WELCOME TO RV E-NEWS

Essendon RC helped us wave goodbye to 2024 last weekend, with the Christmas spirit on display at the Henley on the Maribyrnong. Thank you to all our regatta hosts, volunteers, and competitors who helped us get through the year, and brought the energy and enthusiam each week!

We wish the entire Victorian rowing community a safe and happy holiday season and we look forward to seeing you all back on the water in 2025.

Please be advised the Rowing Victoria office will be closed from COB Friday 20th December 2024 and reopening on Monday 6th January 2025.

Stay Safe, Stay Rowing!

Rowing Victoria

       UPCOMING REGATTAS

BALLARAT REGATTA - NEW FORMAT

Rowing Victoria, in conjunction with Rowing Ballarat, is trialling a new regatta format to highlight small boats and fours/quads over 1000m and 2000m distances.

If necessary, to reduce the length of the day, non-selection events may be run as divisions (rather than heats/preliminaries and finals).

Entries are now open and close Monday 13th January 2025.

COASTAL ROWING - ENTRIES OPEN

Entries are now open for the return of Coastal Rowing!

Sun 19th January 2025 - Williamstown Beach

Join us in January for some fun & exciting racing!

Double and Coxed Quad events on offer.

Free entry. All equipment provided. All abilities welcome.

Members can enter now via Rowing Manager, whilst non-members can fill out the waiver form on the regatta page.

2025 STATE & NATIONAL TEAMS - NOMINATIONS

Please direct any questions regarding selection to Delwyn Oliver on delwyn@rowingvictoria.asn.au.

PARA ROWING DAY - LAKE WENDOUREE, BALLARAT

On Friday 31st January we are calling all para-rowers to join us on Lake Wendouree, one of Victoria’s premier rowing venues, to meet, share stories, share lunch and of course row! (weather permitting)

Ballarat Grammar is supporting this event by allowing us access to their shed on the north side of the lake.

If you are a rower who would like to volunteer to assist on the day, we would love to have you with us. We will need boat drivers, extra rowers to make crew boats, and people to share lunch with!

It will be a great day out – join us!

To enable organisation of the day, anyone planning on attending is asked to register via the link below.

LEVEL 2 COACHING COURSE - POSITIONS AVAILABLE

A couple of positions are available for the in-person component of our upcoming Level 2 Coaching Course.

The course will be held at Mercantile RC and will include:

In-person rigging - Wed 15 Jan 12-3pm

In-person discussion and problem solving - Thu 16 Jan 1-4pm

To be able to attend these sessions a coach must have successfully completed the RA online Level 2 modules found here.

If you complete these prior to Mon 13 Jan, please email delwyn@rowingvictoria.asn.au to be included in this course. 

HENLEY ON MARIBYRNONG - GALLERY

Images: 'Boathouse Drive'

LOST OARS - HENLEY ON THE MARIBYRNONG

One pair of Croker sculling oars have gone missing after the Henley on Maribyrnong Regatta on Saturday 14 Dec 2024.

Description

• Croker “Arrow” sculling oars, one bowside and one strokeside.
• Pink sleeves & yellow handgrips.
• White painted blade with Essendon’s red & black colours.
• Single band of yellow electrical tape between sleeve & handgrip. Seat number “3” designation on both.

If found, please contact Don Cochrane on 0414 073 484 or captain@essrc.com.

UPCOMING EVENTS

REGIONAL ALL ABILITIES PARTICIPATION GRANTS

Regional All Abilities Participation Grants assist organisations to increase participation opportunities and address barriers to participation for people with disability in regional Victoria.

Grants will support organisations to:

• Purchase modified equipment, assistive technology, adaptive clothing, and environmental aids
• Recruit, mentor, employ, and retain a person with disability to a paid or voluntary position
• Employ a specialised workforce to support people with disability
• Reduce travel costs for active participants with disability
• Broaden the range of on-going, flexible, and place-based sport or active recreation programs; and
• Increase awareness, understanding, acceptance, community pride, and connection.

Key information:

• Grant amount: Up to $25,000 per category
• Applications Open: 6 November 2024
• Applications Close: TBC (Ongoing)

If you have resources that should be shared amongst the sporting community, please reach out directly to your City of Ballarat Club Liaison and Support Officer.

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. 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.