WELCOME TO RV E-NEWS

That was a very busy and warm weekend of racing throughout the state! Despite an unfortunate end to the days racing, we hope it was another enjoyable Head of the Yarra!

Thank you to our amazing volunteers who continue to allow us to conduct multiple regattas each weekend, your hard work is always very much appreciated. This weekend, our clubs have a week off, whilst we see school racing on the Barwon and NWSC!

Read more below.

Stay Safe, Stay Rowing!

Rowing Victoria

       UPCOMING REGATTAS

HEAD OF THE YARRA - WRAP UP

Melbourne's beautiful Yarra River was the scene of Saturday's epic boat race, with some 2200 rowers from all over Australia and New Zealand ready to compete across 28 categories. With very high temperatures the 243 crews were faced with a challenging race, and as the race progressed, some rowers began suffering from heat stress.

Unfortunately, by 1:45pm, temperatures were so high that race officials made the difficult but very responsible decision to suspend racing. At that stage 210 crews out of 243 had completed the course, including the school age, oldest Masters, and Para crews who started early in the day.

The fastest crew to finish the course officially was Melbourne Rowing Club Male Masters E, stroked by Matthew Harrison, in a time of 29 minutes 53 seconds. Following the heat cancellation the, Male B Grade, and the Female and Male Open crews were not able to race or record an official time. Regrettably, these categories included the fastest crews in the race with seven athletes from the 2024 Paris Olympics.

The winner of this year's Coxswain Award, steering the shortest line of the course, is Jo Cripps of Tablelands Rowing Club (QLD). Jo coxed two events on Saturday, including the Breast Cancer Awareness (Cairns Composite) crew pictured below. Congratulations Jo! Hawthorn Rowing Club cox, Guy Beasley, sat down with Jo this week to gain some insight into her rowing journey and what it took to conquer the Head of the Yarra! Listen to 'The Coxswain's Journey' here.

Despite the disappointment of calling off the final races, thousands of competitors still celebrated in a carnival atmosphere at Riverside Park, next to Hawthorn Rowing Club, where cool drinks were more than welcome.

Images: 'Boathouse Drive'

JEAN MITCHELL HONOURED AT VIS AWARDS

Congratulations to Rowsella and MUBC rower, Jean Mitchell, who was presented with the Sarah Tait Spirit Award at the 2024 VIctorian Institute of Sport (VIS) Awards on Tuesday night!

Mitchell, now 24, made her Olympic debut in Paris with the Women's Four, after being diagnosed with medulloblastoma brain cancer at just 16.

This special award is named in honour of Sarah Tait, the late three-time Olympian and Silver Medal winner (Women's Pair) from London 2012, who passed away in 2016 after a battle with cervical cancer. She was 33.

The award recognises the athlete who most encompasses the spirit of the VIS. Mitchell has demonstrated courage, commitment and persistence to achieve her sporting goals, while showing the ability to inspire and bring out the best in others and bring pride to her community.

Mitchell has maintained an inspiring positivity and now serves as an ambassador for Connor’s Run and Connor’s Erg, raising funds and awareness for the Robert Connor Dawes Foundation, which is dedicated to funding brain cancer research and improving outcomes for patients. 

Credit: Rowing Australia

Gain funding for the above via the Emergency Sporting Equipment Grant Program!

2025 STATE TEAM SELECTION REQUIREMENTS

The selection policies and nomination forms for the 2025 Senior/Para/Youth & Masters Interstate Teams are now live on the Rowing Victoria website.

Senior/Para/Youth Nominations close on Friday 20th December 2024.

Masters Nominations close on Monday 20th January 2025.

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

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.