WELCOME TO RV E-NEWS

Unfortunately we have no regattas to attend this weekend as rain and flood waters continue to cause disruptions. 

Please see an important safety announcement below, as well as various changes to the regatta calendar.

Tomorrow night we look forward to celebrating the 2021/2022 season, including the efforts of our members, at the Rowing Victoria & Hall of Fame Gala Awards.

Read more below.

Stay Safe, Stay Rowing!

IMPORTANT SAFETY ANNOUNCEMENT (UPDATED)

Following on from the note sent earlier this week, Rowing Victoria is reiterating that all coaches, club administrators and Heads of Rowing heed, monitor and acknowledge the conditions of their waterways before venturing out to train.

Many waterways are in flood to various degrees or under watch and act warnings. Water catchments are full with planned releases of additional water scheduled over the coming weeks which will increase the flow of water.

If in doubt to the risks faced, or feeling that “you’ll be fine”, please think twice about the risks of entering fast flowing water.

As highlighted, we were very lucky to avoid tragedy.

Rowing Victoria encourages all Clubs and Schools to monitor the BOM Rainfall and River data to support their individual decision making when it comes to accessing the relevant water way. The link is HERE.

Rowing Victoria also strongly encourages and advocates that ALL coaching tinnies be fitted with Prop Guards as a matter of priority.  

Rowing Victoria also reminds you that it is the responsibility of all clubs and schools to create and maintain safe work environments for its employees. Under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, volunteers are also treated as employees.

The employer must follow general OHS duties which require the employer to protect the health and safety of employees, so far as is reasonably practicable. The employer must:

• eliminate risks to health and safety, so far as is reasonably practicable
• reduce risks to health and safety, so far as is reasonably practicable, if it is not reasonably practicable to eliminate the risks  

Placing a coach in a tinnie in fast flowing, (likely including visible and unseen debris), let alone athletes is not protecting their health or safety.

• The National Championships are 16 weeks away.
• The Head of the River is 16 weeks away.
• The Head of the Schoolgirls regatta is 15 weeks away.
• The AMRC is 24 weeks away.

What Covid did teach us was how to pivot and develop new strategies to train, improve fitness, teamwork and resilience. A few sessions off the water wont kill us. At the very least, it will also ensure boats are not damaged / fins are not ripped off by unseen debris as has been the case to numerous boats this week.    

Rowing Victoria will continue to work with the community and Maritime Safety Victoria to develop policies and practical applications ensuring the safety of our community is highlighted and measures are implemented.

If not closed, Rowing Victoria encourages all clubs and schools to monitor the water flow where planning to train and to ensure that training only takes place if the crews are deemed competent to manage the conditions. Err on the side of caution; be careful.

If there are any questions, please reach out.

Stay safe, stay rowing.

Rowing Victoria

        UPCOMING REGATTAS

MELBOURNE HEAD - POSTPONED

Following consultation with Melbourne Water, Parks Victoria, Maritime Safety Victoria and regatta co-host the Upper Yarra Rowing Club, the Melbourne Head regatta is postponed to the following weekend; Saturday November 26 2022.

With further rainfall predicted in the Yarra Catchment area and moderate flood warnings currently in place for sections of the Upper Yarra River, the ability to operate a safe regatta for all participants this Saturday has been extremely compromised.

Entries have been reopened and will close on Monday November 21 at 1pm.

RV SCHOOLGIRLS (SACRED HEART) REGATTA - RELOCATED

Due to flooding, and the extended river closure, we are moving the RV Schoolgirls (Sacred Heart) Regatta on Saturday Dec 3 from Geelong to Lake Wendouree Ballarat.

This will provide an opportunity for the girls to race (many for the first time) vs. cancelling the regatta. Although we are moving to Ballarat, we hope that you continue to support this regatta.

As we have been forced to move to Ballarat, we’re also asking for some additional support with Umpire Boat driving (not required on the Barwon). If you have licenced coach or parent who can assist during the day, it will enable us to run the regatta safely and fairly for all and limit some of the strain placed on the local Ballarat team, who with the re-positioning of regattas, are being stretched. Please reach out via the link below.

MELBOURNE HEAD - VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

VALUED VOLUNTEERS needed for the re-scheduled Melbourne Head Regatta - Saturday 26th November.

The first Melbourne Regatta for the Season, and we would value and welcome more Volunteers, please!

Timers, Staging Marshalls, Equipment Setup, Trailer & Traffic Controllers, and more. Assistance also sought for the Friday, 25th November.

Please email your availability or any questions to Maurie Fanning on mfanning@bigpond.net.au ( or 0414926142).

Regatta details are available via the links above.

REMINDER - SPORT INTEGRITY AUSTRALIA INFO SESSION

Monday November 28, Richmond RC, Boathouse Drive, 6.30pm - 8.30pm

As a gentle reminder of this important session, Rowing Victoria invites your Club Committee members to attend an important in-person training session about the new integrity framework and complaint process that came into effect from 1 July 2022.  The session will be run by Rowing Australia (RA) as part of a national education program in conjunction with Paddle Australia and Australian Dragon Boat Federation. The presenter will be Liam Bourke, RA’s new National Integrity Manager.
 
The session will apply a practical lens in covering the following learning objectives:

• Purpose and structure of the NIF
• Benefits for Clubs (ie safeguarding you and your people, expertise and best practices, education resources, ease administrative burden, independence and fairness, community confidence and trust)
• Types of Prohibited Conduct under each policy
• NIF complaints process
• Role of the MPIO
• Case studies (illustrating types of conduct in/out scope of the NIF)
• Where to find resources (policies, fact sheets & online courses)
• What your club needs to do
• What to do if you receive complaint or become aware of a potential breach

We strongly encourage at least one relevant representative (eg President, Vice-President, Secretary, Member Protection Information Officer) to attend on behalf of your Club – and strongly encourage multiple representatives to attend if possible.

2023 NTC ATHLETES ANNOUNCED

Rowing Australia has finalised the selection of 49 athletes into the Hancock Prospecting Women’s and the Reinhold Batschi Men’s National Training Centre's. Following the success of 2022, the majority of athletes will be continuing in the program, including nine Victorians who were involved in the previous campaign. Additionally, multiple Tokyo Olympic Champions return after sitting out the 2022 season, including Victorian Jessica Morrison OAM, who returns following some time spent in the US. 

VICTORIAN NTC ATHLETES

NAGAMBIE LAKES REGATTA CENTRE - COURSE UPDATE

The Strathbogie Shire would like to provide the community with an update on the Nagambie Lakes Regatta Centre following recent flooding. 

They have now completed a Hydrographic Survey of Lake Nagambie along the rowing course and the bowl at the eastern side of the lake.

As expected, a surprisingly small amount of debris was found within this area, but the clean-up is underway and will be finished this week.

They are expecting to reopen the lake for recreational use on Saturday, November 26, which means it will be open and ready for action for all on-water training camps planned for coming weeks, along with all on-water activities into the new year.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to Libby Webster (libby.webster@strathbogie.vic.gov.au) if you have any questions or concerns, but they hope to see you on the water soon!

VICTORIAN COMMUNITY WELCOMES EXCHANGE STUDENT

Rowing is an international sport and to be able to show what Victoria can offer has been a positive experience for a South African exchange student. Josslin has some experience rowing with her “home” school in South Africa and was eager to experience rowing while in Australia. Thanks to the kindness of David Ochert and Angelique Everett from Yarra Yarra RC and Carrum RC respectively, and their willingness to enable a young person to have a wonderful rowing experience, Josslin has rowed at Carrum as well as on the Yarra. She was thrilled with her experience and is grateful to everyone for their help.

CHILD SAFETY TRAINING

With 2023 closing in, it is important to ensure that relevant members of your Club are aware of and trained in the new Child Safe Standards.

Vicsport are currently developing a set of 11 online modules, one for each standard, that will assist club committees in understanding what actions are required.

While these are being developed, Play By the Rules have an excellent free online training course that helps understand what is required by individuals at your club and how they can help keep children and young people safe.

For more information and the link to the course, click below.

CLUBMAP WEBINARS

CLUBMAP will be hosting another webinar on Monday November 21st - SECURE MORE GRANT FUNDING.

Many clubs just aren't aware of the depth of grants that clubs are eligible for.

They'll show you how to source more funding opportunities and give your club the best chance of success.

RIVER SAFETY - BOW & STERN LIGHTS

With the dark mornings now upon us 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.