Archive for category: News

John Simson and Alex Leitch, former long term Captains of Canberra and Black Mountain Rowing Clubs, received recognition from the ACT Government when they were presented with Thanks Awards at the National Press Club in Barton on 25 October. The Rowing Association nominated John and Alex for that long term contribution to their clubs, and specifically for their role in maintaining the Yarramundi buoyed rowing course, and reconstruction of the temporary buoy lines following destruction of the course across summer. The Thanks Awards is an ACT volunteer recognition program for the local sport and recreations sector, and 17 nominees were judged to have made an outstanding contribution to their sport, and were presented with a framed certificate of recognition by Chris Bourke MLA.

As most rowers know, Alex and John have maintained the buoyed rowing course over the last 10 years on a voluntary basis. This difficult job involves replacing boys and cables that have broken off from the Albano framework within Lake Burley Griffin. This is unpleasant work involving slimy ropes and buoys and very cold water throughout much of the year. When the floods of summer 2010 – 2011 washed away our course, Alex Leitch and John Simpson removed many very large logs, retrieved remnants of the course and constructed lanes of boys on the edges of the course, so that the association could continue to host regattas and rowers could continue to train safely on the Yarramundi reach. This outstanding effort is appreciated by all rowers from world and Olympic champions at the AIS to recreational and novice scullers.

View a photo of Alex (second from the left) with James, David and Alan here

The 28th ClubsACT Sportstar of the Year Awards were held on Friday 21st October 2011 in The Ballroom at the Woden Southern Cross Club, and Geoff Northam received an award for his boat race officiating. The awards are a glittering annual event to recognise the outstanding achievements of ACT Athletes, Coaches and Administrators, and Geoff has been adjudged the outstanding sports official across all sports in the ACT in 2011. He was presented with an attractive trophy in front of his family, and a packed ballroom of sports identities.
Geoff is a nationally accredited Boat Race Official who is among an elite group of officials who umpire at the National regatta. Apart from filling senior roles at virtually all local regattas over many years, he has been the principal organiser, recruiter, examiner and co-ordinator of our officials for the last ten years.
This role involves negotiating with both the sport’s administrative committee, but also with the many volunteer boat race officials, and co-ordinating their varied activities. Apart from very long competition days, the sport involves a lot of maintenance and planning. Geoff has also assumed the role of safety officer for the association up until very recently. Geoff has been responsible for our sport adopting a safety first attitude to the risks associated with cold water. Apart from drowning, cold water from May to October is the single greatest risk for participants in our sport.

Entries for Rowing ACT Regatta #1 to be hosted by the Capital Lakes Rowing Club on 5 November 2011, close 5pm Wednesday the 26th of October. Clubs that have not submited their entries by the deadline will not be able to participate.

on Monday in Hwa Chong, Korea Rowing ACT umpire Geoff Northam qualified for an international rowing umpires licence.

Along with Rowing Victoria umpire Bill Webster, who also achieved his licence, Geoff has been a part of the Australian Sports Commission’s National Officiating Scholarship Program since January 2011. The aim of the program is to develop the next generation of Australian rowing umpires to work on the world stage. It has enabled Geoff and Bill to travel overseas to attend the international federation’s (FISA) international umpiring education course, gain experience working with regatta juries at major events, and finally sit their international exams over the past two days in Korea.

The NOSP program has also equipped them to be presenters, assessors and mentors for developing new local, national and international umpires over the coming years. To be selected for the NOSP scholarship was itself a significant achievement, as only four Rowing Australia umpires have ever had this honour.

Congratulations to Geoff on his achievement.

Rowing ACT is seeking official expressions of interest form individuals to fill assistant selector roles. Assistant selectors will work closely with the Chair of Selectors to appoint a team which will most effectively represent the Australian Capital Territory at the 2012 Interstate Regatta in Perth.

Please email Rowing ACT with any inquires or expressions of interest.