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Observations from a great week in Tassie
It was with great pride that I left Tasmania on Monday morning, reflecting on one of the most fulfilling weeks in my sports administration journey and one of the best experienced by Victorian rowers in recent memory.
Those in attendance endured some interesting days with Melbourne’s celebrated fickle weather being gazumped by that at Barrington. Four seasons in an hour seemed to be the norm more often than not, with yet again our athletes demonstrating the weather wasn’t going to be a deterrent for great performances.
The Kings Cup was certainly a highlight on Sunday afternoon. It was a pure 2km drag race with many more experienced than me claiming it as one of the best Kings Cups and Victorian victories ever witnessed. The pure, unadulterated joy of the crew and their Victorian teammates highlighted the status and pride held in the Big White V!
Our Queens Cup and Wilkinson Cup Crew dominated their races with victories never looking in doubt. All our medallists and finalists through the Interstate regatta contributed positively and have no doubt taken away many learnings for their futures.
A great sight on Saturday night was our Queens Cup and Women’s Youth 8 paddling alongside each other in preparation for Sunday. The grace shown by our experienced athletes towards the team debutants and the cooperation of the coaches demonstrated admirably what teamwork in our sport (and within Victoria) is all about.
To Noel Donaldson, our team management, selectors, and crew coaches who dismissed club loyalties and worked admirably well together for the Big White V; thank you. The Australia Cup is tantalisingly within reach.
It was our Club and School representation, sportsmanship and performances which also stood out through the week. Victoria swept the podium in the Schoolgirl 8s with our top Schoolboy 8s all being finalists. In total, 12 Victorian schools stood on the podium; 7 on the top step with 25 medals being won in total. It wasn’t just our traditional city schools, but schools from across the state, from Gippsland to Ballarat and Geelong. Well done everyone across all schools and boat classes. The sportsmanship witnessed on the podiums and the teamwork and camaraderie demonstrated through the boat park by all Victorians was outstanding.
Our school and under age performances hold our athletes and the state in good stead for the years to come.
The work of our coaches cannot be underestimated nor discounted. For example, we witnessed a young school crew narrowly miss a medal who had only started rowing at the tail end of last year; who went from their first regatta at Rutherglen to the national stage. One of many outstanding coaching performances which need to be called out and celebrated; so, thank you to all coaches. Our other volunteer group, our BROs (or Umpires) in attendance also need to be congratulated and thanked by our community as they too endured challenging conditions and long days; so thank you.
Our High-Performance Pathway Clubs of Mercantile and MUBC performed extremely well with over 30 medals between them. Many of their athletes are currently still in Tasmania having been invited to complete at the Under 23 Australian Team Selection Trials with Victoria filling 25% of the available trial seats. A great result and we wish all these athletes the very best.
Victoria was represented well across the Club categories, again with great representation from across the State; from Wentworth to Carrum, Ballarat and Geelong with a number of medals being collected. Well done all.
Proximity to Barrington certainly assisted our supporter base in travelling and providing encouragement to all Victorians. The on-course bar, dubbed the Portsea Pub, was a great focal point for all supporters and our victorious crews. Thanks for making the effort to travel down.
It was great seeing Victorian based rowing businesses; Sykes, 776BC, Perfect Balance Rowing and The Regatta Shop all in attendance, all looking after customers and all looking like their involvement was and will be a great success.
Finally and most importantly, what is particularly worth noting and certainly not forgetting, is that for the most of us, our training, preparation and racing through Victoria was significantly compromised due to COVID restrictions. Whilst the rest of the nation was able to set up their aerobic and strength bases with plenty of on-water miles, we were in lock down and couldn’t even get into a boat shed, let alone move more than 5km from home.
For Victorian athletes to perform as well as experienced over the past week was noted by many and cannot be underestimated; it will not be underestimated. To have achieved the final positions, podiums and medals, to have the spots in the National Teams and selection trails cannot be underestimated. Feel proud. It needs to be congratulated wholeheartedly.
Imagine what we can do at SIRC in 2022 without the challenges we demonstrably overcame through 2020 for 2021.
So, congratulations all. It was a great week!
Cheers, Ian
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