WELCOME TO RV E-NEWS

The weather is improving and athletes are eagerly returning to rowing across the state! We continue to encourage individuals to explore their opportunities within the rowing community, with open days providing a great insight to the club environment.

We hope your enjoy your long weekend and look forward to returning to racing at the Head of the Barwon next weekend!

Read more below.

Stay Safe, Stay Rowing!

Rowing Victoria

        UPCOMING REGATTAS

RA ROWER OF THE YEAR AWARDS

Do you know someone in the rowing community who has made an exceptional contribution to our sport this year? Or has your club made a significant impact on your local community?

Nominations are now open for the following Rowing Australia awards:

Volunteer of the Year
Official of the Year
Service to Rowing
Club of the Year

Winners will be presented at the 2023 Hancock Prospecting Rower of the Year Awards on 17 November at the Canberra Rex Hotel.

Please submit your nominations to delwyn@rowingvictoria.asn.au for them to be passed on to RA by 4:00pm AEDT 13 October 2023. They do not need to be long nominations but please do address the criteria, or as many as you can.

WORLD ROWING MASTERS REGATTA

The World Rowing Masters Regatta was held in Tshwane, South Africa, from the 21st to the 24th of September.

Athletes from Banks, Footscray City, Melbourne, and Yarra Yarra made the journey across the Indian Ocean in hopes of bringing home a medal!

Included in these athletes was the Footscray City combo of Leonie Richards and Brynley Cooper (pictured), who won Gold in their Women's C Double Scull event! Well done to all athletes who competed, it is great to see athletes challenging themselves on the World stage at all levels.

BOATHOUSE DRIVE OPEN DAY

Sunday 24th September had the sun shining on Boathouse Drive. A perfect rowing morning with a hint of breeze to have the leaves fluttering with the sound of Spring. 

Some visitors had travelled from as far as Dublin to be part of the event! The stage was set for a fantastic morning.

Enthusiasm, and a sense of anticipation, mounted as crews were formed and clubs boated mixed fours, quads and eights to enable all rowers to experience the mighty Yarra River. 

Rowing was on show. Clubs were open, visitors welcomed and, hopefully, some returning rowers as well as school finishers have found their club for the next step in their rowing journey.

Additional open days are coming up in Ballarat and Albert Park - more details are available below!

UPCOMING OPEN DAYS

BALLARAT CLUBS

Sunday 8th October | 10am - 11:30am

Wendouree-Ballarat Rowing Club and Ballarat City Rowing Club invite you to be part of the energy and enthusiasm that is rowing.

Come along and enjoy taking a tour of the facilities, soaking in the views from the second level in each shed, speaking with club members about rowing opportunities, and seeing what rowing in Ballarat has to offer.

ALBERT PARK LAKE CLUBS

Sunday 5th November | 9am - 11:30am

Albert Park South Melbourne Rowing Club, Melbourne Argonauts Rowing Club, and the Y Rowing Club invite you to explore rowing in Albert Park.

The opportunity is here for you on Albert Park Lake with three active clubs to cater for your level of rowing. Come along and enjoy taking a tour of the facilities, speaking with club members about rowing opportunities, row on the lake*, and seeing what rowing in Albert Park has to offer.

JOPLING FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP

The Jopling Family Rowing Scholarships are Australia’s preeminent university rowing scholarships.

Created to attract the best and brightest rowers to study and row at the University of Melbourne, the two scholarships provide financial support of up to $25,000 per year (plus further in-kind support) for up to four years, depending on the course of study of the scholarship recipient.

Applications are now open and close on Wednesday 15 November 2023.

SPORTING CLUB GRANTS PROGRAM

The Sporting Club Grants Program provides funding for community sport and active recreation organisations across Victoria. Access to this funding helps grassroots clubs and organisations address barriers in participation, develop safe and sustainable practices and build social and active local communities.

Funding between $750-$4,000 is available across 4 categories. 

Applications close Thursday 12 October 2023.

CLUBMAP WEBINAR

CLUBMAP will be hosting another webinar on Monday October 2nd - SHARE THE WORKLOAD.

Discover ways to develop the right structure to share the load at your organisation, reduce burnout and increase the lifespan of volunteers.

Clubs don't spend enough time on their committee structure, and find it hard to move forward as a result.

RIVER SAFETY - BOW & STERN LIGHTS

With the darker mornings and evenings now upon us, it is crucial 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.