Archive for year: 2011

The Radford College senior boys’ quad had a great week end of racing at the Henley Royal Regatta in the UK. The crew of James Vlandis, Alex Stuchbery, Luke Letcher and Jordan Davies competed in the Fawley Cup for School and Club quad scullers under the age of 19 years. This Regatta is widely regarded as the unofficial world championships for club and school crews. The Henley Royal Regatta was first held in 1839 and has been held annually since, except during the two World Wars. It predates the Olympics and world championships and it has long been the most prestigious rowing event

The competition is a unique match racing, knock out competition between pairs of crews racing one against the other, the loser being eliminated from racing and the winner progressing to the next round. The draw is similar to that at Wimbledon, and the Royal Regatta is an enormous social event similar to the Melbourne Cup in Australia, with outrageous fashion, and spectators partying on with rowing as the backdrop. The luck of the draw can play a part in how far crews progress in the competition.

In the first round on Thursday Radford held off a very strong young crew from Marlow rowing club, who the English crowd were overwhelmingly supporting. This regatta is unique in that the spectators are very close to the crews and the support can lift crews. Marlow is a local club and the Marlow crew responded to this overwhelming roar from the crowd as the finish approached. Radford were not intimidated and held together to win by a 4 metres.

On Friday’s racing Radford raced the US Schools Champion crew from Maritime Rowing Club, Connecticut. Maritime led off the start, but Radford responded with a concerted effort over the next 500metres to take a narrow lead. In the middle stages Radford looked to be rowing better than the Americans, and slowly moving away. Over the last 600 metres the radford crew built their lead to a comfortable margin. This win by Radford, who are the Australian School Champion quad crew, against the US equivalent Champion crew is one that can be savoured by the crew and their supporters.

On Saturday morning Radford faced their toughest challenge competing against Sydney Rowing Club, made up of rowers from the best of Sydney’s GPS rowing schools and one former national junior Representative.

The Sydney crew (who averaged 90kg body weight) used their power to blast away from the much lighter Radford crew to establish a 3 length lead by half way. This very strong crew then were able to respond to the subsequent challenges that Radford put to them, to record a three and a half length win at the finish.
Subsequently Sydney Rowing Club was undefeated throughout the event to win the final by a bigger margin than they recorded against Radford.

The Radford crew can be proud of their achievement of getting through the first two rounds and then losing to the eventual winners.

Sydney Rowing Club was a class above all of the other crews competing and although Radford lost their undefeated tag for 2011, they can be proud of a very good season.

For more Information Contact
David Bagnall
6247 4615

The Third of Rowing ACT’s Winter Time Trials will be held on the 16th and 17th July 2011. The format of the event is singles and pairs on the Saturday, doubles, quads, fours and eights on Sunday. Rowing ACT is willing to accept double entries on Saturday, however crews must be early novice. Clubs need to be aware these crews will NOT be competing in any official category and will not be awarded prize or point score rewards.

The course is 4km long and runs from near the Dam, around a turning boat near the 1800m start, down Yarramundi Reach, around Kurrajong Point and up Tarcoola Reach finishing at the first of the white timber piles, opposite the AIS in Lotus Bay.

The series winner for each category of boat is determined by a point score based on handicap times. Crews/scullers receive one point for each race they complete, plus one point for each opponent in that race that they beat on handicap time. Crews can accumulate series points provided they do not change more than 25% of their crew from one time trial to the next.

Entries should be via your club and sent by email to Rowing ACT . Entries close at midnight on the Sunday preceding the time trial (July 10). Larger clubs may collate entries into the template spread sheet below.

Download the “spread sheet template”:file_download/77.

Note. Clubs entering 3 to 8 entries are required to nominate 1 Safety Marshal to validate their entries. Any club entering 9 or more crews on Saturday or 7 or more on Sunday will be required to nominate 2 Safety Marshals. These individuals must not be a BRO already committed to assisting with start or finish duties. Safety Marshals will be required to report to the BROs with a tinnie and will be assisting in safety management during this event.
Entries will not be accepted without this nomination.

The series winner for each class of boat is determined by a point score based on handicap times. Competitors receive one point for each race they complete, plus one point for each competitor in that race that they beat on handicap time. Crews can accumulate series points provided they do not change more than 25% of their crew from one time trial to the next.

View the Saturday small boat scores for June.
View the Sunday big boat scores for June.

The TAMS website announced that lake quality has improved sufficiently for rowing to resume on Lake Tuggeranong. The Blue Green algae was sufficiently bad that ACT Health had closed the lake for many weeks and the keenest of LTRC rowers had relocated to Daramalan shed to row on LBG.
On Saturday afternoon LTRC and RACT had a meeting with ACT Assembly member and speaker Shane Rattenbury about lake quality issues.
Both LTRC and RACT will put in submissions to the ACT inquiry into Lake Health.
Thanks to Shane for notifying us about the improved health status of Lake Tuggeranong.

Please note there has been some withdrawals from Saturday’s time trial however this has not affected the starting order.

Download “Saturdays Start List”:file_download/93.

Download “Sundays Start List”:file_download/94.

Please take the time to read the following information.

INSTRUCTIONS TO COMPETITORS

• It is the responsibility of crews to ensure they are at the start on time (any crew who misses their allocated start time may be started at the end of the field). Crews should pay particular attention to the start time rather than boat number as some numbers may be missing.

• Clubs should ensure that scullers and crews have the skill and experience to complete the course under adverse weather conditions.

• Crews and scullers should take note of normal traffic rules on the way to the start.

• Slower crews should ensure that crews overtaking have space to pass on the most direct course.

• If you capsize during racing stay with your boat until a safety marshal arrives. Remember that your boat will float even when it is full of water.

BOW NUMBERS

Bow numbers will be available for collection from Black Mountain Rowing Club from 8am on Saturday.

OFFICIALS

Officials are required to meet at the Black Mountain Rowing Club at 8:45am on the morning of each trial for a briefing. Wherever possible bring a tinnie and a megaphone. PFDs will be supplied for all officials.