WELCOME TO RV E-NEWS

We’ve got a jam-packed edition this week, full of rowing highlights and some exciting announcements - including a confirmed date for our next Beach Sprints Regatta!

Looking ahead to next week, our eyes will be on rising stars Max Mason and Monty Sallabank as they take on the world at the World Rowing Under 19 Championships.

Read more below.

Rowing Victoria

       UPCOMING REGATTAS

The full 2025/26 Draft Regatta Calendar will be available soon.

VICTORIANS ON TOP AT OTRC

Another brilliant performance by the Big White V, with our U22 Team coming out on top at the Oceania Teams Rowing Championships over the weekend!

Braving tough West Lakes conditions, 26 athletes represented Victoria across 6 different boat classes, winning both the sculling and overall point scores.

🏆 Rusty Robertson Trophy - Overall Point Score
🏆 Noel Donaldson Trans-Tasman Sculling Trophy

Well done to our athletes, coaches, and supporters for their encouragement for each other throughout the regatta. It was a true team effort to get us over the line.

Thank you to Rowing South Australia and all teams for their organising efforts and strong competition. This regatta caps off a hugely success campaign for our Victorian State Teams in 2025 - shout out to all who pulled on the Big White V this season! 💙

Images: @aloshoots @bymattnielsen

WORLD ROWING U23 CHAMPIONSHIPS

Some of the brightest emerging talents in international rowing were on display last week at the World Rowing Under 23 Championships in Poznan, Poland. 🇵🇱

We saw a standout performance from Romy Cantwell who claimed Bronze in the Women’s Single Scull. Romy fought through a challenging start and surged through the middle of the race to finish third behind athletes from Switzerland and Greece.

The Men’s 4- held their own in the A Final, falling just short of the podium, with the top 4 separated by less than 4 seconds. The Women’s 8+ and 4- put in determined rows in their respective B Finals.

Well done to all of these Victorians on their hard work to reach the international stage, we hope to see them back in the Green & Gold very soon! Australia finished 7th on the medal tally, with para-athlete Sam Stunell securing a historic Gold in the PR3 Men’s Single Scull. 

CREWS FEATURING VICTORIANS

Image: Brad Redfern Photography

BEACH SPRINTS REGATTA - ENTER NOW

Beach Sprints is BACK! As the sun begins to shine come September, it's the perfect time to try out the excitement filled new variation of our sport!

Everyone is welcome - whether you're an experienced rower or completely new to the sport.

You can register with a friend, or on your own and we'll match you with a partner.

Ready to hit the beach? Fill out the form below and join the action!

HEAD OF THE YARRA - VIC ENTRIES

200 Interstate & Overseas crews have already entered for the 2025 Head of the Yarra.

There are 80 race slots reserved for Victorian Clubs, with Victorian crew entries to open from 9am Monday August 4.

Get in early to reserve your place in Australia’s Rowing Classic!

FISU WORLD UNIVERSITY GAMES

The FISU World University Games Rowing were held over the weekend in Duisburg, Germany, with Aussies facing off against other top student rowers from around the globe!

Victorian athletes Sophie Reinehr (Mercantile) and Nick Szigeter (Banks) both featured in the Single Sculls, reaching their respective C & D Finals.

Sophie Reinehr - 3rd in C Final, 15th Overall

Nick Szigeter - 3rd in D Final, 21st Overall

Well done to Sophie and Nick for their efforts, it's always great to see our athletes taking on new challenges overseas.

AIS ATHLETE EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIP

Rowing Australia has announced the four athletes selected as recipients of the 2025-26 Athlete Education Scholarship, delivered by the Australian Institute of Sport in partnership with the John and Myriam Wylie Foundation.

These scholarships support athletes in balancing their elite sporting ambitions with higher education, helping lay a strong foundation for life beyond competitive sport.

Congratulations to Dom Frederico from Mercantile RC, who has been selected as a recipient! Dom is completing a Bachelor of Commerce at Deakin University.

The other recipients are Mitch Salisbury, Ella Bramwell, and Jacqueline Swick OLY.

This recognition reflects their commitment to excellence both on and off the water. Rowing Australia are proud to support their continued growth as athletes, students, and future leaders.

STRIVE SPORT SPRING SERIES WEBINARS

Spring Clean Your Club. Strengthen Your Systems. Support Your People.

Bite-sized, high-impact webinars for club volunteers, committee members, and community leaders who want less chaos and more clarity.

What’s in the series? Over the next three months, they’re delivering expert-led webinars focused on the issues clubs care about most: 

1. Inclusive leadership

2. Volunteer retention

3. Smarter governance

4. Practical tools you can use immediately

Join one session or sign up for all, it’s made for time-poor legends like you. Don’t worry if you can’t attend live, recordings will be available to all registrants.

Click below to view the Strive Sport Spring Series Schedule.

REMINDER: BOW & STERN LIGHTS

It is important that ALL rowers on ALL waterways (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 by LAW 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).

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.

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. Rules and maps for all waterways can be found on our Venues webpage. 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.