WELCOME TO RV E-NEWS

We saw some competitive school racing last Saturday, including the Head of the Schoolboys' on Lake Wendouree! The Junior Schoolgirls had another solid row on the Barwon River, and interstate, some Victorian crews claimed medals at the NSW Rowing Championships.

This week clubs and schools flock to Nagambie for what is shaping up to be an exciting Nagambie Regatta! Meanwhile, it's the Junior Schoolboys chance to gain more experience on the Barwon.

Read more below.

Stay Safe, Stay Rowing!

Rowing Victoria

       UPCOMING REGATTAS

2025 STATE TEAM UPDATE

Please be advised that changes have been made to the Senior State Team Selection Requirements. The updated requirements can be accessed here.

Victorian Pathway Team nomination dates are also closing in!

Don't miss your chance to wear the Big White V and showcase your ability on the big stage! Nominate now and be part of the fun, with eights and coxless quad crews to be selected.

Nominations close today (Coaches) and March 5th (Athletes).

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

BOATHOUSE DRIVE CLOSURE

In preparation for the Australian Henley Regatta, we ask that all Clubs and Schools please have their boat trailers removed from the Boathouse Drive boatshed precinct by the morning of Friday 21st February.

Boathouse Drive will be closed on Saturday 22nd February from 5am-2pm. Access will still be available for vehicles towing boat trailers.

The upcoming Moomba Festival will also impact parking and access from Wednesday 19th February.

NSW ROWING CHAMPS

25 Victorian Clubs and Schools made the trip up to the Sydney International Regatta Centre last weekend to compete in the 2025 NSW Rowing Championships.

Our athletes returned to Victoria with a bunch of medals from across the three days of racing, well done to all who made the journey and congratulations to all medal winners.

Shout out to Banks (7th) and Melbourne University (10th) for their top 10 finishes in the overall point score.

Victorian Medal Tally (including composites)

🥇 12 Gold 🥈 13 Silver 🥉 9 Bronze

Check out the full results and image galleries via the links below.

Image: Brad Redfern Photography

EVENT SPONSORSHIP

Have your business/family name published in the online regatta program and results, as well as being announced by the event commentator during the race, with sponsorship now available for all events at these regattas:

Rowing Victoria State Championships - March 1st-2nd

Head of the Schoolgirls' Regatta - March 14th-16th

For further information or to discuss additional sponsorship opportunities, please email kieran@rowingvictoria.asn.au.

HEAD OF THE SCHOOLGIRLS' - KEY DATES

Entries for the 2025 Head of the Schoolgirls' Regatta are now open!

Please note that entries close at 12pm Tuesday 25th February.

The Regatta Shop will be present at the regatta selling a range of event merchandise. Merchandise pre-orders are now open and close at 10am Tuesday 25 February 2025.

ROW FOR PRIDE 2025

The Victorian rowing community is proud to be coming together in the months of March and May in support of diversity, inclusion and community within our sport. 

With collaboration from Banks RC, Footscray City RC, Hawthorn RC, Melbourne RC, Melbourne Argonauts RC, Richmond RC, and Yarra Yarra RC,  a series of events will be held in celebration of these values.

RV State Champs - 2nd March

Pride Sprints - 500m, 8+ & 4X

Pride Row - 15th March

Round the Island Paddle - all boat classes

RV Masters State Champs - 4th May

Pride Sprints - 500m, 8+ & 4X

These events are a fun, inclusive opportunity for everyone! Entries for Pride Sprints will be open alongside regular event entries.

CHANGE OUR GAME - COMMUNITY ACTIVATION GRANTS

Applications for the 2024-25 Change Our Game Community Activation Grants Program are now open.

Supporting initiatives to benefit women and girls of all ages, backgrounds and experiences from across Victoria, the program has 3 funding streams, with grants of up to $10,000 available:

Stream 1 – Participation 
Stream 2 – Capability 
Stream 3 – Community Leaders 

The streams support community sport and active recreation clubs and organisations to encourage participation, build capabilities, and develop community leaders to benefit women and girls in community sport and active recreation.

Applications close 5pm AEDT, Wednesday 26 February 2025.

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.