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