WELCOME TO RV E-NEWS

Last Saturday saw delightful racing conditions on Lake Wendouree for the Ballarat Regatta! With a range of schools participating around their rowing camps, and a number of Victorian State Team selection races, there was plenty of action on the water!

Following Coastal Come & Try days today and yesterday, we will be treated to more rowing action in Geelong over the weekend, with fantastic entries for the Barwon Regatta. We look forward to seeing you there!

Read more below.

Stay Safe, Stay Rowing!

Rowing Victoria

        UPCOMING REGATTAS

SPLIT REGATTAS

Please be advised that going forward, all multiple day regattas will be seperated on the regatta calendar.

For example, Day 1 and Day 2 of the Wendouree-Ballarat Regatta are listed as separate regattas - this will also be reflected in the entries system.

WENTWORTH DISTRICT ROWING CLUB

The clean-up begins….

It was a very sad and sorry sight inside the Wentworth District Rowing Club last week, when they were able to take their first look inside their clubhouse and boat shed following significant floods. The water rose to 113cm, essentially destroying everything.

Despite their best efforts to prevent this occurring, their club house, boat shed, equipment and furniture have been destroyed and extensively damaged. They are expecting the cost of the damage to be quite extensive, although at present will not understand the true extent until it is safe to re-enter the club. Currently the only access into the club is with council’s permission, until the area can be completely and thoroughly assessed.

Whilst they remain unable to row, they be will focussing their efforts towards raising funds! They are on the lookout for grants and have set up a fundraising page through the Australian Sports Foundation, which people can donate to (fully tax deductible).

For now, the plan to rebuild their club needs your support. Any contribution is warmly welcomed.

We look forward to seeing Wentworth District RC back on the water soon!

MASTERS STATE TEAM

Selection requirements are now available, and nominations open, for the 2023 Masters State Team!

Nominations close Sunday 12th February, with the selected team to be announced Thursday 20th April.

Selected athletes will compete in the interstate races at the Australian Masters Rowing Championships, at the Sydney International Regatta Centre, on Saturday 3rd June.

REMINDER: ROWERS' CLOTHING

A friendly reminder of the changes made to Rule 51 last year which outline that Rowers may wear undergarments of differing lengths as long as the undergarment is an identical colour and that if any members of a crew wear headwear, then the headwear worn by those crew members shall be identical, in colour but not necessarily in design.

Additionally, please ensure a crew’s uniform is as per registered and identical in design through the entire crew.

BALLARAT REGATTA

MEDAL OF THE ORDER OF AUSTRALIA (OAM)

IN THE GENERAL DIVISION

Rowing Victoria congratulates Victorian Robert Bob Duncan of APSM and later Mercantile (pictured below) and former Essendon Rowing Club member Raymond John Smith on being awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the 2023 Australia Day Honours List for Services to Rowing. Read more about their contributions below.

Read more about the medal and what it recognises here.

Mr Robert Bruce DUNCAN, for service to rowing.

Rowing Victoria

• Boat Race Official 1957-2007.
• Official Starter, Associated Public Schools of Victoria Senior Rowing Regatta, 1961-2001.
• Won five successive Coxed Pair Championships, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956.
• Member, Victorian Umpires Panel, c1960s. 

Rowing Australia

• Umpire, 1957-2007.
• Race Starter, Australian National Rowing Championships and Kings Cup, 1962-1997.
• Australian Representative, Men's Coxed Pair, 1956 Melbourne Olympics.
• Senior Member, Australian Umpires Panel, four years. 

World Rowing Federation - Federation Internationale des Socits d'Aviron (FISA)

• FISA Umpire, 1968-1997.
• FISA Umpire, World Rowing Championships, 1991, 1995.
• Starter, World Rowing Championship finals, 1995.
• First Australian Starter, World Championship Regatta.
• Former Umpire, World Championships. 

Albert Park South Melbourne Rowing Club

• President, 1957-1962.
• Former Secretary.
• Former Delegate, to the Victorian Rowing Association.
• Rower and Coxswain, 1945-1956.
• Life Member. 

Awards & Recognition / Other

• The Bob Duncan Award inaugurated by Rowing Victoria, in honour, 2010.
• Tom Rodda Award for outstanding service to the sport, 1986.
• Managing Director, The Berry Currie Group, Victoria, 1948-1985.
• Consultant to various businesses including, Fibre Makers, Selangor Pewter and Camatic, 1986-2000.
• Former President, Toasmasters International, Melbourne Chapter, 1960s. 

Publications

• Author, Small Boat Rowers of the Fifties, self-published, 2015.

Mr Raymond John SMITH, for service to rowing.

Rowing Australia

• Coach Women's Under 19 Pair and Quad, 2022.
• Coach, Women's Under 19 Double Scull, 2021 and 2022.
• Coach Mens Under 23 Pair and Four 1992. 

Rowing Queensland

• Former Member, Management Committee.
• Former Team Selector.
• Former Coach, Open and Masters Representative Teams.
• Coach, Interstate Masters Team, 2020-2021.
• Queensland King's Cup Coach, 1991-1995. 

Pine Rivers Rowing Club

• Head Coach and Head Crew Selector, current.
• Committee Member, Boat Captain, Chairman, 1981-2008.
• Life Membership.
• Member, since 1980. 

Rowing

• Co-Founder, Rowing Program, and Rowing Coach, Genesis College Bray Park, since 2017.
• Coach Mentor, St. Joseph's Nudgee College, 2011-2017.
• Athlete, coach, administrator and mentor since 1981.
• Former Member, Essendon Rowing Club.

AUSTRALIAN HENLEY - VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

Australian Henley on Yarra – the Classic Regatta – the 109th - on Saturday 25th February 2023

We are seeking VOLUNTEERS for non-BRO Regatta Tasks – most roles do not require prior experience!

Rowers, non-rowers, family, friends, supporters – all welcome as VOLUNTEERS!

Past and New Volunteers – ALL WELCOME!

Roles include Timers, Staging Marshalls, Course Marshalls, Bow Numbers provision, Equipment Setup, Motor-boat Drivers, Trailer Parking Control, and more!

Henley Volunteers are Valued! Henley Regatta T-Shirt and Sustenance will be provided!

Please register your interest or ask questions now!   

Please contact Maurie on mfanning@bigpond.net.au / 0414 926 142

WOMEN LEADERS IN SPORT

Applications are now open for the Women Leaders in Sport (WLIS) workshop program!

This leadership workshop series is perfect for all eligible women in the sporting sector, including sport administrators, coaches, club volunteers, officials and sport media personnel looking to develop or refresh their leadership skills.

The program equips individuals with modern leadership techniques, offers crucial insights into the sporting world and connects women from all corners of the country.

Leading facilitator, Sue Cormack, hosts the sessions over seven weeks, covering topics such as leading self, working in and with teams and courage in leadership.

Applications close on Friday 3rd February.

SRV SPORTING CLUB GRANTS PROGRAM

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

This program assists organisations to purchase sports uniforms and participation equipment, increase the skills of coaches, officials, volunteers and management committees, and supports improvements to club capacity and accessibility.

It is fantastic to see that 11 of our clubs have been successful in receiving this funding across the last 2 years.

Round 2 applications open in February 2023, however we encourage clubs to consider and prepare an application in advance. For those who are unsure where to begin, Club Builder offer services to assist in preparing an application. You can contact them or read more about the grant requirements via the links below.

LOCAL SPORTING CHAMPIONS

ARE YOU:

1. Aged between 12-18 or 12-24 (Para)?

2. Coaching, officiating, or competing at the State Championships or ARC this season?

If the answer is YES, then you may be eligible for a grant from $500-$1,000 towards the cost of attending!

CLUBMAP WEBINARS

CLUBMAP will be hosting another webinar on Monday February 6th - COMMITTEE STRUCTURE: SHARE THE WORK LOAD.

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. Successful community sporting clubs share the load.

RIVER SAFETY - BOW & STERN LIGHTS

It is crucial that all rowers who are on the water (and coaches on bikes and powerboats) between sunset and sunrise all 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 safely and appropriately.

The police have 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 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.