickers, so nothing worth the visit.
The sprint season has gotten under way with a Hot Weekend at Rutherglen (Hmm while the B team were eating hot chips, ice-cream, Mojhitos, chocolate pudding and cheesecake, we’d better think about our lifestyle choices – CONGRATULATIONS TO SHARON WHO OFFICIALLY SNARED A GREAT GUY AT HER WEDDING LAST WEEKEND AND WHO LOOKED AMAZING, CONGRATULATIONS ALSO SARAH FOR KEEPING THE NUTCASE UNDER CONTROL).
Bling was grabbed in the men’s B Quad, men’s A eight, women’s D pair, women’s D four, women’s D eight, and the mixed eight. Onya to Arnie and others who pulled the regatta together. And also to Simon (man not boat) for arranging bus transport. And thanks again to the Schouten’s for getting our boats to and from the regatta in one (or in some cases 2 pieces).
Upcoming Regattas
Barwon Regatta (Geelong) – Sunday January 31st (Particularly good burgers available at this one, but might need to put your first born on ebay to buy a coffee from the Mitre 10) The coaches need to put proposed crews for Barwon together this week so let your coach know if you want to row ASAP, because crews will be put together by Sunday.
NB: the schedule of events is similar to Rutherglen with three brackets but no Masters or Mixed events. Distances: A&B – 1500m, C&D -1000m. Entries will cost $11.75/seat. Top up your race fee account in anticipation. Look at the RV website for more info.
Victorian State Championships (Nagambie) – Saturday & Sunday February 13th-14th (Good coffee on site, even better wine nearby, cross your fingers for a row over so you can do a tasting pre race)
Australian Henley (Yarra; A/B grade rowers) – Saturday February 20th (Excellent raisin toast in food court if you get in early)
Henley on the Maribyrnong (Essendon: C/D rowers) – Saturday February 27th (bring a club lock)
Footscray Saltwater Regatta – Saturday March 20th (Another club lock outing)
New South Wales State Championships & NSW vs VIC club challenge (Penrith, Sydney) – Friday April 9th – Sunday April 11th
Plans for the Master’s season are yet to be finalised. But I would encourage, all Masters rowers to participate in upcoming Sprint regattas and the training camp. The Masters season is very short, and having race practice will optimise your performance for the target regattas.
Club Races
Given that the Around the Island time trials were so popular in 2009 (was it the rowing or the food or the tourist appeal of the island?), we will be holding another club racing series. This time the format will be 4 x 300 m sprint races followed by finals. Brunch will continue, as last year.
To participate, please let you coaches know by Wednesday before Sunday’s racing. This is important, so that we can organize crews, coxes and boats. You must to be at the club by 9:45 am, so that crews can be on water by 10 am. If you are late you, you will miss out.
Sprint Race 1: Sunday February 7th at 9:45 am.
Sprint Race 2: Sunday March 28th at 9:45 am.
Club Training Camp
The RRC training camp will take place on Friday March 12th to Sunday March 14th on the Yarra.
The plan is to squeeze in a couple of training rows on Friday night from 5 pm followed by a club pasta dinner to carbo load for the tough weekend ahead. So, please try to arrange your work schedule Friday so that you can be at the club at 4:45 pm.
Plans for a coaching camp are being worked on for Saturday March 20th and Sunday March 21st . We will be asking crews to be available for one training session on Saturday and one Sunday either in the morning or afternoon. Your coaches will provide you with more details shortly.
Potential New Year’s Resolutions for You
- Be on time for all club training sessions. This means 9:45 am for a 10 am session or 6:15 pm for 6:30 pm session. If you can’t tell the time you may be relegated to cleaning the rowing shoes each week, your crews need to be able to rely on you or at least know they can count on you to clean the shoes in the boat.
- Be nice to your Mother and to Nicole (but not to Simon)
- Stay informed and read club emails, surveys, blog updates and member’s news updates, otherwise you’ll be spending your weekends at home with the cat. Respond promptly as required (no point in playing hard to get anymore as we have a huge group of active rowers this season (and all the new Russian champion DS members) and this makes organizing training and racing so much easier.
- Keep your race fee account in the black.
- Don’t get drunk and sleep in the club house, those blue carpets are foul and benches in change rooms only comfortable if unconscious.
- Clean your boat, even if eagle eye Mike isn’t watching
- Rush the slide at least 60% of the time otherwise your coaches and coxes will have nothing to say
- Buy a 4by and help the Schoutons with boat towing and then we can all go to the Flinders Rangers in convoy at Easter
- Get calluses so bad that you can handle hot coals without even flinching and you impress everyone who shakes hands with you
- Get a decent handshake otherwise your calluses will look out of place if you have a wet fish handshake, if unsure ask your father
- Join me in renting out everything not tied down in the club house to raise money for my new air conditioner and larger uniforms with elastic waists
- Keep in touch with all your old acquaintances who now think you are really cool who you sent a RRC Chrissie card too
Katie Gray (PANS)
Rutherglen Regatta
Sometimes it is not just about the rowing…..
Awesome effort to everyone who saddled up for the Rutherglen regatta, held in “maybe-there’s-something-to-this-global-warming-malarky” weather. Dennis’ digital thermometer happily informed us that we hit 43 degrees in the shade of our tent on Saturday, and 45-46 degrees on Sunday. On-water temperatures even higher.
It was truly draining stuff. And well done to all the RRC rowers who took care of each other and made sure we got through the weekend with only a couple of heat related incidents.
But to the rowing, and RRC made their presence felt once again, with great racing and a higher-than-usual number of close finishes. Definitely showed our crews are on the pace so far this season. In terms of wins, bling was grabbed in the men’s B Quad, men’s A eight, women’s D pair, women’s D four, womens D eight, and the Mixed Eight. Regatta was especially pleasing for the number of newer club members landing their first racing wins – always nice to see!
Despite the heat, hardy club members still found time to sample some of Rutherglen’s famous fortified wines, and the Rutherglen scavenger hunt proved very successful.
Huge thanks goes out to Anthea Amos and others who pulled the regatta together. And also to Simon for arranging bus transport, which certainly made life simpler for all. And thanks again to the Schoutens for getting our boats to and from the regatta.
And finally a big thanks to the coxes who had to get out there in the worst of the conditions to motivate and navigate our crews over the line.
Jim Cooper
Transport to Rutherglen
Happy New Year!
I have noticed from the sign up board that there are a number of people that will be looking for a lift to Rutherglen next weekend so I have done a bit of investigation into a mini bus that we can use for transport to and from the regatta.
We have a few options available to us including a 17 seater luxury Mercedes mini bus or a 22 seater mini bus (both options are air conditioned so they will be comfortable)…the exact vehicle will depend on the number of people that want to take advantage of the bus.
Cost will be approximately $35 – $45 per person inclusive of pick up from RRC on the Friday afternoon (approx 1800hrs departure), transfers to and from the accommodation and regatta venue while in Rutherglen and return transport back to Melbourne on the Sunday afternoon. There will also be an opportunity to visit a winery or two on the Saturday after the regatta on the way back to the accommodation.
Up side of a bus is that we only have one person driving (me and JL), the rest of you can kick back tell stupid jokes and enjoy the trip to and from Rutherglen (including a few beers if you must), we significantly reduce our carbon footprint by using only the one vehicle (instead of many), we look awesome pulling up to a regatta in a mini bus, we only use the one parking space (albeit a big one) and there will be plenty of room for wine purchased at the wineries.
The down side is that we all have to listen to each others CD’s (or iTunes collection), it will be impossible to sleep in as we will need to be at the regatta early and it is odds on that you will be photographed in a highly embarrasing pose if you fall alseep at all during the trip (not that you will know until the end of season presentation night).
If you are keen then let me know by Tuesday afternoon (1700hrs) via email ([email protected]), including how many people you will be booking for so I can confirm with the coach company.
I will let you know final costs on Wednesday PM as I will need you to pay me in cash when you board the bus on the Friday at the club.
Simon C
Christmas message from the President of RRC
Sooo…..2009 is very nearly over and boy what a year. As I write this the temperatures are again soaring into the high 30’s – which you think we would all be used to by – but given that the building I work in air con unit is about to pack up – perhaps not. Its been a hot year not only weather wise but all with the achievements and activities that we – Richmond Rowing Club – have been involved in throughout the year.
All RRC squads have been well represented at regattas, training camps, time trials and sprints. We seem to as a club have embraced our true age with one of the biggest masters contingents hitting the water over the autumn/winter months.
These regattas provided some great opportunities for members to pick up medals and be involved in some extremely competitive racing. At the opposite end of the spectrum a band of four RRC members also headed off to the Uni games to try their luck. We almost broke the 60 mark of members participating in ’round the island’ and we definitely made huge gains with a number of the times recorded being improved on over the period.
Fundraising
The Tiger Trivia night that was held earlier this year – really put us on the front foot in terms of fundraising in 2009, with over $3000 raised as well as a few eyebrows re. the number of trivia junkies lurking in the club. Chocolate sales seemed to continue for sometime further and I am pleased to say that my work colleagues are a little rounder than before I arrived due to my knack at forcing freddo’s upon them. Our fundraising efforts have been book ended by a tandem initiative by Kev and Lucy – with the production of Christmas/Greeting Cards. If you haven’t had an opportunity to make a purchase I would encourage you to check the website out – they can be bought on-line.
Social
If there was ever any doubt if the RRC men could party the HOTY after party confirmed it. As the saying goes ‘what happens on tour stays on tour’ I won’t disclose the exact moves, faces and people that were pulled that night! But will only say – we rocked and when at about 2am we were asked to leave PHRC – you’d get the picture. Presentation Night in June was a little more sophisticated we all members keeping their clothes on. I have a feeling that 2010 is going to bring further people out of the wood work and into the limelight – I already have the party dates locked in.
Admin
The committee and many others have continued with a large program of work from ensuring our safety compliance, entering members into races, getting fleet on the water and generally keeping the club going. The work that goes on behind the scenes is extensive and looking back over the last 6 months, I think we are on track for achieving the action plan and goals we set for this club year.
I would like to throw out a massive thank you to the membership for making 2009 a ripper. Its been a hard year and I’m feeling kind of tired and looking forward to a mini break before getting back into the swing of things at Rutherglen. To all the coaches, coxes, administrators, socialites, event managers, enthusiasts weight lifters, truckies, performers and those that continue to turn up and make RRC a fun place to be – Cheers.
Wishing you a very happy, safe and blister free Christmas. See you in the New Year.
Emma Catford
President Richmond Rowing Club
RRC Christmas Party now BYO
Please note that the RRC Christmas party being held at the boat club tomorrow night is now a BYO function.
This means that you will need to bring your drinks with you if you feel like a bit of a Christmas tipple. The bar will be open and there is plenty of room to keep your drinks cool throughout the night.
Prizes given out for BYO drinks in the following categories:
Most Original Beer
Most Original Bottle of Wine
Most Expensive Beer
Most Expensive Bottle of Wine
Most Expensive Soft Drink
Prizes will range from ‘hot dates’ with the organising committee, paddle in a double scull with the head of rowing, date with the men’s HOTY eight (in their speedo’s and bow ties) and a selection of Cadbury chocolates.
See you down at the club….’Christmas Party Organising Committee’
RRC Men's eight post season best time trial
The men’s eight have managed to better their previous best time by 2 seconds to record a season best time of 31min 15sec for the fourth and final time trial last Sunday.
The results of the time trial demonstrates the depth in the current men’s squad with the crew managing the better their previous best despite having a number of the HOTY crew out of the boat due to Christmas commitments.
The time trial also was the last event for gun cox Elaine Arrum who returns to Perth this week having spent the past five months coxing for the men’s squad. Elaine has dramatically improved her coxing during her time at Richmond and her silky skills on the strings and her sense of humour will be missed by all the boys.
In another update, the Club Championship points (Mal Scott) is hotting up with five men in the current squad all within two points of each other on top of the leaders board. This should make for some interesting racing in the New Year and there will no doubt be some intense rivalry heading into the second half of the season.
Simon Crunden
Gray Matters lost at sea thanks to the Ankle Biters
Hi Gang,
Whoa, I’m still recovering from the Australian National Knee-high Leaders Evangelists Break-up Invitation-only Tea Extraordinaire Rave (ANKLE BITERS Christmas party) with all the coxes. While they enjoyed the celery, I had the Bloody Mary’s. Ended up 10 miles south of Tasmania in the Bob Stanley, naked of course. Luckily I love sushi and am as fit as a fiddle from time trials and ergs. Managed to catch up with the Spirit of Tassie, once I’d navigated my way back up north and hitched a ride. Just in time to tell you that:
The Rutherglen sign up closes Sunday night – all info on Web site. Cost will be $150 (breakfast, accommodation, trailering but not race fees) you need at least $75 in you race fee account by Sunday as a deposit. It is your best chance to cook your own chicken at the table (just ask Khaleda), experience the cox stack / world’s heaviest coxes, dunk your cox and find out exactly who in your crew snores! Also race hard and fast and seek opportunities to sneak off to wineries! We have posted a Rutherglen regatta sign-up which is being held on the weekend of the 16th and 17th of January. This is one of the great country regattas and this year it will also feature a stage of the Victorian Sprint Regatta Series so there will be plenty of action to follow over the two days of the regatta.
To sign up click on the following link and start hassling your crew to get on board for what should be a great weekend:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/KRYBRMC
Don’t forget your chrissie cards, they come in a pack of 10 I think, so one for me, one for Nicole, one for your mum, one for your granny, an anonymous one for the hot guy in another boat house, one for waffle Mark, one for your fridge and 3 for friends you haven’t seen since last year. Click Here for more details on how to order your cards.
Club Christmas Party on the 17th we have booked out the club for a Christmas Party on Thursday 17 December 2009 from 7:00pm. $25 cover charge includes dinner, your first drink and a chance to win plenty of fun door prizes. It is one of the best venues in Melbourne and your chance to enjoy it with a glass of sparkling, rather than on carpet with an erg. The Hawaiian theme means it is probably your best chance to get leied before the new year (no this was not my joke originally, it comes instead from one of the ANKLE BITERS.
The good news is that it is on a Thursday, and no one does any work from now til Feb anyway so we can go and party, be warm and go to work via the food court!
Click on the link below to view the invite, RSVP by Sunday 13 December. Hope to see you all there.
http://rrcmen.wordpress.com/2009/12/04/rrc-christmas-party-2009/
Our last Time Trial on Sunday. You never know when you will find yourself alone in the Bob Stanley 10 miles south of Tassie and need to get yourself back to update your blog and collect your bosses dry cleaning and post her Christmas cards. We are looking for 60+ people. There will be food post rowing. There will be prizes for winning crews. Please let you coaches know by Thursday if you are attending.
BOAT WASHING! After each row boats need to be washed with soapy water and the rinsed – both INSIDE AND OUTSIDE and wipe down the riggers and gates. Otherwise the salt water will corrode our fleet leaving us with ergs and oar painting. Wash the boat, especially Orlando, I sold a lot of freddos to pay for Orlando.
Hamilton was awesome – people came back with bling – check out Barry’s blog web site, actually don’t I don’t like competition. They just rowed, it probably rained. The boats were heavy and the wool bales weren’t all they were cracked up to be.
Hamilton regatta update
The advance party of Charlie, Robin & Barry headed off to Hamilton with boats and enough spare riggers to make a tub quad as a typo had led to both female D4s being entered in the D quad. Some hasty entry shuffling by Martin & Nicole saved the day. The advanced party dropped of the boats and hit the town sampling the local atmosphere and decided that the place to go was the Cally for dinner Saturday night.
Race day dawned and as I had cleverly left my laptop charger at home I was unable to check the running order, luckily I had plenty of time to get the C-grade women’s quad rigged and on the water for the Second event of the day. Finishing a hard fought 2nd in the heat & a win in the B-Final.
The untried and “who’s stroking this boat, where do I sit” mixed 8 finished 2nd on day one and thought we nearly had it in the bag on Sunday until a fast moving Hamilton/Alexandra College composite mowed us down after clashing blades and crabbing.
The girls jumped back in the boat and headed off to row the A grade 8 on Saturday finishing a really hard fought 2nd by not much more than a bow ball. Sunday was another hard fought effort with a convincing win in the heat and a 2nd in the a-final.
Karin Astrid & Emma headed out on Saturday in the tub pair final and finished hard for a 2nd. Despite being mocked at the start for the age of our beloved tub pair Laura & Robin rowed well and finished a flying 1st in their heat & a 2nd in the tub pair A-Final as well on Sunday.
Rachel, Charlie & Barry headed out in the much maligned D-tub pair on Saturday finished first in their heat once we wound the pair up to full steam by the 500 mark and were well beaten by a slippery Bendigo pair in the A-Final. Sunday we had a 2nd in our heat and a win in the B-Final.
Thanks to the aforementioned crew swapping we were able to slip the girls into a C-grade four and loan of a Prime racing bow-loader from Hamilton (although Derek did not like the coxes sling rather than seat). Robin, Karin, Rochelle & Susie aced their Heat and fought off some fast finishing crews to win the bling in the C-grade four.
The rest of the Girls jumped in a D-Coxed four for Saturday and very nearly came away with bling missing out by a very close margin again.
Laura, Geri, Susie & Rochelle our D quad lost out to Corio Bay in a really hot apparently ‘not’ racing kind of tub quad kindly loaned by Hamilton College by .4 of a second and then we saw they were coached by Jeff Sykes. (is he someone famous?)
Due to some tight turnarounds the girls managed to have about 6 races in the last half of the program and the C-grade four on Sunday finished a well placed first in their heat and a creditable 2nd in the A-Final.
Mike, Charlie Barry and Dave headed out for the D-grade four on Saturday with Rachel in the coxes seat. While heading to the start Barry remembered he can’t actually he’s never actually rowed as stroke of a stoke side boat and a mid course swap was required. This left out competitors in fits of laughter enabling us to run away winners on the day. Sunday we headed out with Derek as Cox minus mid course swap we again took away the Bling.
Geraldine Goss besides jumping in various fours quads and eights sculled her way to wins both days in the Female masters Single and 2nd on Saturday in both heat and final in the B-Grade Single and an emphatic win in the B-Grade Single First & final Sunday.
Big thanks to Derek, Rachel, Mike and Karin for coxing, Kevin for the booming voiced support and pictures. Charlie for towing the Boats. Everyone who came for making it a fun regatta and putting up with me rousting them out of bed each day.
Barry Campbell
