WELCOME TO RV E-NEWS

The season is really starting to heat up, with fantastic entries in the lead up to a massive March! More than 2,000 rowers were on the water last weekend in Nagambie and Geelong, including some of Australia's best as part of the 'Nagambie Gold' events.

Another busy weekend of racing ahead across three venues! We see racing return to the Yarra for the last time this season, with sunny conditions forecast for the Australian Henley Regatta. Our Junior Schoolgirls look to set the standard at their State Championships, with the Head of the Schoolgirls' Regatta not too far away! Lastly, Ballarat schools will be flocking to Lake Wendouree on Sunday for the excitement filled BAS Head of the Lake!

Read more below.

Stay Safe, Stay Rowing!

Rowing Victoria

        UPCOMING EVENTS

NAGAMBIE REGATTA - RECAP

We saw plenty of sunshine and smiles last weekend, as more than 1,400 athletes competed across 2 days of racing at the Nagambie Regatta. Well done to athletes and a special thank you to our umpires for this assistance throughout the heat!

It was fantastic to assist Nagambie Rowing Club with the inaugural ‘Nagambie Gold’ events on Saturday, with some of Australia’s best rowers competing for serious prize money! Well done to all participants, with Annabelle McIntyre OAM and Jess Morrison OAM setting the fastest prognostic time and taking out the overall win.

It is always great to see our green and gold representatives competing in Victoria and we hope to see them back in the future! 

Images: Boathouse Drive

NATIONAL SENIOR/PARA/U23/AUSTRALIA SELECTION TRIALS

Invitation lists have now been finalised for Rowing Australia’s 2024 National Senior, Para, U23 and Australia A Team Selection Trials, scheduled to be held from February 25 to March 3 at the Sydney International Regatta Centre (SIRC).

These trials are the next step on the path to Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic selection and will also encompass selection for an Australia A Team and the Under 23 team.

39 Victorians have been invited to the trials across the Senior/Para (23), Under 23 (11), and Australia A (5) teams. We're sure they will give their best and we hope to see strong Victorian representation once again in 2024!

HOSG - SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Sponsorship opportunities for the 2024 Head of the Schoolgirls' Regatta are now available! A fantastic opportunity to advertise your brand to a large audience both in-person and online.

Please see the link below for available packages. For more information, or to register your interest, please contact kieran@rowingvictoria.asn.au.

EVENT SPONSORSHIP

Have your business/family name published in the online regatta program and results, as well as being announced by the event commentator during the race, with sponsorship now available for all events at these regattas:

Rowing Victoria State Championships - March 1st-3rd

Head of the Schoolgirls' Regatta - March 15th-17th

For further information or to discuss additional sponsorship opportunities, please email kieran@rowingvictoria.asn.au.

VICTORIAN PATHWAY INFORMATION SESSIONS

State Development & Pathway Coordinator, Delwyn Oliver, has been hosting a series of information sessions covering:

Geelong and Melbourne sessions have past however there is one final session in Ballarat next week!

You can register for this session or nominate yourself for the 2024 Pathway Team via the links below.

Nominations close Tuesday 5th March.

WORLD ROWING INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS

The World Rowing Indoor Championships begin today in Prague, Czech Republic. Two rowers from Wentworth District Rowing Club, Erynn Gebert and Flo Howard, will be competing (from home soil)! It's great to see Victorians taking on a challenge and we wish them the best of luck!

DELWYN'S MILITARY VISIT

On Thursday 22nd Feb, Delwyn Oliver (RV Pathway and Development Coordinator) presented to the personnel at the Laverton Military base. Army, airforce, and navy personnel are encouraged to participate in sport and other activities in the local community. The beauty, skill, enjoyment, and opportunities rowing affords those who participate indoor or on-water are evident in those who participate for recreation as well as those on the high performance pathway.

Other presenters were Chris from Invictus and Vicki from the Australian Military Wives Choir. Both organisation support connections and community withing the Defence Force. If you are female, have a link to a relative in the Australian defence Force and would like to find out more about the choir please visit the link below.

LAKE EILDON RAFFLE

Support the newly formed Lake Eildon Rowing Club by purchasing a ticket in their club raffle, for your chance to win a brand new Concept 2 Rowing Machine, donated by Sykes!

The club is looking to raise funds to build a structure to protect their boats and equipment from the weather and to purchase some second hand sculls so they can teach more people how to row.

2024 AMRC - VOLUNTEERS WANTED

Are you going to the Masters National Championships as an athlete or spectator? Have you considered volunteering? IT is fun, you get close to the action, meet a new group of people and help the regatta to be successful. Interested? Please use the following link to find more information or register as a volunteer.

CHANGE OUR GAME - COMMUNITY ACTIVATION GRANTS

The 2023-24 Community Activation Grants Program is NOW OPEN!

Grants of up to $10,000 are available to support community sport and recreation clubs. The grants aim to increase participation and enhance gender equality in sport and active recreation.

Funding is available across three streams:

Stream 1 - Participation

Stream 2 - Capability

Stream 3 - Community Leaders

Applications close 5pm AEDT, Monday 4 March 2024.

CLUBMAP WEBINAR

CLUBMAP will be hosting another webinar on Monday February 26th - VOLUNTEERS: IF YOU DON'T ASK, YOU DON'T GET

Club administrators often resort to the 'I'll do it myself' mentality. Learn how to create a volunteer program that doesn't just survive, but thrives.

RIVER SAFETY - 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.