Melbourne Head & RV Geelong Regatta  -  A weekend of great Success! 

Well done and thank you to all who competed and assisted in the weekend's events, Melbourne Head and RV Geelong Regatta!

Congratulations to all who brought home a victory for their School/Club! The day ran smoothly and was a great success for all. The weather conditions held up well throughout the day. Rowing Victoria was pleased to see so many crews out on the water making the most of the remaining calendar events of 2020.

International Day of People with Disability - Inspiring stories of our VIS Para-Rowers

Rowing has a proud history of supporting all those in our community. International Day of People with Disability is celebrated internationally and aims to increase public awareness, understanding, and acceptance. 

VIS Para Rowers, Alexandra Viney and Alex Vuillermin, have two very different stories, but together they share a vision to row at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics and inspire the world.

VIS TV has released a short clip featuring both the girls in celebration of International Day of People with Disability. To view the Clip please click here.

Click here to Register your interest now!

World Rowing Statement - 2024 Paris Event Programme and Athlete Quota Decisions by IOC Executive Board.

The need to reduce costs and complexity for Paris 2024 has been highlighted by the IOC Executive Board and has concluded that no new disciplines could be added across any sport. Therefore, for Paris 2024, the Commission and the IOC Executive Board has proposed to continue with the existing rowing Programme of 14 events. Excluding the introduction of Coastal Rowing to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

However, the good news is that Lightweight rowing has been given one more Olympic Games. Lightweight rowing is a massively popular category of our sport and hopefully, this comes as great news to Lightweight rowing communities all around the world. 

Due to the positive feedback on the proposal for the inclusion of Coastal rowing in the Olympic Programme, we do look forward to pursuing Coastal rowing events at the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028.

To view the full statement from World Rowing - IOC Executive Board please click here.

Waterways and Safety

Let's Keep our waterways safe and be mindful of everyone out on the water during the Christmas period.

With the weather warming up, boat traffic will increase. Specifically for the Yarra, the number of commercial vessel journeys will grow, so please continue to be alert towards all river users. Please refresh your knowledge of the waterway rules, acknowledging the direction of travel and bridge arch use.

Megaphone Restrictions:

All coaches using megaphones are to abide by the restrictions below. Taking extra caution around residential areas is kindly appreciated. 

We strongly recommend that clubs/schools transition to using radios and radio boxes rather than megaphones.

To view or purchase Radios please click here.

Yarra River Electric Boat Update

As those on the Yarra would attest to, the numbers of Electric Boats (Go Boats & On a Boats) have increased significantly in the couple of months. Go Boats had a 250% increase in bookings last month than 12 months ago.  Unfortunately, the number of reported incidents and near misses between these boats and rowing boats has also increased, some causing significant and irreparable damage to rowing equipment. We have been fortunate, that the injuries inflicted upon rowers has been relatively minor.

Rowing Victoria this week met with representatives of the Electric Boat companies, Parks Victoria and Maritime Safety Victoria to develop solutions to ensure all river users can enjoy the river safely, responsibly and respectfully.

To view the discussed implementations and guidelines please click here.

Rowing Victoria's Weekly Local Legend   -  Jessica Morrison

Jessica Morrison is an Australian representative rower and an Olympian. Raised in Melbourne, Morrison's senior rowing was from the Mercantile Rowing Club.

Morrison's original sport of choice was swimming. For some 12 years she was a member, and a leading freestyle swimmer, of the Melbourne Vicentre Swimming Club. Sadly she missed out on 2012 Olympic Games but was strong and determined enough to try for Rio and settled into the AIS in 2012 for the Olympiad for Swimming. Disaster struck in May 2013 with a shoulder reconstruction. Her swimming career was over, as was her AIS scholarship and her childhood dreams of winning medals at the Olympic Games. After recovering from her surgery, Lyall McCarthy and fellow sport swapper, Kim Brennan, invited her to try out rowing. She spent October to December 2013 at the AIS mastering our sport.

Morrison was first selected to represent Victoria in the 2016 senior women's eight who won the Queen's Cup at the Interstate Regatta within the Australian Rowing Championships. She then rowed in the successful Victorian Queen's Cup eights of 2017 and 2018. She was in the 2019 Victorian crew who were finally beaten in the Queen's Cup by New South Wales after a fourteen year Victorian hold. Morrison is an Australian national champion and has won two silver medals at the 2019 World Rowing Championships. She competed in the women's eight event at the 2016 Summer Olympics. She won two gold medals at Rowing World Cups in the 2019 international representative season.

Jess Morrison is currently Training at the Women's National Training Centre in Penrith in preparation for the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games. We are excited to see what Morrison can achieve next!

Do you know somebody who is a local rowing legend?

Provide us with their name and story for a chance to be featured in Rowing Victoria's weekly featured athlete via email at: 

memberservices@rowingvictoria.asn.au 

Nominations for the 2020/21 State Teams are now open!

Nominations for Pathway 8+, Youth (U/21), Para, and Senior Teams are now open and live on our website. Click here to nominate now!

To view the Selection requirements for each of the 2020/21 Victorian State Teams please click here.

Notice* Selection requirements for Youth (U/21) State Teams have recently been updated. Click here to view now!

To nominate for the Pathway 8+ please click here!

Upcoming Regattas

• 2020 NTT #4 Regatta - (12/12/2020) 
• 2020 RV Omnium Regatta #2 - (Postponed) (Clubs and Schools)

          - The RV Omnium will be postponed until Early 2021. Date TBC shortly. 

• 2021 MRA Rutherglen Regatta (9/1/2021 & 10/1/2021) 

          - Entries open 15/12/2020

Australian Sports Foundation Athlete Survey

With travel restrictions, lockdowns, postponed and cancelled competitions, financial uncertainty, and health implications due to COVID-19; this pandemic has surely had an impact on our athletes. We want to hear from athletes far and wide so we can do our part to support Australian sport and its athletes who continue to inspire us all to live an active and healthy life.

We’ve created a 10-minute survey to understand the impact on your funding as an athlete and support needed to help it recover. 

Athletes who complete the survey will go into the draw to win one of 2 x ISC SPORT apparel prize packs to the value of $250 each for their time.

Click here to complete the Athlete Survey.

Local Sporting Champions Program

The Local Sporting Champions program provides financial assistance for coaches, officials, and competitors aged 12-18 participating in state, national or international championships. Applicants must meet the following criteria here to receive a Local Sporting Champions grant. 

Applications are currently open until 11:59 pm (AEDT) on 31 December 2020 for Round 3. Click here to apply now!

Keep Safe Keep Racing

A reminder to continue to follow the outlined COVIDSafe requirements in and around the club. Please continue to wear masks when necessary, socially distance, and respect the space around the boatshed so that all rowers can feel safe with their involvement in the sport.

Clubs, Competitors & Supporters Update

As you are aware, over the weekend the Government announced a number of changes in COVID management protocols; the COVIDSafe Summer restrictions. Many of which will affect our upcoming regattas and the operation of the clubs.

As we experienced over the weekend, the regatta schedules will be developed and potentially amended to meet the new Public Events Framework. 

Please click HERE to view the full Competitors and supporters update, along with new Training/ Boat houses/ Clubrooms guidelines.

We look forward to seeing you on the water! Stay Safe, Stay Racing.

Incident Reports

Please help us to ensure that rowing in Victoria is as safe as possible. If you are involved or witness a rowing related incident please record it on the Rowing Victoria website.

Community and Club Grants

To view all current community and club sports grants please click here.

Want to know what's happening in Ballarat and at Lake Wendouree? 

Interested in attending events in Ballarat and at Lake Wendouree? Keep up to date with the latest by visiting the City of Ballarat Event Calendar website!