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.
Moomba river closures
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.
Arcitects reworking of RRC
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.
Preparations for Victorian State Championships
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…..
Sprint season regatta success
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
Conference on Thursday 5th February
If you are around the boathouse this Thursday please be aware that the Boathouse is being used for a conference. The caterers will be at the boathouse setting up from 7am, conference attendees will arrive at 9am.
Please help make this event successful by keeping to the changeroom and gym areas of the boathouse while the caterers set up and the conference is on.
Please remember to use the back stairs for access, even if the front door and stairway are open to allow the caterers to set up and for guests to arrive.
Thanks for your help. We would like to ensure this first conference is a success as we would like to aim to host more conferences during the year as these are hires that use the boathouse mostly when it is not being used and are also hires with no alcohol served which is beneficial for our Lease arrangements.
NEW YEARS EVE 2014
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
Important Information Regarding Lake Colac Regatta – THIS SUNDAY
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.
Australian Henley Social
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
Quiz Fundraiser
I would like to invite you all to our Quiz – fundraiser night on March 14. Fundraising is a critical part of club activities, this year we are looking to use the funds raised from this night towards new ergos and oars so it would be see a big attendance.
Some of the main fundraising activities are the live auction and silent auction. We count on the membership to offer prizes for sale to make these successful. Past offers include use of a holiday house for a week, on-water coaching sessions, gardening and cleaning services, wine, catering and homewares. If you have something we can sell (including your time and labour!), please contact Lindsey on [email protected].
Friends from outside of the club are more than welcome, you can arrange with Shern [email protected] to book for a whole team (ten people), part of a team or just bring yourself. See you there!
Cheers
Justin
