WELCOME TO RV E-NEWS

The dust has settled after a huge weekend at the 150th Rowing Victoria State Championships on Lake Wendouree. Thank you to everyone who made the event possible including athletes, coaches, volunteers, umpires, supporters and partners. Your contributions helped deliver the largest State Championships in history, welcoming more than 2,400 competitors and celebrating 150 years of Victorian rowing in style.

After a week off, attention turns to one of the most exciting weekends of school racing on the calendar. The Head of the Schoolgirls’ Regatta is underway in Geelong, with athletes and spectators flocking to the Barwon to support more than 2,100 schoolgirls chasing glory for their schools. Meanwhile, Victorian schoolboys will also go head-to-head at the Scotch Mercantile Regatta in Nagambie on Saturday.

       UPCOMING REGATTAS

HEAD OF THE SCHOOLGIRLS'

The Head of the Schoolgirls' Regatta is underway on the Barwon River! Friday, the first of three days racing, saw the completion of heats for all events and divisions.

We wish all the best to those competing and look forward to watching the electric atmosphere continue to build across the weekend.

Can't make it to the regatta? Tune into every race via the regatta live stream, with features including choose your own camera and insights from an expert commentary team.

VICTORIAN INTERSTATE TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT

Rowing Victoria congratulates the following members for their selection in the Victorian Interstate Team for 2026! These crews will done the Big White V at the Interstate Regatta on Lake Barrington on Sunday 29th March.

Following a hugely successful 2025, we look forward to cheering them on to hopefully keep the silverware in Victorian hands, and maybe claim a few more along the way!

RV STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

It was a fantastic weekend of racing at the 150th RV State Championships on Lake Wendouree. Despite varying weather conditions, the energy, sportsmanship and positivity from competitors and supporters never wavered, a true testament to the strength and spirit of the Victorian rowing community. 🏆

Congratulations to Banks Rowing Club, who claimed top spot on the overall medal tally, followed closely by Essendon RC and Mercantile RC. Congratulations also to Gippsland Grammar, the top-placed school across the regatta. 🥇

Saturday also saw strong club representation at the Village Green, where school rowers had the opportunity to meet clubs and learn more about life after school rowing. Participating clubs included Melbourne, Banks, Richmond, Mercantile, MUBC, Power House, La Trobe University and Barwon, providing valuable insights for athletes considering their next step in the sport.

The event was captured well by a range of photographers including Australian Rowing Images, Boathouse Drive, and Matt Nielsen.

2026 STATE TEAMS - NOMINATE NOW

A friendly reminder that nominations are closing soon for a number of State teams!

Seize the opportunity to wear the Big White V and showcase your ability against our rival states. Please review the full Selection Requirements before nominating.

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

PRE-SALE - 150 YEARS OF VICTORIAN ROWING

Commemorate 150 years of Victorian rowing with this limited pre-sale edition publication.

This book captures the rich history, defining moments and remarkable individuals who have shaped our sport since its beginnings. From iconic regattas and championship triumphs to the grassroots volunteers and clubs that built the foundation, we celebrate the legacy, growth and enduring spirit of rowing in Victoria.

Pre-sale purchasers will receive a signed copy from the authors, and each purchaser will be individually named and acknowledged in the front of the book.

Expected to be released in the second half of 2026.

AUSTRALIAN MASTERS ROWING CHAMPIONSHIPS

A reminder to all Masters’ athletes that the 2026 Australian Masters Rowing Championships will be heading west to Perth, WA, from Wednesday 27 – Saturday 30 May.

The event will bring together master’s rowers from across the country for a fantastic week of racing, camaraderie, and competition in 2026.

Rowers can also look forward to backing up the championships by taking part in the iconic Perth to Fremantle Race the following day.

Start planning your crews and travel now!

SHE MOVES STONNINGTON

Power House Rowing Club will be participating in the She Moves Stonnington initiative this March. She Moves Stonnington is a Council-led program aligned with International Women’s Day, aimed at encouraging women and girls to try or return to sport by reducing common barriers such as confidence, safety and cost.

PHRC will be offering a beginner-friendly women and girls 'Come & Try' rowing session as part of the program, including land-based instruction and a short on-water component :

Date: Sunday 15 March

Time: 10:00am – 12:00pm

Cost: Free

Please encourage your female friends and family to participate!

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.