Active Minutes Challenge Update: 

3 DAYS TO GO!!

We are approaching the end of the Active Minutes Challenge. We would like to thank all of our clubs and schools for their relentless efforts and participation! We have enjoyed seeing you all challenge yourselves over the last 4 weeks, and hope that it has created a sense of connection to our great community!

The Active Minutes challenge will officially come to a close on Sunday the 13th of September at 12:00pm.

Unfortunately we will not be accepting any further entries past this closing time.

To follow our daily updates please visit our social media pages:

Instagram - rowing_victoria

Facebook - Rowing Victoria

Here are the results so far as of 3pm Today:

Total Active Minutes in the challenge so far :  637027 minutes.

Average minutes per participant so far :  49 minutes.

Rowing Victoria's Weekly Local Legend     -  Jeff Sykes

Introducing this weeks Local Legend Jeff Sykes, oarsman, coach, administrator and boatbuilder.

Jeff commenced his rowing in 1955 at the age of 12 as a coxswain. His elite competitive career spanned the very long period from 1960 to 1978. His rowing career continues to this day as an active and very successful masters rower at the age of 70, some 58 years after he commenced in 1955.  More information on Jeff's career is available here.

Jeff was apprenticed to his father in his father’s boatbuilding business. A desire to change the nature of boats built in Australia led Jeff to commence his own business in 1966. within two years of commencing his business, a sykes boat was competing at the Mexico Olympics!  

He was the first boatbuilder in Australia to build composite construction boats and supported Australian teams with his boats. Australia has won 4 Olympic Gold medals in Sykes. More than anyother type of boat.

Jeff retired from the business in 2000. He still drops by regularly and can be seen rowing daily on the banks of the Barwon River.

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 

Navigating the US College System:

Rowing Australia recognises there is more than one pathway for athletes to progress through their rowing journey – one of these is the Australian pathway system, with the US student experience presenting another attractive option that you may wish to consider.

Understandably, the opportunities presented by an offer of a scholarship at a US university/college can be exciting for athletes and parents.

The Rowing Australia US Recruiting Guide provides information on the system and looks to answer any questions you may have about the process of attending College in the US.

Please click HERE to access the guide and all other relevant information from Rowing Australia.

RV Office Announcement 

The Rowing Victoria Office will be moving to reduced hours during September. 

We would like to thank you for your patience during this time. To view our full official announcement please click on the link provided below.

RV Office Announcement .PDF

COVID-19 UPDATES:

• Rowing Communities in Metropolitan Melbourne have unfortunately seen an increase in COVID-19, and the move to stage 4 has limited the potential to row in Melbourne.  Rowing Victoria’s full statement can be found HERE
• Regional Victoria have now also seen State Government restriction levels increase to stage 3. Rowing Victoria’s full statement and Guidelines for Regional Victoria can be found HERE

General Meeting Updates

Rowing Victoria’s next general meeting will be held on the 15/9/2020. For more details and to register please visit the Rowing Victoria Event page HERE.

Annual Awards Nominations have reopened :

Due to the postponement of this year Rowing Victoria Annual Awards until the AGM, we have decided to reopen the nominations! If you know of an outstanding:

• Club Person
• Coach
• School Person
• Umpire
• Regatta

Make sure their outstanding contribution is recognised by nominating them HERE

The Active Kids Grant - The Australian Sports Foundation

The Active Kids Grant through the Australian Sports Foundation closes on the 30th September 2020.  We urge you to apply if your club meets the criteria.

Click through the link below for all further information.

https://grants.sportsfoundation.org.au/prog/active_kids_grant/

Bunnings Power Pass - VicSport Partnership

Vicsport has developed an exciting partnership with Bunnings. All Vicsport members as well as their affiliate clubs, associations and staff can now access a Bunnings PowerPass card, provided you have your own ABN.

Take advantage on a wide range of products including build and fit-out assistance, security and maintenance services, cleaning and garden supplies as well as advice and assistance on construction projects and installation solutions.

Fill out the form on the Vicsport webpage and Bunnings will contact you within 14 days to finalise the process of setting up your PowerPass access.

For more information on this offer and all Vicsport member benefits, click here.

Vic Health - Reimagining Health Grants program.

VicHealth, through it’s Reimagining Health Grants program, has a new round of grants opening on the 16^th September 2020 and closing on the 27th October 2020.

Grants are targeting Social Connection, Physical Activity and Food Security with the funded ideas being delivered between November 2020 and November 2021. 

More information available https://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/funding/reimagining-health-grants

Community Sport Sector Short Term Survival Package 2

Closing at 5:00pm on Friday 16 October 2020.

This initiative is part of the Victorian Government’s Experience Economy Survival Package providing urgent support to help a range of key attractions, organisations and associations ride out the economic impacts of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and help them reboot, rebound and recover.

Grants of up to $2,000 are available for associations and leagues and grants of up to $1,000 are available for individual clubs and community sporting and active recreation organisations.

A top-up grant of $1,000 for associations and leagues and $500 for clubs and community sporting and active recreation organisations will be provided automatically to organisations who received a grant through the first funding round of this program – you will not need to re-apply to receive this funding.

With more information here.

If your Club didn’t apply for the first round of grants, then you will need to apply through the link below.  Where you applied during the first round, you will not need to re-apply, as you will automatically be included in the second round.

Please Click here to view the application link.

Volunteering Victoria - 2020 Supplementary Volunteer Grants

Volunteering Victoria, on behalf of the Australian Government, is pleased to offer 2020 Supplementary Volunteer Grants to volunteer involving organisations across Victoria to support the efforts of volunteers in building stronger, more resilient communities.

Grants of between $1,000 to $5,000 can be used by volunteer involving organisations and community groups to support the efforts of their volunteers and encourage and increase participation in volunteering.

For more information please visit Volunteering Victoria website.

Applications are now open and close 20th of September.

Sport and Recreation Victoria Grants

Sport and Recreation Victoria is providing grants to assist with the purchase of sports uniforms and equipment, and to improve the capacity and accessibility of clubs and other community sporting organisations, and improve the skills of their coaches, officials and managers. Closing 29^th September 2020. Click here to find out more!

Please note that clubs can still apply if they have received recent Covid-19 Short Term Survival funding.