Medals continue for the Richmond Masters girls

Conditions improved for the third day of competition at the Masters Nationals regatta in Perth. Less wind and back to held starts but still a challenging crosswind. The only event for Richmond rowers was the interstate race, won by NSW the last 3 years. It was an intense race and again saw NSW victorious, with the Victorian quad featuring Richmond rowers Carolyn Manning and Geraldine Goss taking a close third behind WA.
The fourth and final day of competition brought better weather, sunny but still breezy. First up was the D quad with Carolyn, Geraldine, and Robyn and Jenny from CGRC. After a convincing win in the second of the four heats another intense battle saw a virtual repeat of the interstate race, this time with a WA victory and bronze for the Victorian girls.
The D mixed doubles racing saw Carolyn pick up another gold with an Richard from Essendon, while Geraldine picked up a bronze rowing with Murray Ross from MRC.
The final event for Richmond was a C Quad Scull composite, this time Geraldine and Carolyn combining with Tamara from Essendon and Louise from Footscray RC.
After a solid win in the heat a great row in the final saw the quad take the national title and finish the regatta on the highest note imaginable! Exhausted by now from four days of intense rowing the girls are off to wash out the zooties and put their feet up and enjoy a lovely cup of tea.
Nationals 2011-lake Barrington!
Geraldine Goss (from Perth)

Richmond crews medal at the National Masters Championships in Perth

Day one of the Masters National Championships in Perth was held in perfect conditions. The course is similar design to Penrith and the Richmond contingent of Carolyn Manning and Geraldine Goss revelled in the conditions.
Racing started in the afternoon and Carolyn and Gerry were in event 7, the C division female double scull. After a solid win in the first of 4 heats the final was an intense battle with the Richmond double missing the bronze by less than 1 sec in a photo finish.
Carolyn not to be denied her chance to make the dais on the first day of competition picked up a gold in the mixed quad with Essendon/MUBC composite crew.
Day two of competition and the regatta was treated to awful weather conditions with high winds creating havoc at the start line.
Gerry competed in the d double with Jenny Dewar from CGRC. The heats were early in the day and the girls sat behind the start line shivering as the regatta became 30 min behind time before 9am! Held starts were abandoned and boats started the races on a 45 degree angle in a running start.
After a close second in the heat the double rowed another intense final, this time winning the silver, with the margin between first and second less than 1 sec.
The c single followed and in truly awful conditions, Carolyn won her heat to go through to the final, while Gerry was third in hers in a photo finish just missing a place in the final. Another intense battle saw Carolyn take the silver by 7 100th of a second sec in front of third place!
Tomorrow Carolyn and Gerry compete in the interstate quad race and with any luck the weather conditions will favour the rowers and make for some great racing.
Geraldine Goss

Crews set for this weekend's Challenge Races

Crews have been selected for the Richmond Rowing Club Challenge Races which will be held on the Yarra River this Sunday 6 June from 10:00 am.
Crews will race in mixed eights and quads over the 250 metre boat house drive course and the competition is expected to be tough with a number of the club’s top rowers putting in an appearance for what will be the final race of the 2009/10 season.
The day is being touted as a thank you to Head of Rowing Nicole Stupka who will be resigning as Head of Rowing at the end of the season to prepare for the arrival of her first child. Nicole has put in a tremendous effort over the past two seasons to grow the club’s active membership to a level not seen for a number of years.
Races will conclude with lunch at the club house. All members and their family’s are welcome to attend.
Look forward to seeing you all on Sunday for some fierce racing….
Crew’s for the races as follows:

Race Series Start Time Boat Name
Series 1 10:00 Quad A Edith Hamilton, Rochelle Stokes, Karen Doggett, Nick Schouten
Cox: Derek Begg
Quad B Leonie Cluse, Susie Ballantyne, Anthea Amos, Kirk Archibald
Cox: Amelia Hagger
Quad C Julia Avis, Kate Dyball, Emma Catford, Sam Morrison
Cox: Louise Roberts
Series 2 10:45 Eight A Dennis Beck, Olivia Vines, Karin Bouvin, Charlie Burke, Michael Calvert, Charlie Catford, Mike O’Neil, Gareth Brodie
Cox: Derek Begg
Eight B Martin Foster, Emma Payne, Sally McArthur, Peter Schouten, Nigel Ainslie, Dave Micallef, Louise Roberts, Jonathan Downie
Cox: Amelia Hagger

Gray Matters polishing her bling ready for the presentation night

Hi Teamies,
1) Regattas are done and dusted for the year – the coaches, coxes and rowers are happy to have come to the end of a long and busy season (some are very busy polishing their bling – although there are a couple more chances for glory left before presentation night in June. That’s right if you want to have an early morning and use your spanner you’ll have to find some nerdy friends with meccano sets. If you are not weighed down polishing your bling (personally I think it’s all about taking part, not necessarily winning, sometimes it’s good to give the others a chance, and I may just be practicing for my 95th birthday song by gasping hip hip hooray to YET more winning crews after dragging part tub part cement mixer along the length of the Barwon / Yarra / Murray / Maribyrnong).
Sam Morrison has put his hand up to put together the slide show for presentation night on June 19th to torture the B team and various new DS members with on presentation night. If you have any good photo’s, quotes or any other stuff that could be used for the show, email Sam and sent it through (if you have too many photo’s, burn them onto a CD-rom and give it to Sam directly or get one of the guys to put it into his locker (that is the one with the burn’t Australian flag hanging from it after Australia scored a goal to win the world cup soccer friendly in the 94th minute).
2) A couple of serious notes about boats:
MLC boats: now that the Masters’ season and the Learn to Row course is done, please do not take out MLC boats unless you have spoken with Dennis Beck. Or if you are Cate Blanchett, the head maser of MLC, you’re romancing the MLC coach, or the rotten kids have left the change room really messy. Our own fleet should serve all rowers.  When MLC lends us boats, they are being very generous, but the equipment belongs to the school not us.  So please refrain from using their fleet for winter training.
Boat Booking Board:  The boat booking board is up and running.  Please check the board before taking a boat out or you will have an hopping mad zootie clad of angry rowers who have full access to the white board and blog to seek their revenge, if you are no longer using your booking remove it, there is NO need to book boats to remain on the racks, we have plenty of high up boats and ones with funny winchy things that do that all by themselves. If you notice boats being booked but not used, please contact Colonel Beck and Sergeant Stupka. On Thursday nights and Sunday Mornings at 10 am, all tub fours and the tub pair belong to Justin and his DS squad of rowers and coaches, if you take their boat, they will take a sleek yellow one and get wet. So, if training in that time use other fleet.
3) Chocolate, GIBE ME MOOOOOOORE
Chocolate Fundraising is in full swing (almost swung really) I now find it hard to read my book on the train in morning rush hour without a few crunchies to nibble on. Smooth Simon (MNB) sold a box of chocolates for a $67.80 profit….one box to go. (Think that might have been to a small child). Simon (MNB) has taken up running to work off the excess chocolate kg’s (anything to avoid another row).
4) Time Trials, get in QUICK
Time trials close at the end of the month….get a crew together and my PA ([email protected]) who when he is not booking in various disciplinary procedures for key staff members should be able to assist.
5) Winter Sculling – All those rowers interested in Winter Sculling need to contact Nicole ([email protected]) by this Sunday May 27. Please specify which boats you would like to use and which races you would like to see.
6) Presentation Night (19 June) – We are on enemy territory this year (University of Melbourne) and the Pres is planning a big night out. Cost is $50 (despite what was advertised on the blog previously) and dress code is evening attire and guys let’s see if we can get a few more clothes on this time round as jocks and a bow tie might be a bit cool this time of the year….click here for more information.
Katie Gray (YAPANS-WIS2BAM)

Richmond girls win State Selection after a short Masters season

The 2010 Victorian Masters rowing season was short and intense, culminating in the state championships in Nagambie on Saturday May 15.

Richmond / Caulfield Masters Quad Wins State Championships at State Selection at Nagambie
Only two members competed at this years masters state championships but there presence was well and truly felt, with Geraldine Goss and Carolyn Manning picking up a number of wins and state selection in the masters female quad with Caulfield Grammar duo Robyn Varney and Jenny Dewar.
The Richmond/CGRC composite crew won a very hard fought race in the quad scull, with a margin of 2 seconds over the Black Mountain crew from Canberra who looked exceedingly surprised and annoyed about being beaten. Carolyn and Gerry then had to fight hard to take out the double scull by 0.7 sec, again over the Canberra girls and Carolyn topped off a great regatta to take gold in the single, while Gerry took silver in the same event.
In other regattas held earlier in the season, the normally sedate Barwon regatta produced wild winds creating havoc with the journey to the start line (and perhaps a bit of assistance coming back again?). The small boats struggled, particularly in the transit lane, with the wind and the reeds and the grumpy officials!
It was great to see the Richmond women flying the flag competing in coxed fours, an eight and a quad scull, with a win in the quad scull crew of Susie Ballantyne, Rochelle Stokes, Anthea Amos and Rachel Button, coxed by Derek Begg.
The highs for the day were Carolyn and Gerry took first and second in the single respectively and had wins in the double scull and quad scull Richmond / CGRC composite crew and the lows were a distinct lack of atmosphere and a coffee cart. What the hell, even the school girls regatta at Barwon organise a coffee cart!
Next stop on the masters circuit was Carrum, and the rowers were greeted with superb rowing conditions but only Carolyn and Gerry attended for RRC, again taking first and second in the single and taking home bling for the double and composite quad.
Beautiful weather also blessed Albert Park, which again saw a big RRC contingent, even a couple of blokes this time! Sadly no other clubs dared to field a mixed eight against the might of Richmond and the event was cancelled.
Competition in other events was fierce however, especially in the novice categories but the coxed fours placed well in several races. Rachel Button took second in the AB single scull, while Gerry was third in the C-E. Gerry also collected some bling for the double scull with Jenny Dewar from CGRC, and in the mixed double scull with Murray Ross from MRC. At least there was some actual bling at this regatta, and even a bar, enabling tired Masters rowers to enjoy a quiet glass of bubbly or a beer. Now that’s more like it!
We all know that regattas don’t just happen, and club participation depends on people giving their time to submit entries, organise crews and boats as well as trailering, and performing BRO duties. Thanks to all those involved in all of these activities, we are lucky indeed to have the culture of volunteer effort that we enjoy at Richmond.
It was good to see a number of new crews competing for Richmond at Barwon and Albert Park and it will be exciting to see these crews develop in the seasons to come. It has certainly been the women’s squad who have carried the flag for Richmond in this Master’s season and congratulations to Geraldine and Carolyn for a great season and we look forward to June when they head to Perth for the Nationals.
Geraldine Goss (with Simon Crunden)

Boat Christening no. 3.

Wow what a treat – it’s not too often that Richmond gets to christen three boats in one season. In case you have been under a rock, we recently celebrated the addition of the new tub four, aka ‘Justin Thomas’, and the coxless quad – ‘Roberto Perillo’ into the family. This new boat is extra special because we are its first home – yes it’s a brand newie. Another cool thing is that it is also the largest piece of equipment any club is likely to own – a heavy weight eight.
The club is booming at the moment so there is no shortage of bums for the 9 seats. Our ability to purchase this boat is testament to the hard work of every member at RRC. The fundraising activities over the last season, and ensuring that we recoup all fees, as enabled the committee to go shopping – always fun!
Now to get this boat on the water you need a lot of friends – or perhaps family. So it is maybe no surprise that the most appropriate name to be bestowed to it is – The Schouten Family.
Now the Schouten’s story is long, but I’m just going to give you a few facts about why we should name the 8+ after them. The Schouten’s have produced some excellent rowers – Peter, Ben, Laura, Tom, Rob, Nick, all of whom have competed, and won, at Junior, Youth, State and National levels. Jenny while not often seen on the water, she is the powerhouse behind getting them there – when Jenny isn’t working at Rowing Victoria, she has been known to wash 6 zooties per regatta. The washing line on the club website – that’s the Schouten’s! Peter and Jenny, previous recipients of the President’s Award, have also been extremely generous with their time, car (for towing abilities), trailer drive lessons, fixing stuff at the club, catering and waving the RRC flag at any opportunity.
Joining the club some years ago from Carrum Rowing Club, the Schouten’s have made an enormous impact on our club and we are glad that they made the transition to the Yarra. With the addition of Charlotte, Matilda and Troy to the clan – they won’t need to next last minute emails looking for an extra rower or cox. Ok ……… well maybe in a few years.
So on behalf of the 147th RRC Committee I’d like to say thank you and congratulations.
The actual physical ‘christening’ of all three boats will take place in the next month or so as we need to make sure the Schouten’s, Justin and Roberto are all available. I hope to be able to give you a date shortly so you too can plan to be there.
Thanks
Emma Catford

Gray Matters stakes her claim for Rowing PA of the Year

Why am I late this time? I’ve been on strike. Nicole failed to send my entry for Rowing Personal Assistant of the Year 2010. (Although, yes I forgot to send Simon’s). Something about impending motherhood, a career, exceptional chocolate fund raising, and I fear she has been listening too closely to rumours of work experience students who have suggested that I do not know the difference between the fax and the Bob Stanley (I was storing documents there in the shoes BTW to fax at a more convenient moment) and a dictaphone and the cox box (simple multi tasking by dictating minutes while coxing saved me hours which could be better devoted to colour photocopying car parking passes). Anyway, she managed to get a late entry and we have saved the kitty on the $5 a day drain the frigging gen Y work experience kids were costing us. (Sorry Simon, they wouldn’t except further late entries).
So I thought I might mention some below outstanding items that Nicole has mentioned in the last couple of team meetings (where I have carefully drawn big love hearts with Katie 4 Oarsome Foursome 4 Eva on my notepad whilst she has continued to waffle on about petty cash, the cost of stamps and the zootie machine wash testing)
1) Alright greedy guts, your chocolate money is due. (I am in final discussions with channel 10 for biggest gainer for 2011 to coincide with our next fundraising drive) It’s $28.80 per box (payable into your B-Pay fundraising account). This also means that everyone should have picked up their chocolate boxes by now – the bar is open so there are no excuses. Now we didn’t sell these at cost, we made a profit, not sure what we do with that yet, might have been mentioned in a number of recent meetings. But I’m sure it will crop up again. In the mean time, use that money to buy me a drink and I’ll let you know (this money may be to be raised twice to cover beverage expenses)
2) The boss (as I had refused to open mail) received regatta entries for APSM (All People Smell Mouldy (when wet)) on May 8th and hopefully the weather will be nicer than at Barwon. It’s the last regatta of the season and the bosses last regatta as HOR (before the boss goes to have a baby girl rower) – so lets make it a good one.
Personally, the HOR would love to see RRC crush Powerhouse in a mixed 8. (Watch out for a couple of girls (well they entered as girls) that flogged JK and I few years ago, you’ll know them, they have red eyeballs and are part machine, might be best to crash into them at the start and render their boat unrowable, or hope it rains and they short circuit).
3) We will be holding time trials around the island this Sunday. I drove it the other day and it took me 9 minutes, so I am looking for the time closest to that. Franzie’s Novice Men’s 8 is going split in two bow four and stern four and battle it out for novice guys supremacy. The plan is mix up all female rowers into even crews and let be a battle of guts and glory.
Please, note that these time trials are for “bling” at presentation night. (And its super nice, without my success in previous years I would be having to drink only primas or stubbies or out of the tap at home) – which will be held on the 19th of June. If you are not happy, with your tub four time you can repeat the trial in any crew of your choosing three weeks later. Other time trial bling up for grabs is time trials in tub pairs and in tub single. These are from the club, around Swan Street Bridge. If you are interested in competing in the small boat time trials, please let your coaches know and they will arrange a time for you to do it safely.
I have a few special mentions.
Laura Schouten – Mother of two who knows what it means to keep pushing when the going gets tough. Awesome display in Sydney in a big head wind and gearing that most blokes would be bragging about.
Sam Morrison (AKA Captain Splash) – Another big pusher who in the third 500 meters of a 2K race moved from 5th to 2nd taking three boats lengths off the competition in the process.
Joe Lian-Lloyd – Awesome (and secretly seeing other crews, sobbing)
From Simon (MNB) Naturalists Award
Goes to Johno and Matt from the men’s eight for their efforts in losing a frog in Sam’s bed on the Sunday night of the regatta. The frog planted in Sam’s bed took a side exit while Johno and Matt when back for another beer. When the lads came back the frog was gone and the tricksters fearing that the frog had gone astray, ending up in someone else bed or even their own, pulled the cabin apart looking for the frog while abusing each other for losing the frog. Comedy at it best.
Lastly, Girls, Very important! Vote on the thingy button on the blog. The B team has voted so many times that Netspace and Intel have repossessed our computers. Some of those boys are probably in jail now for erroneous voting, press the button and bring us our deserving victory.
Katie Gray (PANS&SK – Personal Assistant to Nicole Stupka and Side Kick (get it))

Time Trial season kick's off

Last weekend saw the start of the club time trial season with seven crews posting times in the scull and four boat categories.

The men’s fours were the first crews to record times and the Development Squad crew of Charlie, Guy, Michael, Neil and Cox Dennis Beck recorded a credible time of 37 min 29 sec for the round the island course.

In the women’s fours, two crews posted times and

women’s squad members Kate Diebold, Geraldine Goss, Susie Ballentyne, Anthea Amos and cox Nicole Stupka recorded the fastest time of 40 min 15 sec.

Three scullers also took to the water and Dennis Beck recored the fastest time of 7 min 58 sec, 44 seconds faster than his closest rival.

Crews and scullers have until 30 May to post times for them to be eligible for the 2009/10 season time trial trophies. Members are reminded that time trials accumulate club points with every time trial completed and a bonus points are given if the sculler or crew beats the fastest time posted to date.

If you want to do a time trial contact either Simon Crunden or Nicole Stupka to organise a suitable time.

Click here for information on the fastest times posted for this years time trials.

Club Championship Points on the line!

There are time trials scheduled for this weekend (Sunday) which will go towards the club time trial awards.
Time trials are held in regulation (tub) sculls, pairs (monster trucks) and fours.
The course for the scull and pairs is from the lamp post (use to be the tree until they cut it down) out the front of the club around Swan Street bridge and back to the club. The four is a bit more demanding as it is from the lamp post around the island and back.
Time trials mean points towards the club championship trophies for the men that is the Mal Scott Memorial and for the ladies the John Sawyer trophy and for the coxes the Don Edwards trophy.
Current points standings have five guys within two points of each other (and another three within striking distance) and with the masters racing coming up, the time trails could be the difference between taking home the bacon or taking a walk down the hall of mirrors (sorry don’t have a points update for the girls or coxes but I am sure it must be close).
Time Trial points are awarded as follows:
One point for each time trial that you do and an additional point for beating the fastest recorded time for the season (i.e. this year). At this point in time we have times posted for the tub four but not the scull or pair.
There are a few rules to time trials including that you cannot repeat a time trial in any given boat class until 21 days after doing your previous time trial, and that a time can only be recorded by a coach or a member of committee (we had some shifty results back in the 60’s and 70’s).
To give everyone a fair chance of posting a few times, I will make myself available to any individual or crew that wants to attempt a time trial up until the closing date of Sunday 30 May. If you want to have a crack then send me an email and we will coordinate a time.
Finally I have negotiated with the HOR that we will be doing Challenge Races which again means more points. I will send out an email via the blog over the weekend so keep an eye out for the email and sign up.
PS – For those of you who are too young for Masters don’t be put off as racing will only give you a maximum of two points for a regatta (that is if you win) so doing a few time trials will keep you in the hunt for the club championship trophies.
PPS – For those who are interested in having a bit of a dip at the men’s four time trial, I will put on the line a slab of beer (any beer you like) for anyone that can beat the club record.

Richmond Women's 8 in Sydney

Here is a great video of the Richmond Girls at the recent NSW Club Championship regatta. They came third

losing second place in a photo finish to St George and Leichart Rowing Club. It was an awesome race. Thanks to St George for sharing the clip with us….we look forward to reversing the result next year.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcdplZcACv8&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&hd=1&border=1]