WELCOME TO RV E-NEWS

The 2024 Senior, U23, and U19 World Rowing Championships are set to commence this weekend in St Catharines, Canada. The regatta will be held from the 18th-25th of August. Find out who will be racing (including 16 Victorians!) in this week's E-News.

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It is important to stay safe, both on and off the water. Please ensure your boats have adequate lighting and that coaches are wearing bike helmets. Requirements are listed in every E-News.

Read more below.

Stay Safe, Stay Rowing!

Rowing Victoria

WORLD ROWING CHAMPIONSHIPS

The 2024 Senior, U23, and U19 World Rowing Championships is just around the corner! Our Australian representatives, including 16 Victorians (6 US-based), will race at St Catharines, Canada, from the 18th - 25th August. This marks the second edition of the "Mega Words" event combining all three age groups and the third time St Catharines will host the World Rowing Championships.

Stay tuned for regatta updates and results on our socials and in the upcoming E-News. We look forward to cheering on our crews over the coming days and wish them good luck as they represent Australia!

Congratulations to our U19 representatives who will be racing in the Green and Gold for the first time!

               (U19 M2x: Alex Williams (left))                                          (U19 W4+)

UPCOMING EVENTS

THIS SUNDAY: ADAPTIVE ROWING - CONNECTIONS

The adaptive rowing connections session will take place this sunday the 18th of August. If you're a rower or coach involved with the adaptive/para rowing community, join us from 1:30-3:30pm online to chat all things training, racing, and equipment. Join in the conversation - registrations will close tomorrow (the 17th) at 12pm.

GOTCHA4LIFE 24 HOUR ROW: REGISTER NOW!

Australia's biggest rowing fundraising event, Gotcha4Life's 24 Hour Row, will be from the 7th-8th of September, 2024. If you wish to make a donation and help fund the delivery of mental fitness programs to schools, sporting clubs, and communities nationwide, click below!

You can also register to row as an individual or a team. Ballarat City Rowing Club have registered as a Victorian team and will be rowing from 12pm Saturday 7th - 12 Sunday 8th. If you wish to join, contact Ballarat City and keep an eye out for details in our E-News! 

2024 FLYING DOCTOR ROWATHON

Help raise funds for the Flying Doctors and participated in the 31st Flying Doctor Rowathon!

The Rowathon will be help on Saturday, September 14th by Wentworth District Rowing Club. Secure your entry via the link below - entries will be closing on Sunday the 25th of August. 

YARRA RIVER NAVIGATION GUIDE

Clubs and schools are reminded navigational lights are mandatory across all Victorian waterways from dusk (5.00pm) to dawn (7.15am).

For Yarra River waterway users, CLICK HERE for the Yarra River navigational guide to assist with navigating safe travelling up and downstream

For the safety of all waterway users, please pass this important safety notice to all members, coaches, and staff within your organisation.

MORELL BRIDGE WORKS

Rowers are advised to take care when training on the Yarra as there will be works at Morell Bridge from August 19 - September 15 2024.

Stage 1 of the repairs will take place from August 19 - September 2, with the northern section of Morell Bridge being prohibited. The exclusion zone will extend approximately 30m on either side of the bridge and approximately 23m into the river, as marked by buoys. The southern span and approximately 20m of the central span remain open for transit. 

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.