WELCOME TO RV E-NEWS

Despite no on-water action to report on this week, there is still lots happening in the rowing world! Some Victorians prepare to take on the Henley Royal Regatta and World Uni Championships, whilst others have been named in additional Rowing Australia crews!

Read more below.

Stay Safe, Stay Rowing!

Rowing Victoria

        UPCOMING EVENTS

DRAFT REGATTA CALENDAR  & RV GENERAL MEETING

The 2024/25 Draft Regatta Calendar is now available via our 'Regattas' webpage. Calendars for different race categories are also available.

Please note that the online calendar will rollover to the new season next week, with regattas to be added as they are confirmed.

A friendly reminder also that RV General Meeting #3 is scheduled for Monday July 1st. Please ensure your club or school's RV Delegate is up to date in your 'Office Bearers & Contacts', and that they complete the Delegate Proxy Form if they are unable to attend.

ROWING AUSTRALIA U23 US-BASED SELECTIONS

Congratulations to the following US-based Victorians, and their crews, for their selection in the 2024 U23 National Team.

Congratulations also to Annabelle Eaton (Mercantile RC), who has been appointed as coach of the Women’s 8+, following her success with these crews in recent years.

These athletes have been selected from a pool of Australian rowers who are currently based in the US College system as part of Rowing Australia’s High Performance Pathway. 

They will compete alongside the previously selected U23 crews at the World Rowing Championships in St. Catharines, Canada, from August 18-24.

HENLEY ROYAL REGATTA - PREVIEW

The exciting action of the Henley Royal Regatta begins next Tuesday July 2nd. We will be eagerly watching a number of Victorian athletes competing in events across the week.

Mercantile are the only Victorian club competing, with entries in the Wyfold Challenge Cup (M4-) and Britannia Challenge Cup (M4+). Crews will also be representing Rowing Australia in the Hambledon Pairs Challenge Cup (W2-) and Silver Goblets & Nickalls' Challenge Cup (M2-).

You can watch all the action on demand via the Henley YouTube channel.

FISU WORLD UNI CHAMPIONSHIPS

From the 3rd-6th July 2024, Rotterdam, Netherlands, will play host to FISU World University Championship Rowing. Athletes will be representing their country in pursuit of glory, facing off against other top student rowers from around the globe.

We are excited to share that some Victorian athletes will be representing Australia at the regatta. Zara Lavery (MUBC) and Anna Morrison (Mercantile) will be rowing in the Women's Four, joined by Zoe McKellar and Olivia Nattey (NSW).

We wish these ladies all the best!

STATE TEAM UNIFORM RESALE - NOW OPEN

A selection of State Team uniform items are now available for purchase on the Rowing Victoria website.

Purchase is restricted to individuals who have been previously selected in a Victorian State Team (including Senior/Masters/Pathways).

4 WEEKS TO GO

With four weeks remaining before our Aussies begin their Olympic rowing campaign, we take a look back at the Victorians who have previously succeeded in the 4+, 4-, and 4x on the world's biggest stage.

Do you remember these races?

NVDS HOUR OF POWER - STRENGTH & CONDITIONING

Kellyanne Redman from the NSWIS will be presenting on the below as part of Rowing NSW's NVDS 'Hour of Power' series.

• Essential strength exercises and conditioning routines – preparing for the pathway
• Injury prevention strategies/risks/examples e.g. pre-hab etc.
• Balancing training intensity and recovery.

The session will be run virtually via Teams, with registrations available via the link below.

RA WELCOMES NEW PRESIDENT

Rowing Australia has welcomed Stephen Donnelley as its new President after the experienced administrator was elected to replace the outgoing Rob Scott at the Annual General Meeting (AGM). Mr Donnelley was elected as a Director at the AGM in May but did not officially take his place until June 20. After serving as President of Rowing NSW since 2016, he now steps into the same role at the national governing body.

AUSTRALIAN ROWING IMAGES

What can I do with my old rowing photographs? 

Every year, thousands of rowing photographs are destroyed by well-meaning families after the death of a loved one, or more recently, disappear as a result of computer failure. This is a great loss to the sport.

The Australian Rowing Images website has been established to collect rowing images from throughout Australia and make them available to all. Whilst still in its infancy, already 60,000 rowing images have been uploaded covering an initial 300 events from 1878 to the present day. More are being added daily. All that is required is that you own the copyright to the images you provide.

The proceeds from the sale of images from the site go to help fund the vital Australian Rowing History website the only repository of the complete story of the rowers who are what the sport is all about.

Help us maintain the rich history of our great sport by sending your images to andrewguerin@rowinghistory-aus.info. If you have a box or even boxes of photos that you’d like to donate please email Andrew and he will give you instructions on how and where to post or deliver them, as well as any arrangements for their return.  

Please do not hesitate to send questions about images or the history to Andrew Guerin.

Image: 1963 State Championship Men's Eight, with boat holders in the water held by a rope!

LOCAL SPORTING CHAMPIONS

The Local Sporting Champions program provides financial assistance for coaches, officials and competitors aged 12-18 participating in state, national or international championships.

If successful, applicants will receive $500-$750 (see eligibility) towards the cost of attending their championships. Applications can be made for eligible competitions held between 1 March 2024 and 30 November 2024, including State and National Championships.

Round 1 is now open and closes July 31st.

BIKE LIGHTS

In addition to safely lighting our boats, it is important that coaches are also meeting requirements off the water. By law, your bike must be fitted with a rear red reflector, a bell, and at least one working brake.

When riding at night and in low-light, you must use a front white light and a rear red light. The light can be flashing or steady but must be seen from 200 metres away. It is also a good idea to use flashing lights during the day to help other road users see you.

BOW & STERN LIGHTS

It is important that all rowers who are on the water (and coaches on bikes and powerboats) between sunset and sunrise have adequate lighting for your safety and the safety of others. 

Rowing boats, in restricted visibility and between sunset and sunrise, are required to exhibit;

• Two all-round white lights - one attached to the boat at or near the forward or bow end, and one attached to the boat at or near the stern end.
• Bow light - A continuous white light is considered acceptable if it is visible in clear conditions from a distance of 1 kilometre.
• Stern light - A flashing white light is considered acceptable if it flashes at least once per second and is visible in clear conditions from a distance of 1 kilometre.

Not withstanding the above, it is considered acceptable for a light to be masked so as not to interfere with the vision of the vessel’s occupants, provided at least one light is visible from any direction (see diagram below).

SAFETY REMINDER

Rowing Victoria would like to remind all members the importance of using our equipment and waterways safely and appropriately.

Please follow traffic rules, including correctly using designated turning zones. By following these rules, our waterways are safer for all. 

We have also been made aware of a number of incidents where rowing coaches have been sighted either riding without helmets, using megaphones at incorrect hours, or using mobile phones while riding (both in conversation or filming their crews).

For your own safety, to avoid fines, and to respect other members of the community, we ask that you please ensure you are obeying the law and not partaking in the behaviours above.

WATERWAY ACCESS & INCIDENT REPORTING

Could all waterway users please ensure they are acquainted with their local waterway rules; traffic direction, turning points, stationary obstacles etc.

So that RV, Maritime Safety Victoria and now, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority can support the community in providing safe waterways, please register all incidents via the RV Report an Incident tile on the home page of the RV website.

A consistent management of reporting will assist us in ensuring we are kept safe on the water and the chances of equipment damage is mitigated.